Reorienting competition is social innovation for future generations

The following is from our Founder, Larissa Crawford, and recognizing the need to reorient competition and how this informed the inception of Future Ancestors Services.

Larissa with Black business leaders in Calgary while speaking at the WTAL Black History Month event (Credit: Abiodun Ajibola 2024)

One thing I learned during my undergraduate studies in International Development and later while working in the non-profit granting sector is that both the non-profit and humanitarian fields are driven by a capitalist understanding of competition.

There is an oversaturation of organizations doing relatively similar work, which raises competition among them for scarce grant and sponsorship dollars. Consequently, work may be rushed, done improperly, and the impact may be inflated in recognition of this competition. Have you ever wondered why we don’t see many failure reports circulating? Yet, failure reports often provide more insightful knowledge and valuable lessons than shiny success reports.

With this awareness, I was very conscious of not wanting to start something until I was sure it addressed a need that wasn’t being sufficiently met by another organization doing meaningful work. Furthermore, I sought to contribute to a necessary shift regarding the influence competition has on how organizations and individuals working for social and environmental justice operate.

After providing speaking, training, and research service contracts in Canada for a few years, I identified a gap in the sector: there are limited spaces and resources where clients seeking to hire diverse speakers, trainers, researchers, and artists can go to find, hire, and build their networks. This is a growing concern, especially given the increasing social intolerance for racism and the lack of diversity across all sectors.

With the reception of one too many contracts that clearly were not a fit for me (likely offered simply because I was the only Indigenous or Black speaker a client could find), I made the conscious decision to transform my former business, Larissa Crawford Speaks, into something more impactful.

Instead of competing against other diverse service providers, who also face disproportionate barriers and strive toward the same goals of climate justice and equity, I recognized the opportunity to shift our approach and business model away from the traditional understanding of competition.

Yes, this Speakers Bureau promotes and supports service providers who could be seen as competitors to some of the services we offer directly to clients. However, by uplifting their voices and services, I view this as contributing to our shared goals of creating equitable spaces that support climate justice in Canada and around the world.

This is social innovation in the interest of the well-being of our future generations and Mother Earth.

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