In honor of National Sports Day, August 29th, I’d like to share my full-circle story as both a lifelong sports fan and an impact investing advocate. First, a little background.
I was raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, where a unique religion is celebrated every Saturday during the fall. The service is held in Memorial Stadium, required dress code is red, and the faithful worship…football. My parents tithed, as season ticket holders. I even had the honor of tumbling on the altar, er, field.
I was a competitive athlete in high school, as was my husband. We raised two kids, who are currently both Division-I student-athletes. My previous career was in college sports.
Sports is in my blood.
With the global pandemic of COVID-19, the past six months have been catastrophic on so many levels. We have lost lives, jobs, homes, and dreams. Difficult times require us to reflect on what’s truly important, seek perspective, and lean on what provides solace.
But my happy place essentially vanished with the virus.
Without sports to feed my soul, I focused on my other passion – impact investing – and I quickly realized powerful synergies. They both bring people together. They connect people through the desire for a common goal and collective purpose. They further the dialogue on social justice and racial equality. They inherently build diverse communities who work together as a team. They are value-focused — what means the most to us.
Imagine if we directed the same amount of time, energy, and thought into our spending habits as we do into the playoffs, the championship game, or the MVP. Our purchasing and investing power are larger than any title or trophy. We have the ability to bring positive change into the world simply with our wallets. And everyone can join the team, impact investing is now accessible and inclusive.
As a closing thought, the power of sport in facilitating positive social and environmental change is undeniable. The recent boycotts of the WNBA and NBA players are just one example. We need to listen, learn, converse, and act together, utilizing the platforms we have available every day.
Support your team. Invest in your values. Make the world a better place.
Meg Masten is the Chief Relationship Officer at CoPeace. As a forward-thinking holding company, CoPeace is building a portfolio of carefully selected for-profit companies with measurable social and environmental impact. To learn more about impact investing, check out CoPeace’s Intro to Impact Investing.
