How crypto can empower ladies

Transcript

Angie Lau: Numbers don’t lie. One in three college-educated ladies don’t imagine that they’ve equal entry to monetary programs in their very own nation, and 93% of them suppose that expertise will have an effect on finance within the subsequent decade. So there’s an enormous disconnect right here. Nicely, what can we do about it? Does the answer to a extra inclusive and gender-diverse monetary system lie with crypto?

Welcome to Phrase on the Block, the sequence that takes a deeper dive into blockchain and all of the rising applied sciences that form our world on the intersection of enterprise, politics and economic system. It’s what we cowl proper right here on Forkast. I’m Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau, and in the present day I’m thrilled. We’re in dialog with Wendy Diamond, CEO and founding father of the Girls’s Entrepreneurship Day Group, extra popularly often called WEDO, which is attempting to bridge the gender chasm right here that we’re actually seeing on the earth. And that’s the place we come to subsequent. We’re speaking to Wendy, what her story is, and the way she thinks crypto is absolutely partaking us in a better means. Wendy, we do, sure, we do.

I’m thrilled that you simply’re right here. You’re a media goddess, I might say, a media guru who began the primary pet way of life media firm, to huge success. And now you’re in blockchain, you’re in crypto, you’re in Web3. How did this all begin for you?

Wendy Diamond: I grew up in a small city in Ohio — like 2,500 individuals. Once I grew up I had horses and canine and cats and the entire thing. And I simply actually beloved neighborhood, as a result of we had been a small neighborhood, however we had been all, like, collectively, and animals performed a giant half in my life. And once I moved to New York Metropolis, I adopted my canine and cat from the shelter and I realized 12 million animals had been euthanized a 12 months that 12 months. And likewise that 12 months you’d go into the media and also you by no means noticed, like, celebrities or popular culture, otherwise you by no means noticed anyone speaking about adoption or rescue. It was very weird. 

So, I knew that by making a media firm and bringing celebrities and popular culture to the animal rescue world, we may educate everybody, ‘You can undertake any breed, any measurement, any age.’ And actually due to beginning animal welfare — Self-importance Truthful, the New York Occasions, Forbes, Fox, and so on. — we introduced celebrities and popular culture to the animal rescue world, that quantity in the present day is all the way down to lower than 2 million animals euthanized a 12 months.

We go across the nation and promote and do occasions and help the native animal rescue teams around the globe, round the USA, but in addition the world. And what occurred was I ended up getting a loopy stalker who fully ruined my life, actually. And by 2012, my complete lifetime of what I created, actually — I needed to step again from public life and determine what was occurring. And what occurred was I ended up on trip in Honduras, the homicide capital of the world. Once I booked the journey, I didn’t comprehend it was the homicide capital of the world, however I booked it and I used to be, like, ‘Oh, my gosh.’ However I’m an adventurer and I’m not hanging out with the drug lords. And what I say to individuals about my story is embracing life. No matter’s put in entrance of you, there’s a constructive — you may not comprehend it in a day, a 12 months or 10 years.

Nicely, the man who ran the lodge stated, ‘There’s a tremendous group that gives micro-loans for poor ladies. Why don’t you go test it out? It’s secure. I do know the event director. Go test it out.’ So, I ended up on this journey the place I realized all concerning the statistics of ladies. This was 2013. So, once I went on this journey to go to this group referred to as Adelante with this growth director, I used to be imagined to spend a number of hours. I spent three days — actually filth ground, the entire thing — and met all these unbelievable ladies that had been receiving these US$100 micro-loans.

I met this one lady — she was 72 years previous and he or she had three little children. And I’m, like, ‘How did you’ve these three little children? Whew, it’s a miracle.’ And she or he’s. like, ‘My daughter handed away, the husband ran off.’ And she or he received a US$100 micro-loan and was ready with that US$100 to open up a window in her one-room hut (that) she shared with these three little grandchildren on a mud ground and promote Cokes and toothpaste.

And actually, around the globe, there are hundreds of thousands of ladies receiving these loans. So, they’re paying it again at a 98% price — 90% of that goes to coach their youngsters, present for his or her households. One out of eight ladies in America live in poverty. I’m like, ‘Wow, why is no one speaking about this?’ So, I went again to our governor and our mayor and I stated, ‘Can we create a day on the earth referred to as Girls’s Entrepreneurship Day?’ — to deliver consciousness to empower, rejoice and help ladies economically. As a result of if we help ladies economically, we all know 90% of that cash goes to coach the youngsters, present for his or her households, and uplift all the neighborhood. And when ladies are part of enterprise, they’ve self-worth, they’ve dignity, they don’t permit human rights violations.

In 2014 — the group in Africa — I used to be launched to a girl in Botswana that was a goat farmer who couldn’t afford healthcare for her son, who had actually critical well being points, and sadly, the son handed away. However on that journey she realized about Bitcoin. I realized about Bitcoin in 2014. And why is that? As a result of this lady created the SatoshiCentre in Botswana, like, in her little hut. You recognize what I’m saying? And to coach the individuals of Botswana about Bitcoin. Quick ahead in the present day — she’s advising the federal government of Botswana on crypto. She’s being funded by (Twitter co-founder) Jack Dorsey.

So anyhow, that’s how I realized about it, and that’s how I began to see that what Bitcoin is about, is what our basis is about. Our basis was based on serving to the two-and-a-half billion unbanked, who’re principally ladies. We’ve got that very same mission. And so once I realized about Bitcoin, I used to be, like, ‘What?’ I used to be, like, ‘That is unbelievable.’ I’m not a techie. I’m not like one in every of these individuals, however I simply was fascinated by this world forex that was enabling (individuals) — particularly these individuals in high-inflation areas — to have monetary inclusion. So, once you take a look at Bitcoin and the utilization and the hundreds of thousands of individuals utilizing it in Venezuela and Zimbabwe and Botswana, Nigeria… that aligns with what our perception is, with our basis. In order that was how I initially received into it.

Lau: Rattling. I’m going to say, rattling. Right here’s why — you constructed up by way of merely figuring out a necessity and asking the query why. And then you definitely did it. That’s by definition a founder. That’s by definition an entrepreneur, That’s by definition a change-maker. Now, you probably did this for animals and animal welfare and actually connecting the dots and creating this highly effective voice. You go to Honduras. Happenstance, and increase — you meet someone that makes a click on for you. And also you talked about that about crypto. What’s it about crypto that speaks to you in the identical means that you simply recognized a necessity, an issue, and also you go, ‘Hey, right here’s a doable resolution. Why not this?’ Why is crypto that for you?

Diamond: We take into consideration, like, Web3, and we take into consideration the metaverse and NFTs. Let’s not overlook the mom of this complete system, the ecosystem — Bitcoin. And Bitcoin is, to me — if you happen to look it up and also you type of take a look at the historical past of it — essentially the most high-integrity deflationary instrument ever created in historical past that isn’t managed by a authorities or a number of individuals, which is run by the individuals and decentralized, to allow peer-to-peer transactions in an immutable, clear and traceable (means), and offering this. So, it permits the two-and-a-half billion unbanked monetary inclusion. All they want is their account.

My complete factor was to deliver consciousness in the direction of animal rescue, deliver consciousness in the direction of empowering ladies economically who’re impoverished from a ground-up strategy. It’s by no means been like ‘me, me, me’, it’s all about ‘we, we, we’. WEDO. And so I really feel, like, the founders, Satoshi (Nakamoto) of Bitcoin, they didn’t care concerning the cash or energy. And so they’ve by no means offered or transferred any of their Bitcoin. And so they’re value billions and billions of {dollars}. That claims one thing concerning the integrity of this complete ecosystem. And I believe that’s what I care most about, as a result of, when you concentrate on  it — particularly in the USA with what’s occurred with bailing out all of the banks and who actually benefited from that and who did it and the entire thing — this, to me, is that I adore it, I imagine in it. And I’d prefer to say that, certain, like something on this world, there’s a number of unhealthy eggs. However once you consider why this was created, it has such excessive integrity that we should embrace it.

Lau: You’re an adviser on quite a few attention-grabbing crypto funds, together with Perceptive Capital, simply to call a number of. There’s a major hole between operating a charity group and supporting blockchain start-ups. So now you’re on this area, what are you on the lookout for? What do you suppose nonetheless must be supported on this area? Girls in crypto. Are there sufficient of us?

Diamond: So, I’ve been on this area for a very long time. I’ve been by way of the ICO (preliminary coin providing) stage, the place I misplaced quite a bit. And I used to be simply so excited as a result of everybody was disrupting every part. I used to be like, certain, certain, certain, so I made a decision to begin investing in funds. So, I’m at present an investor in 5 crypto Web3 funds, additionally (in) start-ups which are impactful. So, my complete purpose is to help the underdog. And the underdog is those who don’t have a voice. So, that features ladies, that features animals, that features local weather change… every part.

So, I imagine by being a part of these funds, it’s my accountability to deliver consciousness in the direction of the ladies founders on this area and to allow and have a voice for them inside these funds. So, I do put money into funds to be part of that. As a result of once you take a look at it, most of those crypto funds are based by males. However how can we then deliver these actually nice tasks to them that actually are impactful?

So, a number of of the tasks that I’m in. One is named Animal Cloud, which is a Web3 platform for animal rescue, bringing knowledge and adoption to Web3 with the intention to monitor the life of those canine and have the ability to determine ‘How can we lower the adoption charges by enabling accountable breeding?’ and and so on. And these are the type of tasks I’m in. I’m additionally a part of BlockTower Capital. I’m a part of CoinFund, early in Rarible and Dapper and lots of the early profitable Web3 tasks.

Lau: A lot of successes … I need to speak about how crypto is making a distinction in occasions of misery, and what WEDO is doing actively in Afghanistan after energy reverted again into the palms of the Taliban … And also you, Wendy, are funding — what’s it — 100,000 Afghan ladies with crypto. Your group has been lively in Afghanistan since 2014 and now — wow — extra necessary than ever earlier than. Inform us concerning the influence you’ve had and the choice to remain as the federal government fell in Kabul … and the Taliban took over.

Diamond: So once more, our basis — we’re an all-volunteer motion. So, we search for, like, profitable ladies that need to give again to their communities. So, sure, we had been in Afghanistan throughout this complete transition interval, and so on., and our group there have been compelled to go away. And what I realized is, like, what was crypto actually created for with this kind of state of affairs.

So, I simply began studying quite a bit about a few of these unbelievable ladies there. A whole lot of them had been Gen Z and stuff like that. And I might go discover them, whether or not it was on TikTok or Instagram, and I’d be like, ‘Hey, are you guys into crypto? Have you considered this?’ And so then I used to be, like, ‘Okay, let’s do that. Let’s create an initiative to fund 100,000 ladies in Afghanistan for every week’s value of meals so everybody can contribute US$10.’ That’s all it’s, by the way in which. They get their rice, they get all of the stuff, their requirements for the week.

However what’s actually necessary earlier than we give them (that) is that it takes them two minutes to arrange. So, out of the 40 million individuals there, half of these individuals have cellphones, whether or not it’s a flip-phone or cellular. And so we guessed about 5 million of these had been ladies. So, what we did is we completed our pilot, in order that now these ladies have it. They then have to observe a fast little video about studying about crypto and creating an NFT, after which they obtain the tokens, and we’ve introduced on Stacks coin. Solana now’s taking a look at how they’ll take part on this. So we’re principally testing it out, and we’re going to ask all the Web3 neighborhood to get behind this. We’ve additionally linked with the e-commerce firms inside Afghanistan. Now, there are e-commerce firms — there’s an Amazon of Afghanistan. They’re solely doing 30,000 packages, however to allow these ladies who obtain these drops of cash are ready then to spend it in these e-commerce firms inside Afghanistan, they create a bundle. So, these ladies, after they go on, can simply pay for it with their crypto.

So, it’s my purpose to get this neighborhood — of which despite the fact that we’re in a winter proper now, have carried out phenomenally nicely and in honor of Satoshi, who created this motion, we should always do what this complete ecosystem was created upon doing, and it’s enabling monetary inclusion, and the vast majority of the two-and-a-half billion unbanked are ladies. So, that is one in every of these tasks that I believe is essential, and I believe that it permits everyone locally to help.

Lau: What you’re additionally exhibiting is absolutely you’re conducting a case examine, a real-life pilot trial that exhibits off the power of this peer-to-peer cost system to assist in a humanitarian disaster, in any form of occasion of want, the place we will see the ability of digital forex being actively used to assist on the bottom.

Diamond: There’s such a necessity for tasks like this on the earth. By the way in which, speaking about Girls’s Entrepreneurship Day, it’s an official day on Nov. 19. And since Nov. 19, falls on a Saturday — the one which we do in New York on the United Nations, — it’s going to be held on Nov. 18, and that day is celebrating the influence of Web3 and crypto and what they’ve carried out on the earth. As a result of there are such a lot of tasks around the globe, for example, just like the Ukraine DAO (decentralized autonomous group) and Unicorn DAO, and all these those that have actually contributed to the betterment of the world. I believe it’s necessary that we deliver this to the forefront.

Lau: Are there different spots on the earth the place you see that individuals have been marginalized, and also you’re very conscious of those spots they usually exist even in our personal international locations? The place do you see the appliance of crypto past what we’re seeing proper now? I imply, everyone’s listening to the clearly scary headlines — crypto winter contagion, wealth destruction and its huge influence.

Diamond: We’re up towards the naysayers. We’re up towards a lot. However if you happen to simply learn between the traces like BlackRock doing their Bitcoin chart and all these things, you’ll see it’s going to occur. It’s simply going to take quite a bit longer as a result of the very fact is, we’re 13 years previous. And I do know, like, Gen Z and millennials, like, want it yesterday, want it shortly, however you recognize what? Endurance, as a result of it’s occurring. There’s a number of the most unbelievable minds behind this complete factor. And it’s — actually, to me — I’ve by no means been so enthusiastic about a few of these tasks which are actually going to alter this world for the higher.

Lau: Okay, Wendy, we’ve talked about so many issues, however inclusivity — you’re actively doing one thing about it with Girls Entrepreneurship, WEDO. We do extra, we will do. WEDO. And the way can all of us do it? Not simply ladies, however male allies and ladies allies on this area to incorporate extra. And why is that necessary?

Diamond: And that’s one other factor. We’re not, like, we love males…

Lau: In fact we do.

Diamond: Yeah. Like, we’re not male, any of that.

Lau: I’ve received a five-year-old son. I’ve received to like my man, and I’ve received to like my man who gave me my little man. So, yeah.

Diamond: I imply, that’s the entire thing. It’s about training. And I’ll say, like, a number of the best males on this ecosystem are supporting our motion. Everybody from Seth Ginns, one of many heads of CoinFund, to Tom (Thomas) Lee from Fundstrat, to James Johnson, and so on., are actually massive supporters. And I believe that the important thing to that is to essentially deliver quite a bit and help these initiatives, whether or not it’s being a part of Girls’s Entrepreneurship Day all around the world and supporting our ambassadors all around the world which are creating our motion and taking part. Girls’s Entrepreneurship Day goes to be celebrated within the metaverse, so everybody can take part this 12 months. Be a part of it.

It’s about additionally supporting all these DAOs which are on the market which are supporting ladies, whether or not it’s AllStarsWomen DAO or whether or not it’s H.E.R. DAO, or no matter it is likely to be. There are such a lot of ladies which are actually preventing to help ladies on this area, and to assist the builders create completely different firms and partnering and collaborating so that everybody could make a distinction. Everybody can take part. Whether or not you’re nonetheless in Web2, you may take part. Whether or not you’re younger and also you don’t know what you’re doing, you may take part.

What’s so wonderful about this ecosystem is that there’s a lot alternative. I imply, all the businesses that I’m in and all of the funds I’m in have so many job alternatives. It’s about training and enabling these ladies to grasp that they’re succesful and that they need to apply. And it’s additionally so simple as simply attending Meetups within the area — there’s Meetups in all places on the earth… simply having the ability to be educated. And lots of people are terrified of it. And what I at all times say to them is, like in the course of the pandemic — I’ll inform you, it was hysterical — I actually most likely spent tons of of hours watching YouTube.

Lau: YouTube College.

Diamond: I might go to one thing or I’d watch one thing and somebody would say one thing and I’d be, like, ‘What the heck is that?’ And there I’m, two minutes later, once I’m carried out watching 5 YouTube movies to get it. As a result of on the finish of the day, it’s super-exciting. I imply, there’s a lot training on the market for Web3. Each protocol, whether or not it’s NEAR, whether or not it’s Solana, whether or not it’s Polygon, Ethereum Basis… There are all these free methods to find out about blockchain, about all these protocols and how one can be part of it.

Lau: So, lots of ladies, I believe, (know) the 90-10% rule. Everyone knows what that’s. For ladies, we have now to really feel 90% succesful earlier than we elevate our hand, and for the blokes within the room, it’s 10% succesful. And ‘Yeah, I’m able to go. I can personal this area.’ How can we flip that considering? What do the ladies who’re watching this — and the male allies who’re watching this — want to acknowledge? How can we flip that considering and have each lady elevate their hand? In the event that they’re within the area, actually, you might be succesful.

Diamond: Like, once you say that, I type of was considering, ‘That’s me type of too.’ I’m not the one who’s like, ‘Oh, despite the fact that I’m type of skilled and I’ve had lots of expertise in life and I’m simply completely in all sectors and perceive methods to make issues occur.’ I believe you really want to do that at a younger age. So, it’s about at a younger age, enabling your youngsters to have jobs, and to have the ability to be self reliant and to have the ability to open their minds and to turn into entrepreneurs. As a result of in our society in the present day, individuals are not graduating faculty and dealing for someone for 20 years. They should be an entrepreneur. 

You’ll be able to by no means lose your internal youngster of pleasure of at all times questioning, ‘Wow,’ or, ‘How?’ and ‘How can I try this?’ or “Let me attempt.’ Once you had been youthful, you had been, like, all about that, and at all times remembering that may allow ladies to simply — whether or not you’ve simply misplaced your job and also you don’t know what you’re going to do — it’s, like, take that journey, go down that rabbit gap of YouTube, take a look at all of the movies, watch it. What excites you? Is it the metaverse? Is it gaming? And if you happen to’re actually involved in one thing, do one Google. When you’re involved in actual property, there’s a ton of blockchains for actual property. When you’re involved in training, there’s tons of that. After which simply do your analysis. As a result of I at all times say to individuals like, ‘I had no concept.’ Actually, like my complete life, I’ve been an entrepreneur. I by no means had a job. I utilized for, like, 100 jobs after faculty. Nobody employed me, so I at all times needed to create my very own factor, and I used to be not a great scholar.

And so I believe it’s simply actually understanding what’s the worst that might occur. And the worst that might occur is somebody says no, however I can promise ultimately somebody will say sure. And I believe it’s simply so necessary for individuals simply to have it inside them to attempt to ask.

Lau: Nicely, you’ve stated sure to so many individuals, and I believe you’ve flipped the equation. So, we would solely know 10%, however there’s 90% of individuals just like the Wendy Diamonds of the world. And hopefully what we’re doing right here at Forkast, and this unbelievable neighborhood of people that will say additionally, sure — all it’s important to do is know that they’re there and also you search them out. You recognize, 90% of that equation is you merely asking for assist and getting steering, as a result of the yesses are throughout us.

Diamond: I believe you’ll agree, Angie. I’ve by no means seen a extra passionate group of individuals in wanting to coach individuals and wanting individuals to be concerned. So, wherever you might be on this world, I can assure you there’s most likely a crypto neighborhood on Meetup or someplace, or you would discover it. And, once more, simply do a little analysis, as a result of there are such a lot of individuals engaged on such impactful tasks, and it’s so necessary for individuals to have objective in life. It’s similar to, ‘Wow, I’m making a distinction as a result of I’m serving to X, Y, Z.’ And I believe that’s type of like with me — with all of the tasks I work on, it’s at all times, like, it’s not about me. It’s the larger downside that we’re going through and that we’re attempting to unravel.

Lau: Your story is unbelievable, and I can’t wait to hitch forces with you. It could be an honor, and I can’t wait to see the tales that we’ll write collectively and the tales that we’ll write about what you’re doing and persevering with to do. It’s been a privilege and nice to simply chat with you on this Phrase on the Block episode, and I can’t wait to do extra of it.

Diamond: Angie, thanks a lot. So grateful.

Lau: Thanks, Wendy, for becoming a member of us in the present day. And thanks, everybody, for becoming a member of us on this newest episode of Phrase on the Block. I hope that you simply’ve been impressed and go nudge that lady in your life — your daughter, your sister, your mom, your grandmother — to get into this area. It’s world-changing, and that’s why we’re all right here in it, in any case. I’m Angie Lau, Forkast Editor-in-Chief. Till the subsequent time.