henoureditor,Nathan,informedmethatthethemeofthisissuewascourage,
KatTaylorimmediatelycametomind.Asinger,rancherandbankingactivist,
Katisa livingembodimentofcourage,intheheart-centredrootoftheword.
Sheoperateswithlove,honestyandradicaltransparencyaboutherownandoursociety’s
blindspots,allthewhilestrivingtoliveintoa moreinclusive,equitableandjustworld.
Kat’sactivistspiritwasawakenedinherchildhood,growingupduringanincredible
inflectionpointinhumanhistory.Thecivilrightsmovementwasatitscrescendo,
andKatrecallsbearingwitnesstotragicmomentsofthetimes(suchasthedeaths
ofJFKandMartinLutherKing)andfeelingshecouldn’tliveina societythatallowed
suchinjusticestohappen.Raisedina bankingfamily,Kataspiredfora different
careertrajectory—onethatwouldallowhertobringfreedomstothemarginalised—
until,asa graduate,sherealisedthatlegalrightswithouteconomicopportunitywere
hollow.Sincethen,Kathasbeenattheleadingedgeofeconomicactivismandimpact
investing.Sheis 100 percentcommittedtousingallformsofcapitaltocreate,catalyse
andnurturethesystemsthatareconducivetoa harmoniousexistenceforalllife.
KatandherhusbandTomSteyerfocusonthreekeyareasfortheirinvestingthat
theyviewascriticalforeffectinglarge-scalechange:cleanmoney,cleanenergy
andcleanfood.SheandTomco-foundedBeneficialStateBank,a California-based
communitydevelopmentbankgroundedinsocialandenvironmentalvalues,withthe
goalofchangingthebankingsystemforgood.Thebank’sapproachisonethatrespects
allconstituenciesandallowscustomerstoaligntheirbankingactivitieswiththeirvalues.
Itseconomic rights are owned 100 percent by a foundation, and can never be controlled
by a private individual.
Kat and Tom also founded the TomKat Ranch and Educational Foundation, which focuses
on climate stability, healthy food and biodiversity. It serves as a learning laboratory for
regenerative agriculture to optimise carbon sequestration, nutrition, water quality and
availability, and animal welfare. In 2013, Kat co-founded NextGen Climate (now NextGen
America), an environmental advocacy organisation committed to supporting candidates
at all levels of government who will take action on climate change. In her spare time,
she is actively pursuing the impeachment of President Donald Trump!
Kat’s empathy and compassion are grounded in an acknowledgement that we are present
with no greater stature than any of the other creatures who share our Earth community.
She is inspired by the challenges we face, but even more so by the solutions that currently
exist and are being created. I had the privilege of sharing time and space with Kat in
her San Francisco home in late January, and then again a couple of months later over
Skype for this interview. She was sharp, unflinching, humble and deeply insightful.