Publishing the Cultural Equity Index—an annual report measuring reinvestment outcomes and equity in the cultural economy.
We can measure GDP, stock market performance, and corporate profits down to the cent. But there's no systematic measurement of cultural extraction—the trillions of dollars generated from Black culture while communities remain economically marginalized. The Cultural Equity Index changes that by making cultural value flows visible, measurable, and impossible to ignore.
Published annually, the Cultural Equity Index is the first comprehensive report quantifying the economic value of Black culture, tracking where that value flows, and measuring how much returns to source communities. It's the accountability mechanism the cultural economy has never had.
Quantifying the economic value generated by Black culture across industries: fashion, music, sports, technology, food, and media.
Tracking where cultural value flows: which corporations profit, which products use cultural IP, and how much goes to non-Black entities.
Measuring what percentage of value generated actually returns to Black creators and communities through licensing fees, wages, and programs.
Tracking total licensing fees paid to Black creators, average deal sizes, and year-over-year growth in creator compensation.
Measuring how many Black creators have registered their cultural IP and secured legal protections for their work.
Tracking new Black-owned creative businesses, revenue growth, and sustainability rates among creator entrepreneurs.
Measuring how many creators benefit from MADE programs, geographic distribution, and demographic diversity.
Quantifying total dollars transferred from cultural economy to Black communities through all MADE mechanisms.
Measuring secondary impacts: how MADE fellows mentor others, community knowledge transfer, and network effects.
Tracking state and federal legislation protecting cultural IP, legal precedents, and regulatory changes.
Measuring adoption of MADE licensing standards, fair-use protocols, and voluntary compliance by major brands.
Quantifying media coverage, public discourse, and shifting attitudes about cultural extraction and equity.
The First Comprehensive Report on Cultural Value Flows in America
Data without transparency is just noise. We're committed to radical transparency in how we measure, what we measure, and how we use the data to drive change.
All data collection methods, calculation formulas, and analysis techniques are published openly. Anyone can verify our work or replicate our research.
Independent auditors verify all financial data and impact metrics annually. We publish full audit reports with no redactions.
Creators own their data. We never share individual creator information without explicit consent. Aggregate data is anonymized.
The Cultural Equity Index is freely available to everyone. No paywalls, no registration requirements. Knowledge should be accessible.
Between annual reports, we publish real-time dashboards tracking key metrics. Donors and the public can see impact as it happens.
We report what doesn't work as prominently as what does. Learning requires honesty about failure, not just celebration of success.
Rigorous data collection and analysis require sustained investment in research infrastructure, data partnerships, and analytical talent. Your investment creates the evidence base that drives accountability.
Once extraction is quantified and public, corporations face reputational risk. Measurement creates pressure for voluntary change before regulation.
Legislators need data to justify policy changes. The Index provides the evidence base for cultural IP protection laws.
ESG investors use the Index to identify companies with cultural extraction risk. Market pressure complements regulatory pressure.
Data mobilizes communities. When people see extraction quantified, it transforms abstract injustice into concrete targets for advocacy.
Philanthropists invest more when they can see impact clearly measured. Transparency attracts capital at scale.
The Index creates permanent documentation of cultural extraction and progress toward equity. Future generations deserve to know the truth.
For philanthropists who believe that measurement drives change and transparency creates accountability, the Cultural Equity Index offers a rigorous, evidence-based tool for systemic transformation. Let's discuss how your investment can illuminate cultural extraction and accelerate the path to equity.