Empowering Indigenous Economies
Amidst the dynamic realm of impact investing, Sage Lacerte stands out as a symbol of empowerment, advocating for the economic revitalization of Indigenous womxn. Sages’s vision surpasses conventional concepts of commerce in her capacities as the Director of Inclusion at Boann Social Impact and Founder and CEO of Sage Initiative. Her achievements have also earned her the title of Business Woman of the Month for Indigenous SME Magazine’s May edition. This article explores Sage’s extraordinary trajectory, in which she amalgamates modern approaches with Indigenous knowledge to fundamentally transform the domain of impact investing.
Revolutionizing Impact Investing:
Serving as the leader of Sage Initiative, Sage coordinates an ecosystem of Indigenous womxn impact investors on a national scale. The objective of her work is unambiguous: to enable Indigenous womxn to confidently manage our finances, restore Indigenous economies, and redefine money as medicine. Achieving the title of 30 under 30 in Sustainability by Corporate Knights and the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Victoria in 2022. Indigenous womxn have always been the keepers of community wealth, Sage says, envisioning a future in which we embrace traditional values of matriarchy whereby Indigenous communities have experienced economic prosperity for generations. By her inventive methodology, she pays homage to Indigenous commerce principles that define wealth as the amount of generosity and sense of belonging one feels in one’s community. She forges avenues to prosperity by investing in Indigenous-owned businesses that have a positive and measurable social and environmental impact. It’s no longer okay to make investments for the sole purpose of capitalism; the world needs to move towards investments that have an impact first and return second.

Igniting Social Transformation:
Sage has an even more significant commitment to social justice than the boardroom. As the previous National Youth Ambassador of the Moose Hide Campaign, she has devoted her efforts to ceaselessly promoting ceremony that leads to ending violence against children and women in Canada. Concentrating on initiatives at the post-secondary level, Sage’s advocacy surpasses mere rhetoric and affects concrete transformations in communities throughout Canada. Inspired by her Carrier heritage and informed by Indigenous knowledge, her activism exemplifies the transformative potential of intersectional leadership. More than 5 Million moose hide pins have been gifted, starting 25 Million conversations surrounding ending violence in Canada. Register to attend Moose Hide Campaign Day virtually or in person on May 16th at moosehidecampaign.ca
Fostering Inclusion and Diversity:
Sage, who serves as the Director of Inclusion at Boann Social Impact, remains committed to dismantling obstacles and fostering relationships with communities that merit equity. Sage implements policies and training programs that are culturally safe, socially equitable, and trauma-informed. Sage’s Indigenous perspective and lived experience as a queer woman establishes a nearly unprecedented standard of inclusion and diversity within the realm of impact investing, wherein the paradigm is shifted away from Eurocentric and androcentric worldviews towards a norm where each community is esteemed and every voice is honoured.

In impact investing, Sage Lacerte’s voyage exemplifies the transformative potential of Indigenous leadership. In her endeavours with the Sage Initiative and Boann Social Impact, Sage disrupts and reorients established norms, thereby establishing routes to prosperity grounded in the resilience and knowledge of Indigenous communities and equity-deserving groups. Sage’s ongoing efforts to empower Indigenous womxn, promote social change, and advocate for diversity and inclusion serve as a source of inspiration for an emerging cohort of leaders who are motivated to seek economic justice for all by embracing the principles of rematriation, resilience, and reciprocity.
For more information about the training and empowering sessions for Indigenous womxn, visit their website here.
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