The Camelback Ventures Manifesto:
RUTHLESS FOR GOOD™
Every day, we see ruthlessness in action -- individuals and systems who fiercely work to empower themselves, to the detriment of communities around the world. Imagine though -- what would happen if we took that same energy, that same aggressiveness...and used it for doing something good in the world?
That idea, being ruthless for good is what drives us at Camelback. We believe it is always the time to be ruthless for good. Camelback Ventures presents to you our manifesto, our ideas that we express with urgency and intensity, to create an equitable and just world.
THE ORIGINS OF RUTHLESS FOR GOOD
RUTHLESS IN ACTION: STORIES & PERSPECTIVES
Camelback Ventures is proud to welcome our fourth cohort of the Capital Collaborative by Camelback Ventures.
From architecture to dirt bikes to video games to new schools, the newest cohort of 14 Camelback Fellows is looking good. Meet our new cohort of diverse education leaders.
Myron Long, radical school founder in Washington, D.C., shares unique curricula of liberatory design thinking, community-based project learning, and rigorous academics. | Over the next few weeks, we’re featuring Fellows and their founder journey, their Camelback application advice, and their Fellowship experience.
Nadiyah Morris, New Orleans native, shares how she changed 13 years ago today, and how that drives her work with Camelback today.
Vanessa Luna is a 2018 Camelback Fellow and founder of ImmSchools, a nonprofit dedicated to improving schools and education communities for immigrant families. Growing up undocumented herself, she shares actionable ways to make a difference during this troubling time.
Why We Must Be Ruthless for Black Genius || In a long-form reflection on the relationship between race and education in this country, 2016 Camelback Fellow William Jackson discusses the increase in DEI work and the need for a collaborative Black community.
We've spent the last 6 months recruiting and selecting our 2018 portfolio, and we couldn't be more thrilled to introduce the thirteen 2018 Camelback Fellows. Innovative tech, arts and creative learning, four schools, first-generation leaders, and a lot of incredible women. Meet the crew.
Four Camelback edtech founders share their best and worst decisions in the early days of their venture, sharing advice and anecdotes about how they built their team and product.
"I wish the opportunity to build and create was available to everyone. How different would our national community be, and our world be, if everyone had their chance to contribute their genius to the greater world?"
"In 2017, I did 1:1s with over 400 people in Miami. Parents, teachers, community members -- everyone is on the same page: we all agree the system here is broken." Yannell Selman reflects on her identity as a Latinx entrepreneur, teacher, and community organizer and her path to the Camelback Fellowship.
RUTHLESS FOR GREAT SCHOOLS
Founding a school is no small feat, and so we spoke with some of our school leaders to share their experiences and advice. This series follows five Camelback School Founders from their beginning ideating phase, the planning process, the charter application, the Camelback Fellowship, and opening their doors to students.
Jonathan Johnson began his journey to founding a school when one of his students died tragically in a drug deal. He resolved to create an innovative school that provides pathways to financial freedom. The school opened its doors in August to its first class of 9th-graders, mostly of color. After their first semester, Jonathan shares Rooted's early successes, the most inspiring moment of his career so far, and advice for aspiring school founders.
"Ruthlessness has the implication and inherent meanings of aggressive intensity, unyielding pursuit of an end. What if we took that same ruthlessness and put it towards the pursuit of equity in our country?" Camelback launches our manifesto, Ruthless for Good, and Aaron shares why this work for him is personal.