Dear Camelback Community,
I hope that you are well and resilient as we bring this year to a close. Personally, I am grateful for your remarkable support and the many connections I have made as I continue my second year as CEO of Camelback Ventures. As I reflect on 2025, I am sitting with a deep sense of heaviness and obligation. This year, we were all in action after witnessing, in real time, the direct turn away from progress toward equity that was born out of the tireless work of our ancestors during the Abolitionist and Civil Rights Movements.
I keep coming to the same conclusion: It is now our turn! We are the civil rights warriors of today. The incredible work of generations before us is not enough to pave the way for our vision for true freedom, access, and opportunity for our communities for the future. We must take the lead in setting our legacy for the next 100 years. And the history books will make note of who chooses to act or sit in silence.
I think back to my own childhood and my parents, who grew up in the Jim Crow South. The hatred and racism they endured were terrible. But they didn’t harbor anger or animosity. Instead, they dug deep within themselves to remain open, to remain joyful. And even better, they used their experiences to drive their determination to become Black entrepreneurs in the South in the 1980s by opening a family business that is still thriving today. There’s a strength in that, the ability to recognize what you’ve experienced and keep focus on where you’re headed. Their story also reminds me of the importance of supporting innovation and entrepreneurship — Camelback Venture’s mission — in this historic moment.
I see that spirit in the heart of what we do at Camelback. This year, we expanded our fellowship by almost 50% to 35 fellows, honed in strategically to help our Fellows navigate consistent changes in the funding landscape, and doubled down on the importance of supporting Founder wellness. We launched the Wellness Fund for Camelback Fellows to provide access to mini-wellness grants and well-being practices to help manage the stress of entrepreneurship. We repositioned our work with our philanthropic community by hosting our initial set of Building the Blueprint dinners, gatherings for founders, investors, and community partners committed to changing the entrepreneurial ecosystem. And, we were steadfast in supporting our fellows and partners by supporting their community events with our presence, thought leadership, and sponsorship.
These investments are coming back to us in many forms. One of those is through feedback from alumni. Founder after founder talks about the psychological safety, care, and nurture they have received as a Camelback Fellow. They say that we don’t just give them funding , but we give them real community. A sense of belonging and shared purpose. It’s a manifestation of why we lean so hard into the idea of community and why we must continue to do so. I thank you for being our community. In the past year, you’ve weathered change with us, grown with us, and remained determined to an equitable world with us. Our momentum is bolstered by your support. With your help, we can go even further in 2026.
So as this year ends, I’m choosing action and gratitude. I’m grateful for the strength of our collective. We have built so much together over the last ten years. Now we have the opportunity to do even more as we craft the future vision for our great-grandchildren. As we close out the year, I’m asking you to stand with us. Help us reach our mission in 2026 through your donation and support. Your support ensures we can strengthen our community while supporting visionary founders.
In community
Shawna
Shawna Young
Cameback Ventures CEO
This blog is apart of a new series from our CEO, sharing reflections and insights into our ecosystem and how we’re navigating today’s shifting landscape. Learn more about how Camelback has invested over $9 million into more than 200 under resourced entrepreneurs over the past decade and connect with Shawna on LinkedIn for more of her reflections.
