ABSTRACT
When social enterprise is mentioned or discussed, it is typically in the context of the development of a business or venture with a social mission. The initial meaning, highlighted in the second chapter, tends to focus on an organization or activity applying business practices with the goal of having a positive impact on individuals, a community, the environment, or another social cause. But the conceptualization of social enterprise has rapidly evolved, and the definition has become more fluid, expanding past businesses and ventures that require monetary capital. Social enterprise now encompasses a broad range of activities that need alternative forms of capital and that grow alternative forms of capital. In particular, social, political, and cultural capital are forms of investment that have not been included in the traditional definition of social enterprise, but they are critical to achieving a social purpose or mission and, thus, require consideration. This chapter will examine the role of alternative forms of capital in the creation and implementation of events, or social gatherings with a purpose. More specifically, it focuses on the building of social, political, and cultural capital through a case analysis of Northside Family Dinner. It begins by explaining the creation of the Northside Family Dinner and then discusses its evolution and impacts on social, cultural, and political factors.
