Black Women's Congressional Alliance’s Post

Amplifying Black women’s voices in the nonprofit environmental sector drives our work, our business choices, and our personal “whys.” It’s just what we do. This Black History Month, join us in following organizations that honor the extraordinary contributions of Black women in this space, in particular Black In Marine Science, Non-Profit Organization, The Green Obsidian, and Black Girl Environmentalist. What other environmental organizations celebrate the voices of Black women? Let us know in the comments. #Blackhistorymonth #racialequity #nonprofitleadership

This Black Philanthropy Month, we celebrate Black philanthropic leadership that is #shiftingpower and advocating for core, flexible, and direct resources to Black feminists across the globe.   But Black philanthropy doesn’t begin and end in August, Black feminist movements face dire under-resourcing despite being at the forefront of many struggles for social justice globally.  Black Feminist Fund report “Where is the money for Black feminist movements?” shows that Black women, girls, and gender non-conforming people receive less than 0.5% of overall global foundation giving. The report also highlights the funding barriers, Black feminist movements' achievements despite funding challenges, and a call to action to fund Black feminists like we want them to win.  ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gsXfYTe9

In the Fearless Fund case, the US Supreme Court specifically targeted Black women, trying to outlaw our longstanding culture of bootstrapping for individual, community, and broader societal advancement. Even with only .3% of venture and 2% of philanthropic funding for equally qualified Black women social and private sector entrepreneurs, we’re expected to compliantly accept this centuries-old, implicitly unfair, racist-sexist, unequal funding status quo. But The WISE Fund and Black Philanthropy Month program are undeterred. It’s not the first time in US history that a predominantly racist-sexist US Supreme Court tried to deny us our basic human and Constitutional rights, upholding institutions and customs like chattel slavery, Jim Crow, women’s second class citizenship, and more at various points in its history until the people unified and stood together for justice. There is absolutely no force in The Universe that can stop Black women from pooling our spirits, time, talent, treasure, and voice, with those of supportive allies, of all backgrounds for the betterment of our community, broader humanity, and the planet we share! It’s what we do; it’s our culture, taught and passed down through the generations. So it is with great pride and in the liberating spirit of #Juneteenth that we encourage you to nominate a Black philanthropic or venture funder woman leader for the 4th annual Reunity: Black Women Give Back Award, the funding industry’s only global award recognizing the often invisible, attacked, or derided Black women who creatively pay it forward for equity, justice, and all humanity the world over. *Just take a few minutes to complete the nomination form at this link by June 30th* for this prestigious award, covered by prominent news outlets, to ensure that our story is told and inspires. https://lnkd.in/giJAejwV We are a mighty movement for funding equity and love of all humanity, including underfunded Black communities everywhere. Join us with your nomination today. The Reunity: Black Women Give Back Award and Summit are initiatives of The WISE Fund and its Black Philanthropy Month program in collaboration with Toya Randall of Voice. Vision. Value. Black Women Leading Philanthropy. #afrofuturesofgiving #blackwomengive #BPM2024 #BPM365 Shellye Archambeau Caretha Coleman GIFE Liban Abokor Rebecca Darwent Thaís Nascimento Mojubaolu Olufunke Okome Tsehai Wodajo Ebonie Johnson Cooper Gillian Marcelle, PhD ABFE. A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities Floyd Jones Nunu Kidane Almaz Negash Thelma Ekiyor Precious Zumbika MBA Adriana Barbosa Aline Odara Cássio Aoqui Cassio França Vítor Del Rey Ulu Ventures Miriam Rivera Robin Washington Culture Shift Labs Andrea Hoffman Aperture Investors

“Despite their leadership, Black women’s contributions are often ignored and their initiatives remain poorly funded. If we are to successfully navigate the intersecting crises we face today—including rising authoritarianism, inequality, and climate change—donors must better support their vital leadership.” Writing in Alliance magazine, our deputy CEO Brandee M. Butler explains how and why donors should direct more flexible funding to Black women-led organizations and elevate the critical contributions of their activism. Read the piece: https://lnkd.in/ePyDbEE7  Illustrating the scale of the problem, the Black Feminist Fund’s research found that funding for Black women, girls, and trans people amounts to less than 0.5% of overall global foundation giving. These funding disparities are part of a larger pathology of anti-Blackness and another form of the historical erasure of Black women activists from social movements. #philanthropy #humanrights #activism #blackwomen

Excellent piece by Brandee M. Butler in Alliance magazine: "When donors talk about trust-based philanthropy, it’s painfully clear who they do and do not trust." She makes the following recommendations on how allies can support Black women leaders: 👉🏾 Trust and resource them: Donors who care about human rights and social justice should direct more flexible funding, at scale, for Black women–led organisations, especially for their protection from threats. 👉🏾 Center their leadership: Powerful donors should use their visible platforms to highlight, credit, and uplift the leadership and activism of Black women 👉🏾 Examine your own funding practices: Black women are intersectional organisers, addressing multiple systems of oppression, and across movements and borders. Donors must adapt their strategies to better allow for intersectional and cross-border organising through flexible funding. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/e7W27Bkg

Celebrating the Brilliance of Black Women this International Women's Day!  This International Women's Day (IWD), at MDS, we honor the resilience, brilliance, and boundless potential of Black women everywhere. As we aim to expand globally, our mission aligns perfectly with the UN theme for IWD: "Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress." Why Invest in Black Women?  By investing in the mentorship and growth of Black women, we empower individuals and propel progress towards a more inclusive and equitable future.    Our Impactful Programs   Through MDS, we invest in the skills, development, and opportunities of young Black women by connecting them with professional Black women to be mentors. This creates a ripple effect of positive change, extending beyond individuals to communities and industries worldwide. How Can You Get Involved?  Become an MDS Mentor: Help shape the future of young Black women by becoming a mentor. Support Financially: Your donation can make a real difference in empowering Black women. Every contribution counts towards creating brighter futures.   Partner with Us: Explore partnership opportunities with MDS as we strive to foster social mobility and create equitable opportunities for all. Share Your Insights: Contact us to share your ideas, collaborate, and join hands in making a lasting impact. Visit our website https://lnkd.in/eEBuyRrH

Latanya Mapp, beautiful, appreciated exposition for those who don’t know that Black peoples worldwide have a cultural heritage, including philanthropy and community finance traditions, that have shaped history and the future since ancient times. We give for love of humanity and our people’s freedom even when society doesn’t love us back. We have very specific and often unique community giving and investing practices with structures to pool resources for the greater good. And Black women often lead innovative giving even though our contributions are just starting to be documented and recognized thanks to the scholarship and advocacy of people like Tyrone McKinley Freeman, Ph.D. and Toya Randall now also chair of the Black Philanthropy Month Reunity: Black Women Give Back Awards. Giving is a unifying part of our identity and culture as Black people and women worldwide. And despite attacks on the Fearless Fund and by extension all #BlackWomenFunders, there is absolutely no force on Earth that can stop us from exercising our human, Constitutional right to pool resources for the benefit of our long underfunded communities, businesses, and vulnerable people of all backgrounds, especially given centuries-old discriminatory funding patterns driven more by racism and sexism than merit. We will keep bootstrapping with allies for equity no matter what. It is who we are; it is how we’re “Black.” We #givetolive and #livetogive for better futures for all! Join us for our Reunity: Black Women Give Back Awards on August 30th at 2 PM EDT, the official close of Black Philanthropy Month 2025 and the continuation of our year-round movement for #BlackFundingEquity. Registration link in the attached flyer. Thanks to sll partners and supportes! Floyd Jones Toya Randall Voice. Vision. Value. Black Women Leading Philanthropy ABFE. A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities #BPM2024 #BPM365

🌟 Celebrating Juneteenth: A Day of Reflection and Commitment 🌟 Today, as we honor #Juneteenth, we pay tribute to the resilience and strength of those who fought for freedom and justice. This pivotal day serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring importance of human rights and social justice, fundamental pillars of our work in the nonprofit sector. At ThinkingAhead Executive Search, we stand committed to partnering with organizations that uphold these core values. On this day, we reflect on the progress achieved while recognizing the ongoing work that lies ahead. It is a time to reassert our dedication to fostering inclusive environments where every voice is valued and heard. I recommend following Ama Agyapong 'That Inclusion Lady' on Instagram! Here is her insightful guidance on how to support today. ➡ Reflect and journal on how you contribute to systems of oppression and take actionable steps to effect change. ➡ Engage in challenging conversations about race relations; get uncomfortable. ➡ Support black businesses by making donations. ➡ Join professional organizations that prioritize diversity and inclusion, particularly those predominantly led by black professionals. #BlackLivesMatter #SocialJustice #NonprofitLeadership #DiversityAndInclusion

One of the questions that plagues me, as a grad student, in coursework/platitudes about "decolonizing" global health is how to do that (actually/practically) in the Global South and LMICs when project funding and philanthropy overwhelmingly comes from the US, Canada, and Europe. How do we balance an idea of reparations with donor expectations? How can donors better support those who are actually doing the work and living with its consequences? How can those of us from HICs better support and invest in people and ideas without holding these people and ideas to our own expectations of what success looks like?

Is The Time Right? Will the world be able to hear this poignant and brilliant message? Being rendered invisible and constantly questioned is the fate of Black women in leadership. That is for the average performer. High fliers and creative change makers like Nwamaka Agbo, MPA would face more direct aggression as she represents a threat to the ways things are meant to be. The not for profit sector is unexceptional but performs this violence in specific ways. Koritha Mitchell in her Know Your Place aggression offers theoretical perspectives. In the Levers of Change project, we provide root cause analysis and an action agenda to tackle this including by empowering change agents, producing conceptual frameworks and building movements. Black women leaders should take comfort that we are not alone and have a community to draw on. • Theresa M. Robinson, ABD Lisa Hurley Tara Jaye Frank De-Dee Loftin Davis Cathy-Mae Karelse, PhD Anne Elaine Price Gwendolyn Hampton VanSant