Black-Owned Advocacy Organizations to Support
Written by Kaylee Morgan
We are beginning to wrap up the month of February and Black History Month. At Iridescent Women, our mission is to support and celebrate one another. It’s our desire to cultivate an online community that truly represents the diversity and uniqueness of women and speaks to the relevant issues women face today. In order to do that we could not ignore the brilliant work other women-owned organizations are doing to support and advocate for women. As we bring this month to a close, we want to highlight five Black woman-owned advocacy organizations that are impacting their communities, empowering women, and making a difference around the world.
1. A Long Walk Home – Salamishah & Scheherazade Tillet
A Long Walk Home (ALWH) is a national art organization based in Chicago that empowers young people to end violence against girls and women. This organization is a Chicago-based national non-profit that cultivates the next generation of leaders committed to gender equity and racial justice. It was founded in 2003 and works with artists, students, activists, therapists, community organizations, and cultural institutions to elevate marginalized voices, facilitate healing, and activate social change.
2. Be the Bridge – Latasha Morrison
Be the Bridge exists to empower people and culture toward racial healing, equity, and reconciliation. Their vision is that people and organizations are aware and responding to the racial brokenness and systemic injustice in our world. People are no longer conditioned by a racialized society but are grounded in truth. All are equipped to flourish.
Be the Bridge works with the BIPOC community, the white community, youth/university students, and white adoptive parents of children of color to provide brave spaces for these individuals to have authentic and honest conversations.
3. Essie Justice Group – Gina Clayton-Johnson
Essie Justice Group is a nonprofit organization of women with incarcerated loved ones taking on the rampant injustices created by mass incarceration. They have an award-winning model, Healing to Advocacy Model, that brings women together to heal, build collective power, and drive social change. From individual engagement to group participation, to a network of women leaders, their model will bring together hundreds of thousands of women to break isolation, increase resources to families, and confront mass incarceration’s harm as a unified, loving, and powerful group.
4. GirlTrek – T. Morgan Dixon & Vanessa Garrison
GirlTrek is the largest public health nonprofit for African-American women and girls in the United States. They encourage women to use walking as a practical first step to inspire healthy living, families, and communities. GirlTrek’s mission is to pioneer a health movement for African-American women and girls grounded in civil rights history and principles through walking campaigns, community leadership, and health advocacy.
5. Jude 3 Project – Lisa Fields
Jude 3 Project exists to help the Christian community know what they believe and why they believe it. Their work has a strong emphasis in equipping those of African descent in the United States and abroad to use apologetics to address current issues and the intellectual struggles they may face being a believer of color. Through lectures and seminars, training in apologetics, podcasts, blogs, the Jude 3 Project organization is committed to equipping the local Church that the mandate of Jude 1:3 might be fulfilled – contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.
We do hope that you will look into these organizations and consider supporting and getting involved in their missions and visions towards a better future for women, people of color, and the next generation! Your commitment towards advocacy and change is one to be celebrated. So thank you for being a part of our Advocacy in Action community here at Iridescent Women. We are grateful for each and every one of you. Together we will make a difference and together we will see change!
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