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CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF BLACKFEMALEPROJECT |
2024 marks a major milestone for BlackFemaleProject: 10 years of service to Black women! We’re grateful to you, our community. We do this work because of you. To kick off this special year, we offer a new version of our Staying Connected newsletter. This edition highlights accomplishments from 2023, personal reflections from our team, and a peek into plans for 2024. |
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Remembering 2014I have been reminiscing about how and why I founded BlackFemaleProject—our origin story. As a young professional, I made an exhausting effort to dampen and quiet my spirit. I thought that in order to be employable, promotable, and non-threatening at work, I had to comply with the status quo. And the status quo was not welcoming of my Black womanness. By the time I reached mid-career, I went as far as changing my name on my resume to get a job—and it worked. |
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At that point, I broke. I couldn't hold the contradictions in my body any longer. What I was experiencing and watching others navigate was worth exploring. I began to study how systemic oppression operates in the workplace and how the manifestation of these practices destroys our bodies, especially when we are Black women. I gained an understanding of the root causes of race-, class-, and gender-based discrimination. My healing journey began and led me to create BlackFemaleProject. |
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Click the button above to read the full reflection from our founder Precious J. Stroud. |
ORGANIZATIONAL UPDATEWe’ve been hard at work putting our strategic plan into action and building our organizational capacity to grow from an emerging to an established nonprofit within three years. We’re grateful for our staff and volunteers for their commitment to helping us make progress toward our goals.
Our 2023 strategic plan focus was the piloting and refinement of systems and processes in support of our programs, operations, communications, and fund development. With input and feedback from stakeholders, we developed workgroups and plans for each focus area. Workgroups are staffed by employees, consultants, and volunteers. Thanks to our web of support, 2023 was a year of successful strategic progress and considerable strengthening of our team. |
PROGRAMS
Increased overall
engagement by nearly 40%
Held our first Atlanta, Georgia-based events
Presented Teacher Truth
at an industry conference,
the California Association
of African American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA) Professional Development Summit
Engaged over 200 respondents with our second Teacher Truth survey | OPERATIONS
Moved to larger office in
Jack London Square, Oakland, CA
Held first in-person
team retreat in Scotts Valley, CA
(Santa Cruz Mountains)
Health insurance offered to employees as of January 1, 2024 |
| COMMUNICATIONS
Grew our audience across email and social media platforms by 400
Migrated podcast episodes onto Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Strengthened our infrastructure with new team members: | Tavita Bass
Communications Intern | Olivia Christian
Interim Marketing Manager | Myisha Steward
Social Media Coordinator | FUNDRAISING
Successfully managed fundraising campaigns to support general operations
Refined systems for data tracking
Piloted donation solicitation at in-person events in Oakland and Atlanta |
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We asked the women on our team to share some 2023 standouts from their perspectives. We hope you find something you can get into, too. |
| dana’s 2023 Theme Song:
“Healer” by Sampa the Great “The power of music lives beyond words, and that's very true for this beautiful and healing song by Sampa the Great. You just have to listen!” |
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| Myisha’s Black Beauty Brand of the Year:
“Brash is a Black-owned, woman-owned skincare line based out of Oakland, CA. Brash carries the best shea butters, body scrubs, body oils, and body wash. The scents are unique yet not overpowering and they leave your skin feeling flawless! Please check out this local gem made right here in the Bay!” |
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2024 EVENTS CALENDAR |
 | Sunday Salon Series 01/21/2024 BlackFemaleProject's in-person events are back! After three years of virtual programming, we're thrilled to host a new offering. The Sunday Salon Series will provide an emotionally safe conversation space where Black women are invited to openly discuss their experiences in the workplace. |
|  | Black Vines® Festival 02/24/2024 We’ll be sipping and celebrating with our friends from Black Vines at their 13th annual signature event featuring Black wineries, art, music, and culture. Drop by our booth and learn how our past decade of storytelling work has provided healing, inspiration, and education. |
|  | Black Joy Parade 02/25/2024 Love. Persistence. Joy. We’re joining together as a community to celebrate the unique spirit, strength, and sacred nature of Blackness. Visit BlackFemaleProject’s booth and learn about our story collection work, Teacher Truth, and the impact it creates. |
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ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE |
Some of our advisors tapped in to help us express gratitude for the people who contribute to our success. We deeply appreciate our supportive community! |
“Sincere gratitude and appreciation to the individual donors and philanthropic institutions who supported BlackFemaleProject in 2023. Because of your belief, commitment, and generosity, BlackFemaleProject was able to uplift, support, and strengthen Black women navigating complexity in the workspace and the world throughout the year.”
CHARMAINE MERCER
BlackFemaleProject Advisor, Chief of Equity and Culture
at William and Flora Hewlett Foundation |
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“I am so grateful for the incredible team of BlackFemaleProject volunteers who remind me all of the time what is possible: how meaningful, healing change is made; what community looks like and loves like. I'm thankful for the opportunity to contribute, to support, to make a meaningful difference. Thank you all for inspiring me and reminding me of how to stay fiercely committed to my personal mission.”
ELLIE TUMBUAN
BlackFemaleProject Advisor
Head of Strategy and Culture at The Justice Collective |
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We are acutely aware that we’re in a global moment with countless urgent issues worth supporting. And even still, we believe it’s always the right time to invest in Black women. |
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If you haven’t already, we invite you to donate a portion of your giving to BlackFemaleProject, where we continue to work for a world where Black women can show up as their authentic selves with no negative consequences. |
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SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER
with Black women in your life who you want to see thrive. |
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