February is Black History Month. Paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in America
I couldn’t allow this month to pass without paying tribute to all those past and future heroes who paved the way for me in the nonprofit world, especially in Essex County, NJ.
As an African-American woman and a Diaper Bank Leader, I can say that it hasn’t been easy trying to navigate the nonprofit sector looking for partners and sponsors.
I would like to point out some Black-led nonprofits making strong ties in their communities and with those they serve and we salute them. These are some that I can relate to:
BLACK WOMEN FOR WELLNESS
Black Women for Wellness “is committed to the health and well-being of Black women and girls through health education, empowerment, and advocacy.” This organization began as a grassroots program to protect Black children and mothers and became a nonprofit organization in 1997. Today, BWW has services centered around community connection, outreach and education, and policy work in reproductive justice, community research, and environmental justice.
BLACK WOMEN’S BLUEPRINT
Black Women’s Blueprint, Inc. is a civil and human rights organization of women and men who take action to secure social, political, and economic equality in American society. The organization works to develop a culture in which African American women are fully empowered and gendered and racial disparities are erased. They engage in progressive research and historical documentation, support movement building, and organize on social justice issues steeped in the struggles of Black women.
NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the largest black-run nonprofit organization in the country with well over two million activists. NAACP’s mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons. NAACP uses its 112 years of experience to amplify Black excellence and meet the needs of Black communities.
We’ve met some generous people throughout our travels and look forward to bridging the gap between the have and the have-nots!
Learning about each other’s history can be our History!!
