This Black History Month, support nonprofits that are Black-led, provide services to Black Americans, advocate for racial justice, or all of the above.
After being celebrated in its early forms since 1926, Black History Month became a federally recognized observance in 1976, during the celebration of the United States Bicentennial. In his announcement, President Gerald Ford urged Americans to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Today, nonprofits play a critical role in preserving Black history and advancing justice and equity for African Americans. The nonprofits on this list are Black-led, provide services to Black Americans, support racial justice causes, or all of the above.
Color Of Change is the nation’s largest online racial justice organization, helping people respond effectively to injustice in the world. As a national online force driven by 7 million members, they move decision-makers in corporations and government to create a more human and less hostile world for Black people in America.
Their campaigns and initiatives win changes that matter. By designing strategies powerful enough to fight racism and injustice—in politics and culture, in the work place and the economy, in criminal justice and community life, and wherever they exist—they are changing both the written and unwritten rules of society. They mobilize their members to end practices and systems that unfairly hold Black people back, and champion solutions that move us all forward.
The history of the United States is a story about the disenfranchisement of millions based on their Blackness. More than a hundred years of violent voter suppression, poll taxes, literacy tests, and gerrymandering have created a climate that is nothing shy of hostile towards Black men that choose to stand up and be a part of the electoral process. The work of Black Male Voter Project is to increase the number of Black men that are super voters. As the only national organization that solely focuses on the voting habits of Black men, they launched the organization because they saw that traditional campaigning is insufficient to expand the universe of sporadic or low information Black men that participate in the electoral process. Every year they organize dozens of focus groups, parties, concerts, and community events connecting with Black men in unconventional ways and growing organic civic engagement which leads to the creation of more Black male super voters.
SisterSong is a Southern based, national membership organization; whose purpose is to build an effective network of individuals and organizations to improve institutional policies and systems that impact the reproductive lives of marginalized communities. Among many other programs, SisterSong created the national Trust Black Women partnership. Black-women-led organization members and individual black women members across the US are working together to transform how the country views and treats black women. They are using powerful communications and events to eradicate stereotypes and uplift black women’s voices, training black women to be media spokespeople, mobilizing black women and allies in national organizing for black women’s rights, connecting black women with holistic self-care techniques and resources, and building grassroots community.
Named in honor of Boris Lawrence Henson, father of founder Taraji P. Henson, who suffered mental health challenges without resources or support, the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation exists to both normalize and improve access to mental health services for Black communities in hopes of eradicating the stigma around seeking help and support. Their mission is to create new ways of healing in Black communities, clearing pathways that allow People of Color to see what their lives look like on the other side of suffering. Through supporting mental health services in urban schools, reducing the prison recidivism rate, and increasing the amount of African-American therapists, they offer the Black community resources, connections, and support to break the stigma around mental health and find pathways to peace and wellbeing.
The Center for Black Health & Equity is the leading nationally recognized public health entity for solutions impacting African American health. They engage health care organizations, public health officials, faith leaders, and African American communities in health promotion and disease prevention work. Their mission is to facilitate programs and services that promote health equity for people of African descent. They do this by building community capacity, developing community infrastructure, and advocating for equity-centered policies. They are committed to addressing the social and economic injustices that have marginalized our communities and led to deep health disparities. They apply a proven framework for policy and social change to their work in tobacco control, COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, women's health, cancer, mental health and other disparities.
No entrepreneur can succeed without a strong network of support, but because of the ways access and opportunity have traditionally been distributed, diverse founders are less likely to know people from top colleges and companies than their counterparts. This means they have less robust networks to draw on for advice, customers, funding, and professional growth. Goodie Nation exists to eliminate the relationship gap that stands in the way of success for too many promising entrepreneurs, especially those who are people of color, women, or aren't located in coastal financial centers. By making sure that every entrepreneur, no matter their background or location, can access the relationships they need to thrive, they are building a more sustainable and prosperous future for all.
The Movement for Black Lives, formed in December of 2014, was created as a space for Black organizations across the country to debate and discuss the current political conditions, develop shared assessments of what political interventions were necessary in order to achieve key policy, cultural and political wins, convene organizational leadership in order to debate and co-create a shared movement wide strategy. They believe that prisons, police and all other institutions that inflict violence on Black people must be abolished and replaced by institutions that value and affirm the flourishing of Black lives.
Founded in 2013, BYP100 (Black Youth Project 100) is a national, member-based organization of Black youth activists creating justice and freedom for all Black people. They do this through building a network focused on transformative leadership development, direct action organizing, advocacy, and political education using a Black queer feminist lens. BYP100 envisions a world where all Black people have economic, social, political, and educational freedom. They approach their work through relational organizing which involves community building through a democratic and consensus building process. They stress training in grassroots organizing, fundraising, public policy debate, and electoral organizing. Lastly, they engage in digital content creation (video, graphics, blogging), political education, and consciousness raising.
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Tiffany Haddish knows all too well what it’s like to move from home to home in the middle of the night with all of her belongings packed in garbage bags feeling like the world has forgotten about her. That’s why she created the She Ready Foundation to empower, support and encourage children living in the foster care system. She Ready Foundation serves as the voice of foster children suffering in silence. Adapting the belief of its founder that, "Every child who is removed from their parents deserves to have a suitcase, a safe place to lay their head, and a platform to follow their dreams,” the She Ready Foundation aspires to help make this happen through collaborative partnerships. From providing suitcases to children in foster care, to providing resources for foster children and adults that age out, their programs provide educational and emotional support to those impacted by the foster care system, specifically throughout the state of California, where the foster care population is one of the largest in the country.
Across the United States, there are approximately 440,000 foster youth. There are more than 55,000 foster youth in the state of California alone, and 35% of all California foster youth are living in Los Angeles County. Twinspire understands the insurmountable odds that youth from low-income backgrounds and foster care system face. Educational inequities and barriers impact many students, but those who are pushed out and marginalized are disproportionately experiencing the harmful effects of disparate policies, procedures, and lack of support. They advocate, empower, and educate marginalized young adults and foster youth by equipping them with financial literacy & life skills so they can pursue educational and career opportunities.
Over 60,000 families with children experience homelessness on any given night in the United States. Worthy of Love exists to create positive experiences and life-long memories for unhoused youth and their families, by providing all-expenses-paid birthday parties to them as they navigate life's most challenging circumstances. Since 2013, Worthy of Love has thrown unforgettable birthday parties for over 10,000 children and teens experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County & Houston, Texas. Children and families who attend our parties are provided with meals, live music and performances and special gifts designed to inspire confidence and promote self-worth. Along with personalized birthday gifts, attendees receive school supplies, hygiene kits, and essential tools needed to thrive in day-to-day activities.
The NAACP is a national civil rights organization, formed in 1909 to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du Bois, Mary White Ovington, Moorfield Storey and Ida B. Wells. Today, with more than 2,200 units across the nation, powered by well over 2 million activists, they are the home of grassroots activism for civil rights and social justice.
NBAF is a nonprofit organization with a mission to expose, educate, engage and entertain audiences by presenting and supporting the art and artists of African descent. NBAF is committed to continuing its legacy of providing stellar artistic and educational programs across the disciplines of music, dance, film, theatre, visual and literary arts. Based in Atlanta, GA, NBAF is recognized as the oldest multidisciplinary arts organization in the United States focused exclusively on the art and artists of African descent. In 2008, the United States Congress recognized NBAF for its importance to the “cultural fabric of greater Atlanta and all of America.” Through its annual public programs, world-class performances, commissioned works, arts education and public programs, NBAF offers local, national and international audiences experiences that are extraordinary and enriching.
Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member-schools include the publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). Publicly-supported HBCUs enroll over 80% of all students attending HBCUs. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs, and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also a source for top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs. TMCF provides unparalleled access to a funnel of opportunities for students to journey to college, through college and into a career. Despite the universal challenges that face today’s college bound student, TMCF transforms the lives of thousands of students each year.
Embracing Equity is the first organization of its kind to explicitly address equity and anti-racism across organizations and geographic boundaries in an accessible, dynamic, virtual learning platform. They believe that coming together as a community to engage deeply with this preparation of self is critical to the work of embracing equity. They are a community of educators, parents, children and change-agents who are on a journey of integrated anti-bias, anti-racist education for every child.
Embracing Equity cultivates the mindsets and practices necessary to create an affirming, inclusive, and equitable educational ecosystem, envisioning a just society where all children are affirmed in their whole humanity and nurtured to their fullest potential.
Instil is proud to power the efforts of organizations working to support the Black community and advance racial justice across the country. If your organization is looking for a relationship-centered platform to help you build community and foster connection with your donors, volunteers, activists, and other supporters, we'd love to talk to you!
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