Nationwide — The Southern Black Women and Ladies’s Consortium (SBGWC) broadcasts the opening of its Black Girls Defense Fund: Resistance and Resilience Grant Application, offering monetary assist to organizations combating towards dehumanization and defending the elemental rights of Black women and girls within the South.
With grants of as much as $2,000, this funding alternative is designed to strengthen community-led efforts addressing the distinctive challenges Black women face that embody adultification, dehumanization, and violence. Black women are in want of authorized assist, safety, and advocacy in a world that robs them of their innocence as kids.
A current incident in Winter Haven, FL, vividly illustrates the systemic dehumanization dealing with Black kids at present: police physique digicam footage captured a 3-year-old Black woman mendacity face down together with her arms behind her again whereas officers approached her and her mom with drawn weapons. Regardless of her apparent innocence, officers handled this toddler like a suspect reasonably than securing her security. The picture of a terrified toddler saying “Please don’t kill us” is a stark instance of adultification bias. Analysis constantly confirms that even these sworn to guard understand Black kids as older, much less harmless, and extra threatening than white kids of similar age—a bias that criminalizes childhood itself and requires intervention.
“The persistent dehumanization of Black women in our society has created a safety disaster that calls for quick motion,” mentioned Chanceé Lundy, Government Director of Southern Black Women and Ladies’s Consortium. “When Black women are seen as much less harmless, much less deserving of safety, and extra adult-like than their friends, they face heightened vulnerability throughout all techniques—from schooling to juvenile justice to healthcare. The Black Women Protection Fund helps these working to dismantle these dangerous perceptions via advocacy, coverage change, and authorized assist.”
“I’ve at all times maintained that for those who change the lifetime of a Black woman, you alter the world,” mentioned LaTosha Brown, Visionary Founding father of Southern Black Women and Ladies’s Consortium. “Within the South, the place Black ladies and women have traditionally led actions for justice whereas receiving the least assist, these mini-grants symbolize each recognition and revolution. The protection fund is our means of defending, advocating, and persevering with to struggle for the innocence and freedom of our Black women at a time when their fundamental rights are more and more underneath assault.”
These mini-grants function catalysts for change, infusing assets into advocacy efforts the place they’re wanted most. They honor the highly effective work Black women-led organizations are already doing whereas offering assist that helps maintain their important work throughout a time of accelerating challenges. In an atmosphere the place funding for points impacting Black women and girls is turning into more and more restricted, even modest investments could make a big distinction.
These mini-grants fill essential gaps in assets, serving to neighborhood leaders keep momentum and handle quick wants whereas they pursue longer-term assist. After we strategically deploy funds to grassroots organizations already deeply embedded of their communities, we assist be certain that very important advocacy efforts for Black women’ security and well-being can proceed uninterrupted.
The best way to apply:
The appliance interval runs from March twentieth via April 10, 2025. Eligible organizations have to be working to assist Black women, ladies, or femme-identifying youth and function in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, or Texas. Candidates should both maintain 501(c)(3) standing or be fiscally sponsored by one other nonprofit group. For extra data and to use, go to www.southernblackgirls.org/bgdefensefund
Since its founding in 2017, SBGWC’s work has been pushed by the pressing have to counter narratives and techniques that dehumanize Black women and deny them safety, care, and alternative. The Consortium is dedicated to addressing the numerous philanthropic hole affecting Black-led organizations whereas constructing protecting frameworks for Black women’ well-being and development.
About
Southern Black Women and Ladies’s Consortium (SBGWC) has been dedicated to fundraising and channeling better assets to underfunded Black women-led organizations throughout the South. Based in 2017 to deal with the truth that lower than 1% of the South’s $4.8 billion in philanthropic investments attain Black ladies and women, SBGWC has already awarded $10.2 million to 220 Black women-led organizations and supplied practically $500k in grants to over 800 women via initiatives just like the #BlackGirlJoyChallenge. Working in 13 southern states, the Consortium employs a participatory grantmaking strategy that facilities Black women’ voices and experiences whereas supporting racial justice, schooling, well being and wellness, financial mobility, and management growth.
For press inquiries, contact Candice M. Dixon, Communications Supervisor at [email protected] or (334) 394-3236
