Black Moms Connection

In the spring of 2020, Black-led and Black serving organizations were put under the spotlight. Organizations that were on the ground had a lot more need, but the funding is only available to those with national platforms. Grassroot organizations usually are not eligible to apply for large sustainable funding grants that will allow them to do the important work. The Elevate Prize funding would allow us to grow AND be sustainable by hiring staff at above the market rate as non-profits systemically underpay Black women to do the work. We would also do a research study (paying the participants) to examine what the greatest/most urgent need for Black mothers is. This will allow us to direct the remaining funds towards programs that best serve them. 

In 2015, I started a Facebook group for Black moms, as most mom spaces were not diverse. In the spring of 2016, we grew from 400 to 4000 in 2 months, directly in line with the birth of the Black Lives Matter movement. Black mothers needed a space to say they are afraid for their sons and themselves in a safe space. Today, our online global village is over 20,000 with chapters from Asia, to Atlanta (USA) to Alberta (Canada). Our long-term goals are to open community hubs with a 24-hr childcare centre, launch a Black child welfare agency and develop an app to connect our members digitally.  In 2020, we launched various financial grant programs to provide funds ranging from food and formula to paying rent and mortgages of families affected by COVID. Healthy moms = healthy babies and communities. 

The premise: Much of the information geared towards mothers, does not account for the intersection of race, culture, and varying socio-economic statuses. As studies have shown, the bad that affects women in society is multiplied when women have to deal with racism, sexism, and any other additional identity. 

The problem: A lack of culturally relevant programs, tools, and resources focused specifically on creating a healthy Black community. 

The solution: Black Moms Connection is a global network, connecting moms with experts in various fields as well as each other to provide culturally relevant information that will allow them to increase their social, economic, and emotional health. 

Factors: Systemic racism and gender discrimination. Example: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/1... 

We focus specifically on the Black community in the continent of North America, with Toronto, ON, Canada being the primary testing ground before physical expansion. We do this through online webinars, annual conferences, masterclass programs, strategic partnerships, and using free social networks to help women get the help they need, in the language they understand. 

The existence of Black Moms Connection is disrupting the brand of motherhood. From online to corporate branding - the face of mothers often doesn't positively include those that look like us. We are changing the narrative about who we are and what our needs are. 

We didn't start out to build a movement, but its continued growth means that we are important to our community and can become the premier resource for Black motherhood. 

When moms are healthy, so too are their children and therefore the community - that is a universal rule across the globe. 

Being an organization that is not limited by borders, we are looking at the unique challenges that come with Black motherhood, and what impact systemic gender and racial discrimination have. 

We know that an economy of a city/country is healthy when women can build, work and create. We want to ensure that the underrepresented group that is Black women can also do the same. 

Our long-term goals of a community hub is to ensure there is a safe space for Black women to gather. The 24-hour childcare centre is because Black women are more likely to do shift work, and the current system of childcare only centres on the typical business workday. The child welfare agency is because Black women continue to have their children removed from their homes, into a system that discards Black children at alarming rates. 

We are disrupting the brand that motherhood is only done one way. 
To be seen is to be heard. We are hearing, seeing and doing for those that continue to be ignored.