Grants to organizations support Madison’s vibrant Black community
Community Shares of Wisconsin is proud to announce our 2020 Inspiring Voices grants. Grantees this year include Inspire Barber College, Natural Circles of Support and Urban Triage.
In past years, two groups were selected to each receive $1000 and fundraising support as nonprofits that prioritize the progress of communities of color. Due to the extraordinary events of 2020, Community Shares has issued grants of $2000 each directly to three organizations to meet immediate and urgent needs. The grants will also be announced during the virtual Community Change-Makers Awards event online on September 17 at 5:00 p.m.
“Community Shares of Wisconsin is proud to support these boots-on-the-ground groups working in support of Madison’s vibrant Black community,” said Executive Director Cheri Dubiel. “From career development to supporting students in our schools and encouraging People of Color to have a political voice through direct action, these groups are finding innovative ways to keep people connected at a time when we’re experiencing a renaissance in Black power.”
More about the Inspiring Voices grantees in the words of their leaders
“We are more than just a Barbershop/Salon. We promote spiritual, mental, physical and financial growth for individuals who are committed to enhancing their lives and the lives of others,” said Brian Britt, Inspire Barber College founder.
“We center the voices of African American students, build on the strengths of their families and teachers to create conditions that support Black students and change the conditions in schools that keep inequities in place,” said Natural Circles of Support Executive Director Jeffrey Lewis.
“My life mission and the mission of Urban Triage, Inc. is to empower and inspire breakthroughs and transformation in Black people and Black communities by way of dynamic programming rooted in transformative education, leadership, and cultural heritage,” said founder Brandi Grayson. “We understand at Urban Triage, Inc. that healing and self-sufficiency go hand-in-hand and that they are the foundation for Black liberation. Which is why everything we do incorporates trauma recovery and discovery.”
More about Community Shares’ Inspiring Voices
Community Shares of Wisconsin developed the Inspiring Voices program in 2016 to highlight organizations led by People of Color working to reduce racial disparities and advance racial equity. The awardees are supported with a $1,000 matching grant and are given tools and consultation to help them develop an online fundraising campaign.
Community Shares created this program with an acknowledgment that, as a largely white-led organization, few of the groups represented in its membership roster are led by People of Color or emerging from the communities most impacted by systemic racism.
Since 1971, Community Shares of Wisconsin and its members have worked together to advance social justice and protect the environment in Wisconsin. Together they envision a future where people come together to ensure every member of their community is safe, healthy, and able to thrive.
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