Community Care Pathway
On a daily basis, Black women are faced with institutionalized racism, microaggressions, and the trauma and burnout resulting from navigating a dominant system that was not made for them. Self-care for Black women in this context is a necessity for survival, not a luxury. An Afrocentric definition of self-care relates to practices that help Black women protect our energy, ensure personal resilience, and create change for the community. In this worldview, self-care and community care are intrinsically connected.
Applications for the Fall 2024 intake is now open. Apply here today and share with a sister.
Self-care includes doing things to support our community, and community care includes doing things to support one other within dominant systems that don’t inherently prioritize our wellness.
The Black Girls Gather Community Care Pathway provides a safe space for this kind of self-care work to happen. The sessions are free of charge, virtually presented, and are intended for Black women from all walks of life.
Drawing on a holistic framework, the Community Care Pathway covers a variety of topics designed to support wellness of the mind, body, and soul. Participants explore topics of finances (e.g. becoming debt free and building generational wealth), community responsibilities (e.g. building partnerships), and personal wellness (e.g. goal setting).
Thanks to our supporter, J&W Murphy Foundation for funding this program and making it accessible for all.
Utilizing an Afrocentric worldview, all our programming is developed by Black women who specialize in curriculum design and is facilitated by Black women who are experts in their topic. In this way, participants feel safe and represented.
Sessions provide participants with intentional opportunities to build a network of mutual support, playfully engage with relevant topics, and explore the important connection between individual wellness and community care.
Past topics at Community Care Pathway sessions have included “Setting Yourself up for Financial Success” and “Prioritizing and Balancing Your Care and that of Your Community”.
Our Goals and Planned Impact
In an Afrocentric worldview, the community cannot thrive without healthy individuals, and vice versa.
The Community Care Pathway is designed to support the holistic wellness of Black women in a culturally and contextually relevant way. The intended outcomes of this program are for participants to:
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Believe that self-care and community care are connected, and how to apply this belief to their lives.
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Connect with other participants and session facilitators in order to build a network of mutual support.
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Learn new ways to support their mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness.
Our overarching goal is to equip participants with the knowledge, skills, tools, and networks of support needed for them to be active and effective contributors in their communities.
Support and affirm the mission of Black Girls Gather. Give a one-time donation or become a monthly giver.
