Articles Celebrating Black Women!

We are proud to celebrate Black History month and the incredible black women in our network!

Over the seven years, we have had the opportunity to celebrate, acknowledge and award black women who are making an impact locally, nationally, and globally.

  • Top row (left to right): Nothabo Ncube – 2020 Black Women Leader Award; Dr. Liza Egbogah – 2019 Innovation Award; Brenda McWilson-Okorogba – 2019 Youth Advocate Award
  •  2nd Row (left to right): Evelyne Nyairo – 2020 Social Impact Award; Margaret Adu – 2020 Black Women Leader Award; Eno Eka – 2019 Mentorship Award;
  •  3rd Row (left to right): Boluwatife Adefemi – 2020 Youth Excellence Award; Siobhan Calderbank- 2019 Diversity and Inclusion; Ejibola Adetokunbo-Taiwo – 2020 Rural Leader Award
  •  Bottom Row (left to right): Towunmi Coker – 2020 Vision Builder Award; Allison Springer – 2019 Inspire Award; Keshia Holloman – 2020 Diversity and Inclusion

We invited our Women of Inspiration™ Alumni to share their voices as we unite to celebrate black women.

Margaret Adu 2020 Women of Inspiration™ Black Leader Award

Why it is Important to Acknowledge and Celebrate BLACK WOMAN

B– Bold, Beautiful, Unshaken, and resilient.

L-Loving regardless of persecution.

Always managing her household and holding multiple jobs without validation. She continues to serve, care, and build a community, one child, at a time. She has achieved and accomplished phenomenally but where is her validation? Even her husband ignores her existence.

C– Countless degrees with no recognition. She continues to prove herself for that job or promotion, she has to work three times harder, WHY??? Is it because she is black? Awwwww, did you forget, the same blood colour runs through our veins?

K– Knocked down with racial and gender discrimination but holds her head up high with pride for all the little black girls. “Don’t give up”, she says.

W – Withheld from countless opportunities because she is molded in chocolate and glazed in bronze. She is God’s creation of precision and distinction, her destiny is in her hands, she will love and embrace herself.

O– Overly underrated, underestimated, and unappreciated. Cries at night when her family sleeps and wakes up with a smile, which is assuring. She will not be broken; she will not be deterred.

M– Mothers who make a way, where there seems to be no way. Her children wonder, how mother makes it happen, is she a magician? No, honey she just works so hard.

A-Attributed with elegance and intelligence the pride of a black woman.

N-Never say NO, (with a shaking index finger) No, No, she continues to fight for equality, recognition, freedom, freedom to uphold herself as a PROUD BLACK WOMAN as strong as hope and overflowing with love.

As A Black Woman, I will continue to uplift myself, and other black women. Let us all continue to appreciate and celebrate the accomplishments of Black Women; this will propel them to even greater things and then give the little Black Girls hope for a better future! Margaret Adu

Everyone needs validation! BLACK WOMEN, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, NEVER DOUBT THAT! Mostly you are appreciated.

Siobhan Calderbank –  2019 Women of Inspiration™ Diversity and Inclusion

Celebrating Black women is about recognizing Black Excellence and acknowledging the contributions of talented Black women that have worked hard to make our businesses better and communities stronger. Black women face additional workplace challenges such as biases, stereotypes, microaggressions, systemic racism, and pay inequities. It’s important to highlight how Black women have persevered through adversity, and that they are seen, respected, and valued. To help future Black female leaders succeed and advance in their careers, they need to first see recognized leaders that look like them to begin breaking down barriers and limiting beliefs, as they work towards achieving their dreams.

Dr. Liza –  2019 Women of Inspiration™ Innovation Award

Just know that those who try to oppress you do so because they know your strength. You should know your strength too and also know when you need to rest. That’s why we celebrate Black History – as a reminder of the strength and as a reminder that we’ve been fighting so long that we need to rest. And we need to celebrate all the work we’ve done – because it’s been us doing the work.

Nothabo Ncube –  2020 Women of Inspiration™ Black Leader Award

The importance of celebrating black women is to dream of a world that celebrates our voices’ uniqueness and the richness of our stories as black women. I dream of a world that sees, hears us and creates room for black women like me to lead. Our collective power, as black women inspire hope. Nothabo Ncube

“I come as one but stand as 10 000. ”  Maya Angelou

Towunmi Coker – 2020 Women of Inspiration™ Vision Builder Award

For me,  as an empowered woman, I have the choice to build and decide what to build. I have the choice of a career path, as an empowered woman, I seek to create systems to empower more women. Black excellence for me means to be treated as a human being. Black people are intelligent, brilliant, smart, hard-working, resilient, and determined. Give them the credit they deserve, they’ve earned it.

 

Article Written by

Monica Kretschmer

Monica is the Founder and CEO of Universal Womens Network™, Women of Inspiration™ Awards, Women of Inspiration™ Podcast, Women of Inspiration™ Book, UWomen Magazine, and SupportHER™ champions for women in their networks, workplaces, and communities.

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