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Our Programs
Creating Pathways to Success
Our Wellness Strategy to improve the lives of 100,000 members of the Black community.
Emotional Wellness
The ability to successfully handle life's stresses and adapt to change and difficult times.
We will provide Dope experiences, exposure and changes in environments to support wellbeing and happiness. We will provide culturally designed group counseling and non traditional therapeutic modalities to support emotional and mental wellness.
Social Wellness
Developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system.
We will provide community connectivity which is a protective factor and a long standing tradition in the Black community to foster healing.
Financial Wellness
A state of financial well-being in which you can comfortably manage your bills and expenses, pay your debts, weather unexpected financial emergencies and plan for long-term financial goals.
We will provide various experiences that cultivate financial education. “Getting to the Bag” aka Financial Literacy!
Focused on the Head, Heart & Hustle
Clear their Head Rebuild Racial Identity
When your headspace is not clear, bad decisions are made, toxic stress sets in, and mental health issues can develop. Our Dope experiences provide the building blocks that rebuild racial identity. When racial identity is strong, mental and emotional anguish dissipates, and hopelessness and despair diminish. Having a positive racial identity reduces anxiety, boosts self-esteem, and allows one’s mind to be clearer.
Heal their Heart - Restore Emotional Wellness
Emotional Wellness heals the heart and is attached to having greater happiness. When a person is emotionally well, they can successfully handle life's stresses and adapt to change and difficult times. They're able to cope with life's challenges. They can keep problems in perspective and bounce back from setbacks. Emotional wellness encompasses multiple areas (mental, social, financial, relational).
Hone in their Hustle Realizing New Ways to Earn a Living
In the Black community, everyone is talking about “Getting to the Bag.” If you ask 6 young people what they want to be when they grow up, 3 out of 4 will say, “a professional athlete, an actor, an entertainer, or influencer.”Many of our young people don't know about all the dope careers that can also bring in the cash flow. We are giving the “Game” exposing them to other ways to “get to the bag”. Our work will provide exposure and financial education delivered in a new way that will impact the wealth disparities that historically the Black community has suffered from.
Our Programs
We offer a range of programs and experiences to support the emotional, social, mental, and financial wellness of our target audiences. All of our programs "check in" and are Dope Experiences for the audience we serve.
School Check Ins Are You Good?
- Provides Leadership & Peer-to-Peer Relationship Development
We host morning or lunchtime events at schools, where selected student groups, such as the Black Student Union, athletic teams, or specific grade levels, "check in" on the overall student body through our "Are You Good?" program. These interactive sessions cultivate leadership, encourage peer-to-peer connections, and help identify individuals who may be grappling with mental health challenges. By proactively addressing these issues, we strive to prevent them from escalating and provide timely support to our target audiences.
Headspace Health - Emotional Wellness
These non-traditional group counseling sessions offer evidence-based and culturally responsive therapy for young Black individuals. A select group of participants will engage in unique therapeutic experiences, including forest bathing, drama therapy, sunset experiences, and cryotherapy. We aim to address issues such as identity, anxiety, toxic stress, grief, suicide, depression, and vicarious trauma, helping participants clear their minds, heal their hearts, and focus on their personal growth. Our goal is to guide them back to a good headspace, promoting overall well-being and resilience.
Black Student Athlete Programs
In the ever-evolving landscape of collegiate athletics, Black student-athletes face a unique set of challenges that often go unaddressed. Recognizing the urgent need to support this vulnerable population, we have developed comprehensive programs specifically designed to empower and equip Black student-athletes with the tools they need to navigate the complexities of their athletic and academic careers.
Exposure: Exposure, experiences, and a change of environment are the keys to equipping young minds. Black student-athletes connect with successful Black sports professionals, who share their journeys, offer insights, and inspire the athletes to dream big and believe in their potential.
Education: Recognizing the rapidly changing landscape of collegiate athletics, Black People Forward has created specialized programming to support Black student-athletes in navigating the complexities of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and the transfer portal.
Emotional Wellness: Acknowledging the significant mental health challenges faced by Black student-athletes, Black People Forward has placed a strong emphasis on emotional wellness. The program incorporates sessions focused on managing social anxieties, addressing the stigma surrounding mental health, and providing resources and strategies to help these young athletes thrive both on and off the field.
Why did Lisa Create Black People Forward?
Lisa, affectionately known as "Auntie Lisa," has always had a special connection with Black youth. Throughout her life, Lisa has created “exposure field trips” for Black youth and young adults that double as culturally designed therapeutic programs. Young Black individuals have always been drawn to Lisa, and she to them. Recognizing the need for support and guidance for Black youth, Lisa desired to create a new-age Boys and Girls Club. She wanted to provide them with life skills and wealth-building opportunities, exposing them to new environments, helping them discover their strengths, and empowering them to reach their full potential. Unfortunately, that dream did not come to fruition but stayed in her heart.
However, in 2017, Lisa's life took a dramatic turn. She woke up one morning to the news that she had been diagnosed with a rare benign brain tumor. Since then, she has had to navigate a new normal, dealing not only with the physical challenges of hearing loss and facial paralysis but also with the emotional and financial toll it has taken on her.
In addition to her own personal struggles, Lisa has faced a myriad of challenges in supporting her adopted son, who has mental health challenges as well as an intellectual disability. Her son went missing from his group home and was arrested and released multiple times in 2020, amidst the backdrop of racial injustice and protests.
During this same time, Lisa witnessed that many young Black individuals were not "good" emotionally and were dealing with various issues, in their mental and emotional health, socially, developing healthy friendships and relationships, and struggling financially. Recognizing the urgent need for hope and support within the Black community, Lisa realized that she, too, was not "good" and her head, heart and hustle had been affected. This realization inspired her to tap into her black girl magic and launch Black People Forward, a platform dedicated to providing HOPE - Help Open Pathways to Expectations (success).
Lisa believes that the secret sauce to success in the Black community is exposure and community connectivity, which acts as a vital protective factor. She aims to bring together influencers and those striving for success, one dope experience at a time. Guided by the quote of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Lisa's mission is to encourage individuals to keep moving forward, no matter the obstacles they face.
Despite her own challenges, Lisa remains resilient and determined. To support her emotional wellness, she finds solace in traveling, touring million dollar homes with her family, shooting pool, and relaxing in the jacuzzi. Through her own journey, she has developed a profound empathy and a burning desire to provide programs and resources that uplift others. As she continues to move forward, Lisa is determined to inspire her community to keep moving forward as well.
Partner With Us
Black People Forward partners with Shapers, individuals who positively shape the future of young Black people. Our nonprofit is a conduit that connects our partners with Black GenZs and Millennials globally. Community connectivity is crucial to our mission and lies at the core of our work.
Whether you're a corporation, non profit organization, celebrity, or a Shaper, we can't achieve our goals without your support. Join us in making a difference.
Funding Partners
Partnerships are the cornerstone that shapes the work and the impact of Black People Forward Nonprofit. Every achievement we make is made possible through collaboration. Partnership Opportunities: Corporate Partners, Funding Partners, Program Providers
Donate
Your support will provide the building blocks necessary to help young Black people heal and move forward. We welcome all donations, including one time gifts, monthly gifts, estate planning, matching gifts, and more.