#GivingEveryTuesday: Black-led, black-benefiting nonprofits
Each Tuesday, SHARE Omaha features a unique cause theme for #GivingEveryTuesday and encourages you to give and support in any way you can! The #GivingEveryTuesday theme for February 6, 2024 is Black-led, Black-benefiting nonprofits. How will you give today?
All Black-led, Black-benefiting nonprofits
Brighten Our Future Early Learning Center
Sonita Buddi, executive director of Brighten Our Future says, "It is important to support Black-led nonprofits as we are able to relate to the inequalities that have collectively worked together to keep us from improving our quality of life and come up with innovative solutions to address these inequalities."
Brighten Our Future Early Learning Center is making the metro better by offering an innovative and unique way to address the benefit cliff that parents find themselves in, thus making high-quality early childhood education obtainable for hard working families.
The Union for Contemporary Art
Jon Day, The Union for Contemporary Art's development director, says, "Black-led and Black-serving nonprofits have long been underfunded compared to their white-led and white-serving counterparts -- in the arts world, these fundraising difficulties mean there are fewer opportunities for Black artists to grow and develop their craft."
The Union for Contemporary Art's mission is to use the arts as a vehicle for social change. As a social justice organization, they recognize how racism and redlining have affected the community of North Omaha. The Union believes that the arts have a unique power to bring people together, generating conversations around difficult social issues and engaging citizens in working toward a more equitable society. To that end, they are committed to increasing access to arts experiences and artmaking equipment and to uplifting artists who represent our community in its full diversity.
"We want you to stop by The Union," says Jon. "Many individuals in our community do not know the resources and programs we offer, and we would like to change that. From our performing arts at the brand new Shirley Tyree Theater, our Youth Engagement, Co-Op studios where you can make art, our Abundance Garden to help grow food and support our produce stand, seeing our Exhibition that hosts many artists throughout the year, and our Fellowships and Artists-In-Studio. Please stop by and check out all the amazing opportunities to experience and make art at The Union."
Donate to The Union for Contemporary Art
Great Plains Black History Museum
Eric Ewing of Great Plains Black History Museum shares that it is important to support Black-led, Black-benefiting nonprofits like GPBHM "to ensure that we can continue to be an educational resource for all guests from the Omaha community and guests outside of the Metro."
Great Plains Black History Museum values being an educational resource. "We shine the light on a part of American history that is often forgotten," says Eric.
By donating to the Great Plains Black History Museum it will ensure that they can continue to be a resource of American History told through the lens of African Americans. As the only museum in the state of Nebraska focused on African American History, they can provide historical information that may not otherwise be available.
Eric invites you and your family to visit and learn about the rich history and the contributions that African Americans have provided to America.
Donate to Great Plains Black History Museum
World Speaks
Leah Whitney Chavez of World Speaks says that it is important to give to Black-led, Black-benefiting nonprofits because it is an opportunity to give to a group of people who have lived experience and really have an understanding of what the community needs. "BIPOC led organizations in general receive less philanthropic dollars yearly, when you give it is helping those organizations be able to thrive and serve those who are in most need," says Leah.
World Speaks provides folks with equal access to vital and critical resources, information, and events no matter what language they speak.
Leah asks that we all keep language access in mind when we are planning events and offering services. "If it's only in English you are leaving out an important part of our Omaha community," says Leah.
CUES
Katie Jones of CUES shares that it is important to donate to nonprofits that are Black-led and Black-benefiting for several reasons:
- Supporting Equitable Representation: By supporting Black-led nonprofits, you're helping to ensure that the voices and perspectives of Black communities are represented and empowered in decision-making processes, both within the organization and in the broader community.
- Addressing Systemic Inequities: Black-led nonprofits often focus on addressing systemic issues that disproportionately affect Black communities, such as racial injustice, economic disparities, healthcare disparities, and educational inequities. By supporting these organizations, you're contributing to efforts to dismantle systemic racism and create a more just and equitable society.
- Promoting Economic Empowerment: Supporting Black-led nonprofits can also help to empower Black entrepreneurs, leaders, and professionals, fostering economic development and wealth-building within Black communities.
- Cultural Competency and Trust: Nonprofits that are Black-led often have a deeper understanding of the cultural nuances, challenges, and strengths within Black communities. This cultural competency can lead to more effective and culturally relevant programming, as well as stronger relationships built on trust within the community.
"Our mission revolves around the importance of education, values, and faith. The CUES School System is a bold educational initiative providing centralized leadership and governance to three urban elementary schools in Omaha, NE serving a majority of low-income students and families. We combine innovative instructional methods with comprehensive student and family support in a Catholic faith-based environment to create and sustain excellent and measurable outcomes that not only impact the students we serve but also the entire community. Through our mission at CUES, 100% of our 2023 graduates plan to attend high school. 94% of CUES alumni graduated from high school," says Katie.
Abide
Jessica Vazquez of Abide shares, when you support Black-led, Black-benefiting nonprofits, "you not only celebrate diversity, but you help break down the barriers for our community and future generations."
Abide exists to be a resource to the community, while also building up leaders in North Omaha to "reach their God-given potential". They do this by providing a holistic approach that focuses on developing stronger families, safer neighborhoods, and emerging leaders. Their mission is to revitalize the inner city one neighborhood at a time!
"Our annual Spring Clean Up is coming up, which is where hundreds of volunteers come and help clean up the surrounding neighborhoods, specifically blocks where our Lighthouse Leaders live. There are simultaneous projects going on such as lighthouse projects, yardwork beautification, gardening, trash pickup," says Jessica.