By Cori Lucas,
The devaluation of Black women and girls is something that’s been encouraged both in pop culture and history. This fact keeps organizations like Bmore Empowered hard at work to change the narrative associated with ladies of Color. Co-founders Kieta Iriate-Amin and Nazaahah Amin are driving this change by empowering girls through entrepreneurship. Nazaahah adds, “We use that; and we pull in our sisterhood, we pull in self-esteem, we pull in self-care, and we also pull in the resources that we have with other Black women and women of Color in Baltimore City to be mentors and to be advisors for our girls.” Since its conception in 2017, Bmore Empowered has garnered 90 summer camp participants and helped over 3,000 families in Baltimore City! Via regularly hosted workshops, meetings, and events, they’re training Baltimore’s next generation of Black women to be independent, free-thinking and self-confident.
Prior to Bmore Empowered’s creation, both Kieta and Nazaahah were finding success in building up their own businesses centered around Baltimore’s young ladies. However, along their journey, they made a disturbing discovery. Baltimore City’s programming aimed at empowering Black and Brown girls was virtually non-existent. They immediately knew they had to do more. “We both went through different challenges in our lives: financial challenges, emotional challenges, challenges with relationships, with children. So we knew that the only way that we were able to overcome those challenges is by empowering ourselves and empowering each other. So we realized: ‘How can we bring this to our girls?’” Bmore Empowered is the product of their collaborative brainstorming, research, and love and dedication to the young women in their care.
“…Our children are the motivators behind Bmore Empowered.”
Provided all the funding they needed, Kieta and Nazaahah would prioritize purchasing a spacious building to be the center of operations for their organization. They would use it to run their annual Girls Empowerment Summer Camp, hold their training and workshops, and host yoga sessions to encourage wellness. It would also feature a space for staff, a lounge, offices, and a collaborative studio, making it an attractive destination for Black women entrepreneurs all across Baltimore City. Aside from their summer camp and after-school programs, Bmore Empowered holds Quarterly Workshops, all of which are led by female entrepreneurs. Women’s Business Cohort is a program for Black women business-owners situated in Baltimore. These women receive one-on-one mentoring with a successful female business owner, as well as the chance to network and partner with other businesses. They also offer sponsorship for women-led businesses and organizations that share in their mission to empower women of Color. To contribute to Bmore Empowered and learn more about their programs, follow them @bmoreempowered or visit cllctivly.org/listing/bmore-empowered.
All February, we’re honoring a few of the many Black leaders in our community making history every day with #28DaysofBlackFutures.
This is a crowdfunding and narrative power campaign that amplifies and mobilizes resources for Black-led organizations serving Greater Baltimore.
Throughout the month, we will highlight 28 dedicated Black leaders and organizations on the ground creating programs and initiatives that drive health, wealth, safety, and culture in #Baltimore.
Let’s CELEBRATE these changemakers and SUPPORT their work! Our goal is to raise $100,000 by the end of this campaign.
Head over to 28DaysofBlackfutures.org to donate today! ❤️🖤💚
Let’s show up BIG for our Black leaders and their organizations!
