Baltimore, MD — May 29–31, 2025 — CLLCTIVLY convened We Give Black, a multi-day experience held across cultural landmarks and community spaces throughout Baltimore. The gathering brought together community leaders, creatives, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, investors, and organizers to honor the legacy of Black giving while imagining the future of collective care.

Rooted in CLLCTIVLY’s commitment to building Black futures through community-centered solutions, We Give Black created space to deepen relationships, circulate resources, and strengthen the ecosystem of Black-led organizations advancing systemic change. Over three days, participants moved through experiences grounded in Remembering, Restorying, and Reimagining—a framework designed to hold memory, narrative, and vision together.
“We Give Black reminded us that our culture has always been capital,” said Jamye Wooten, Founder & CEO of CLLCTIVLY. “Our stories, our healing traditions, and the wisdom passed down through generations are sources of abundance. This gathering wasn’t just about convening—it was about activating a legacy of communal power and strengthening what comes next.”

Remembering
Remembering honored the traditions of mutual aid, shared responsibility, and cultural inheritance that have sustained Black communities for generations. Through guided practices and facilitated dialogue, participants reflected on ancestral wisdom and explored how legacy continues to inform present-day strategies for care, wellbeing, and collective survival.

Restorying
Restorying centered the power of reclaiming and reshaping Black narratives. Through storytelling, artistic expression, and conversation, participants uplifted the fullness of Black life—joy, creativity, innovation, and abundance—while challenging deficit-based narratives that too often shape public perception and philanthropic practice.

Reimagining
Reimagining invited participants to look beyond extractive systems and envision regenerative approaches to resourcing community. Capacity-building sessions elevated Black leadership and explored models rooted in solidarity, shared ownership, and culturally grounded understandings of wealth and value.

Experiences Across the City
1. We Give Black unfolded through a range of immersive experiences, including:
2 .Imagine Stages — Curated conversations and artistic performances exploring culture, power, and collective futures.
3. Discovery Rooms — Intimate breakout sessions drawn from a national call for proposals, featuring workshops, short talks, and facilitated dialogue.
4. Storytelling Sessions — Citywide experiences crafted by Baltimore-based organizations, creatives, and entrepreneurs spotlighting the people and places shaping the city’s social fabric.
5. Community Celebration — A closing gathering centering Black joy, featuring local food, artists, vendors, performers, and shared moments of connection.


Carrying the Work Forward:
We Give Black concluded not as an endpoint, but as a continuation. The gathering strengthened relationships, seeded future collaborations, and reaffirmed a shared commitment to resourcing Black-led change rooted in culture, care, and community power.
As CLLCTIVLY looks ahead, the spirit of We Give Black continues to shape ongoing work across storytelling, participatory grantmaking, and ecosystem-building—grounded in the belief that our collective futures are built when we honor what has sustained us and move forward together.