By Viviane Faver
The Opportunity Leadership Network will hold, next Saturday, a benefit show, ‘I’m Every Womxn: Opportunity Washington’, to highlight organizations led by blacks and black artists, dancers, and musicians.
The event will be hosted by Angela Russell (co-host of Evening on Kings 5), which will air on KONG TV at 9 pm and feature Macklemore and Governor Jay Inslee.
The goal is to present organizations led by blacks and black artists, dancers, and musicians to raise funds for nonprofit organizations across the state that advocate for racial justice led by women or people of color.
According to the Director of Communications, Kakela Hall, this type of event is essential in 2021, as it reflects the rise of Black Women in leadership positions across the country and, at the same time, also leaving corporate America in high numbers due to COVID-19.
“There could be no better time to celebrate the inherent power of women. Organizations led by Black Women are the vanguard and vocal point for this show. The Opportunity Leaders Network believes that women of color need to be resource-centered. Their voice and their work must be respected,” says KD Hall, Communications Director.
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The incomparable Chaka Khan, a 10-time, Grammy-winning artist, will headline the event, which will also feature Andra Day, who stars in the upcoming Hulu film, The United States Vs. Billie Holiday. Other marquee performers include Fantastic Negrito and Tank from Tank & the Bangas, Parisalexa, Lady A, and Stephanie Anne Johnson – all performances feature womxn of color.
As OLN works to recruit and equip BIPOC womxn for vital leadership positions urgently needed to overcome systemic racism in the civic, for-profit, and nonprofit sectors, it is vital to use our platform to celebrate Black performers while highlighting Black-led nonprofits.
While the performances will highlight the event, one of the most important aspects of the evening will be to profile the three nonprofits the OLN support through this concert: The Carl Maxey Center, Phenomenal She, and the Lavender Rights Project.
The Carl Maxey Center: This organization addresses racial issues from social justice and equity to business and workforce development, education and advocacy, and cultural enrichment. The center’s goal is to uplift, empower and transform Spokane’s Black community from the inside out.
Phenomenal She: By providing mentorship, encouragement, and empowerment to young women of color, Phenomenal She’s programs build confidence around education, social awareness, and self-esteem. Meeting with young women three times a week, Phenomenal She is positioned to intervene and interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline.
The Lavender Rights Project: The Lavender Rights Project – WA Trans Fund provides resources for Seattle-Tacoma Black trans people in collaboration with community partners as a means to broaden safety nets and increase avenues for justice.
Know more about OLN:
Opportunity Leadership Network was established in response to the urgent need for the recruitment and preparation of Black womxn and BIPOC female-presenting individuals for cross-sector leadership positions.
Our mission is to recruit and equip BIPOC womxn for vital leadership positions urgently needed to overcome systemic racism in the civic, for-profit, and nonprofit sectors.
Our vision is that leadership structures across the country will be reflective of the communities they serve and that BIPOC womxn will hold leadership positions in business, nonprofits, and civic engagement, allowing for a more just, pro-BIPOC, and democratic society.
