For Support Black Charities, August is proving to be the most important month of the year. It is Black Philanthropy Month which is culminated by Giving Black Day observed on August 28th each year mostly in the United States.
These 2 events are fairly recent and therefore not yet known globally. SBC’s mission to increase charitable giving by and for people of African and Caribbean descent aligns perfectly with these 2 events.
I am taking the opportunity to explain and bring attention to these 2 events.
Black Philanthropy Month
To commemorate the United Nations Year and Decade of People of African Descent, Dr. Jackie Bouvier Copeland, and the Pan-African Women’s Philanthropy Network (PAWPNet) created Black Philanthropy Month which launched in 2011.
Valaida Fullwood and Tracey Webb who were already active in the areas of Black Philanthropy with their respective organizations joined the organization in 2013.
Together they have successfully raised awareness mostly in the US. According to its website, Black Philanthropy Month has reached 17 million people since its inception. The team continues to inform, involve, inspire and invest in Black philanthropic leadership initiatives that benefits Black communities. They’ve hosted a yearly Summit at the start of August focusing on a different theme each year.
The Summit named “Black Giving and Beyond Summit “ serves as a platform for all leaders in the field while emphasizing philanthropy in its different forms, social impact investing, angel investing, and venture capital to build a more equitable future.
Here’s a list of their past themes including this year’s:
- 2020: Foresight 20/20 (included a day with African specific curriculum)
- 2019: Let’s Make History
- 2018: For the Culture, For the Future
- 2017: Giving Voice to Fuel Change
- 2016: Elevating A Culture of Giving
- 2015: A Season of Change
- 2014: Generosity At Home and Around the Globe
- 2013: Of Dreams And Mountaintops
The month is culminated by Giving Black Day observed each year on August 28.
Giving Black Day – August 28
Here are some of the events that make August 28 such a significant day within the Black community:
- August 28, 1955 – 14-year-old Emmett Till was brutally murdered by three white men after being falsely accused became the turning point in the civil rights movement.
- August 28, 1963 – Dr Martin Luther King Jr delivers is famous speech “I have a dream” in Washington
- August 28, 2008 – Senator Barack Obama accepts the Democratic Nomination for President
(Click on this link to read the full Huffington Post article)
The U.S. based organization Young, Black & Giving Back Institute (YBGB) celebrates that day with a fundraising event. It’s mission is to educate, inspire, and empower black Gen-Xers and Millennials to invest in changing their communities through philanthropy.
They are promoting financial giving for black-led and black-benefiting non-profits on a fundraising platform facilitating donations from 8am to 11pm EST. Eligible non-profits can participate by registering on their website. Supporters are encouraged to make a donation using their platform.
Their campaign is launched and announced each year on Juneteeth Day.
2020 marks the 3rd year they’ll be hosting the event and they decided to rebrand “Giving Black Day” as “Give 8/28” (find all the details on Give828.org). The concept is the same but they are looking to capitalize on the accomplishment of the past years to set higher goals for 2020.
- On August 28 – 2018, 12,700 $ was raised for 114 organizations.
- On August 28 – 2019, 34,000$ was raised for 170 organizations.
- This year’s goal is 100,000$ for 300+ organizations.
The recent attention to taking real and concrete action towards racial equality reaffirms the importance of supporting and investing in the leaders working directly in the Black community.
One of SBC’s role is to advocate for Black-led organizations worldwide which is why we are aligning ourselves with these 2 events by sharing the information with our audience.
We are committed to educating the masses and sharing knowledge on the different forms of philanthropy, their benefits and the direct impact on the Black community and diaspora worldwide, not only in the Unites Stated but in Canada, Africa, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.
We want to work towards officially joining the efforts of Black Philanthropy Month and YBGB Institute directly or indirectly to see the month of August and August 28 globally observed and celebrated.
It’s incredible how these events are serving to unify the global Black community and its diaspora as we work toward a common goal: Elevate the Black community.
To support this goal, you can attend Black Philanthropy Month 2020 events, share on social media why you think Black philanthropy is important using #BPM2020 & #Give828, or donate to a black-led and black-benefiting organization listed on SupportBlackCharities.org and Give828.org on August 28.