As an organization that serves primarily black and brown youth, part of our mission of making the world a more inclusive place includes amplifying the voices of other organizations who also support these individuals. This Black History Month, show your support to the following organizations who are making a difference in the world, day in and day out.
National Black-Owned Businesses within the Disability Community
Zappos compiled an excellent resource that highlights black-owned businesses within the disability community that support the theme The Association for the Study of American Life and History (ASAHL) chose for Black History Month this year: Black Health and Wellness. The following businesses are featured in Zappos’ resource.
Disabled But Not Really
Disabled But Not Really (DBNR), founded by Wesley Hamilton, provides inclusive training and supports blended environments to ensure that people with disabilities, the companies they may work for, and the communities in which they live are inclusive.
Girls Chronically Rock
Girls Chronically Rock, a clothing company that aims to promote self-love and confidence in the disability community, was founded by Keisha Greaves, a member of PYD’s community. We have had a series of collaborations with Keisha, including:
- Speaking to students virtually and in-person at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School in Boston
- Designing a special t-shirt collection for Girls Chronically Rock and PYD
- Getting inducted into PYD’s Susan Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame in 2020
- Receiving the Oswald Mondejar INNOVATOR Award at Party for PYD in 2021
The Garrison Redd Project
The Garrison Redd Project, founded by Garrison Redd, seeks to restore and promote self-efficacy within the disabled community by creating a wellness initiative that returns that sense of mobility through active sports and workshops to improve health and well-being.
The Fry Guy
The Fry Guy is a Texas-based food booth owned and operated by Ronnie Brown, an individual with Down Syndrome who seeks to remove barriers that people with developmental disabilities face.
Local Organizations to Support During Black History Month
Museum of African American History – Boston | Nantucket
With locations in Boston and Nantucket, the Museum of African American History currently has two exhibits on display:
- Selections from the Collection, which features samples of their historical artifacts and art collection, providing a lens unique to the narrative of African-descended people, places and events in America. This demonstrates the role Boston’s black community played from the United States’ earliest days into the 20th century.
- Jazz Scene in Boston: Telling the Local Story, which provides a broad view of the jazz scene in the city from the 1940s to the 1980s. Boston was well-known for its jazz scene starting in the 1950s and still holds that prominence today.
The SPOKE Gallery
The SPOKE Gallery will be featuring recent quilt work by renowned Boston artist L’Merchie Frazier through March 18th, 2022 in its exhibit, The Scene/Seen.
As shared by SPOKE:
“The quilts present four scenes from the artist’s Barricades series: The Mathematics of Racism: Living in the Calculus, Who is Barred Today, People Before Highways, and How Many More? Each urges viewers to consider space through the lens of social conflict and resolution across varied times and places.”
Black Boston
Black Boston highlights black-owned businesses throughout the Greater Boston area, providing a comprehensive list for anyone who would like to support this community.
Which organization(s) are you proud to support not only this month but every month? Leave your answer in the comments below.