Nationwide — On Tuesday night, nearly 200 Black women from across the country gathered for The Black Girl Town Hall, a powerful and strategic virtual convening designed to address anxieties regarding the current government administration and resist President Trump’s anti-Black executive orders and policies. The event served as a collective effort to inform and support one another while developing strategies to combat discriminatory actions, including the removal of Black History Month recognition from federal agencies and the attack on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. These policies diminish the significance of Black Americans’ contributions and perpetuate discrimination and microaggressions.The discussion was led and organized by Nijiama Smalls, author of The Black Girl’s Guide to Healing Emotional Wounds and CEO & Founder of The Black Girls Guide to Healing Emotional Wounds website. A panel of distinguished speakers joined Smalls in addressing key concerns and solutions, including Akema Levy Armstrong, civil rights attorney and activist; Jimmell Felder M.D, owner of New Creation Wellness; Aisha Tatum, holistic life coach; and Megan Aderele, Ph.D. Additionally, the group bound together in solidarity and prayer, led by Felicia Renner and Jamar Langley from season 23 of The Voice sang Time for Change.
A major outcome of the event was the development of critical strategies to counteract systemic exclusion and oppression. Key strategies included:
1. Building our own financial systems – Acknowledging that existing structures were not designed to include Black women, the group emphasized the importance of starting Black-owned businesses.
2. Supporting Black-owned businesses – Encouraging members to prioritize supporting Black entrepreneurs and enterprises at every opportunity.
3. Overwhelming the system – Calling and emailing elected officials to hold them accountable for policies that negatively impact Black communities.
4. Boycotting Target – Recognizing that corporations must stand with their consumers, the group is committed to boycotting Target until the company demonstrates genuine support for Black communities. Participants were urged to encourage allies to join the boycott and email Target leadership to express their demands.
5. Self-Care – Engaging in true self-care to prevent Black women from gaining new wounds during this time while continuing the work to heal from racial, societal, and familial traumas of the past.
This groundbreaking town hall provided a space for Black women to unite, strategize, and reaffirm their commitment to resisting policies that seek to erase their history and undermine their contributions. The Black Girl Town Hall stands as a testament to the power of collective resistance and self-determination in the face of systemic adversity.
For more information, please visit the web site at TheBlackGirlsGuidetoHealingEmotionalWounds.com