The #BlackGirlJoyChallenge supports Red Nose Day by spreading JOY to improve the overall well-being for Black girls and gender-expansive youth in the south.

ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, May 25, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- (ATLANTA, GA) MAY 25, 2023: If you see red noses everywhere today, there’s a reason! It’s National Red Nose Day and the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium (Southern Black Girls), a proud grantee partner of Comic Relief US, the organization behind the Red Nose Day campaign, is celebrating in a big way by launching the next grant cycle of their signature #BlackGirlJoyChallenge! Created as an initiative to introduce JOY as a mental health / self-care practice for young girls, the #BlackGirlJoyChallenge supports the Red Nose Day initiative and their 2023 theme of “Building a Healthy Future for all Children” by extending its impact to build a future where Black girls can focus on the joy of being children. Application submissions open today, Thursday, May 25, 2023, and will be accepted through Friday, June 30, 2023.

“One of the main reasons we desired to be a grantee partner with Comic Relief US is because of our shared belief in a future where there are no underserved communities,” shares Malikah Berry Rogers, executive director of Southern Black Girls. “In concert and in alignment with the Red Nose Day campaign, we have chosen joy to inspire the mental, social, emotional and overall well-being for Black girls and gender expansive youth in the south. Through our #BlackGirlJoyChallenge, we’re able to achieve just that and more!”

The #BlackGirlJoyChallenge awards grants to young girls and gender-expansive youth who have ideas for spreading joy to their friends, family and community. Previous awardees have used their grants to create a plethora of joyful events including a drive-in movie experience for the community during the COVID-19 pandemic, create and fund programs to end period poverty, start an all Black girls robotics team, and so much more!

2023 recipients of the #BlackGirlJoyChallenge grants have furthered the effort to create spaces and experiences to spread joy to others. Recent grantees include:

Daphney Thompson, a 13-year-old girl from Martinsburg, West Virginia, who recently held a special salon party for a few of her peers to learn more about proper hair care and cool styling/braiding techniques. Supported by Southern Black Girls implementation partner, Young West Virginia Forward, the event was a fun and educational experience that she put together as a way to spread joy within her circle of friends and her community. You can watch the recap video here: https://bit.ly/RNDMartinsburgWV

Jaiden Huckaby, an 18-year-old high school senior from Orlando, Florida, recently held a special “Paint Night” party for a few of her peers. Supported by Southern Black Girls implementation partner, L.A.N.E.S. Teenage Girls, Inc., the event was purposed to give others the same joy that art has given her and show them that the stroke of a paint brush can offer peace and perspective. You can watch the recap video here: https://bit.ly/RNDOrlandoFL

Magdalene Mabson, a 16-year-old from Lexington, Kentucky, recently hosted a very special event to help spread joy through restoration, not just for the community, but also for those in need of hope and support. A lover of nature and trees, Magdalene wanted to create an experience to ensure that children have a clean and safe environment to play in. So, she and a number of her peers, friends and family, in support of Southern Black Girls implementation partner, Whistle Work, Inc. joined together for a community clean-up event at a local park and distributed “Blessing Bags” to unhoused people in need, containing items that are most helpful when living in such a vulnerable state. You can watch the recap video here: https://bit.ly/RNDLexingtonKY

LaTosha Brown, visionary founder of Southern Black Girls adds, “As a partner with Red Nose Day, we are helping Black girls imagine what’s possible in their communities and allowing them to shift their paradigm for generations to come.”

The #BlackGirlJoyChallenge happens twice a year. Eligible applicants are Black girls, young women and gender-expansive youth, between the ages of 12-24, who reside in a 13-state region within the southern United States - Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, East Texas, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia.

Applicants will be required to describe their ideas for spreading joy with their friends, families and communities for a monetary award. Once the submission period has ended, they will be evaluated and recommended by the Southern Black Girls’ Youth Ambassadors and Wisdom Council committees. If selected, the challenge winners will be given their grant and must complete their joy projects in an allotted time frame. Once complete, the Southern Black Girls will showcase and share their projects through social media, press announcements and other amplification channels to inspire the world!

Interested applicants may apply for the 2023 #BlackGirlJoyChallenge by creating an account at https://bit.ly/SouthernBlackGirlsApplication. There, they will find details on requirements and eligibility.

Applicants are also encouraged to sign up for one Black Girl Joy Challenge Q&A Workshop, which provides guidance on how to submit a winning idea as well as other helpful tips. The workshops will take place every Tuesday and Thursday starting June 13 and ending on June 22.
For additional questions and inquiries about the #BlackGirlJoyChallenge, contact heygirlhey@southernblackgirls.org, or call 678-310-8631.

For more information on the work and impact of the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium, visit www.SouthernBlackGirls.org, or follow @SouthernBlackGirls on Facebook, and Instagram and @BlackGirlsDream on Twitter.

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ABOUT THE SOUTHERN BLACK GIRLS AND WOMEN'S CONSORTIUM
The Southern Black Girls & Women's Consortium (Southern Black Girls) is coordinated entirely by a community of Black women in philanthropy, activism and girls' work, who hold deep roots in movement-building throughout the southeast. The partnership recognizes their critical role and the importance of centering the lived experiences and leadership of those most impacted by deep-seated injustices. SBGWC consists of four anchor institutions including the Appalachian Community Fund, the Black Belt Community Fund, the Fund for Southern Communities and TruthSpeaks Innovation Foundation. For more information, visit: www.SouthernBlackGirls.org, or follow @SouthernBlackGirls on Facebook and Instagram, and @BlackGirlsDream on Twitter.

Candace Ledbetter
C.N.Better Media
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