400 years after 20 some African men and women were first sold as property in this country, Black thriving is still a radical proposition in America. That’s why Community Change convenes the Black Freedom Collective (BFC), which is fighting to repair the damage of centuries of economic assaults on Black communities and to open opportunities for a self-determined quality of life.
The BFC is a growing network of 11 Black-led organizations in eight states and the District of Columbia, with a geographic focus in the Midwest and the South. Across the differences in the BFC’s organizations, campaigns, and membership, it is united in the shared work of building the power of Black communities in three dimensions: organized people, bold ideas, and political clout.
Community Change and the Black Freedom Collective are filling a critical gap in organizing on the ground. Community Change is committed to the long-term project of building Black organizing infrastructure so that we can rewrite the dominant narrative of anti-Black racism and repair the harm of the policies that flow from it. This work includes:
- Providing leadership development and peer learning spaces, including specific programs for ascendent leaders of color and opportunities to lead at the national level through Community Change’s campaigns and projects.
- Raising the bar on organizational management and compliance; and
- Connecting grassroots groups with national influencers to reshape narratives and create political opportunities.
