build:
to form by ordering and uniting materials by gradual means into a composite whole. source: Merriam-Webster
For over nine (9) years, Starting With Today has been primarily funded by Black dollars.
To date, at this exact moment, over 80% of our funding has come from Black individual donors (mostly Black millennials), Black businesses, Black organizations, Black counties, and Black churches. Black folks built SWT- this community, powered this mission, and propelled us forward. Please let the record show that Starting With Today is a Historically Black Nonprofit (HBN). If it’s not a thing, it is now!
As our revenue streams and funders begin to expand and diversify so can we grow into the next iteration of SWT, I want to take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the magnitude of what our current SWT donors, funders, partners, and community have been able to build by deeply and intentionally investing in our worthy and most-deserving community members and families.
From the bottom of my heart thank you.
And to our amazing allies in this work, thank you for believing, supporting, and investing in the SWT vision to make wellness and liberation more accessible in the communities who need it most.Â
Well, we’ve been having so much fun outside with our community and partners, we haven’t shared any updates in a while. Let’s catch up!Â
2023 Spring/Summer Updates!
The Genesis Collection Now Live
If we were ever going to do a SWT merchandise line, it had to be intentional. It had to mean something beyond just our logo. But we’ve built something special, and now when you see SWT you know love and care for the Black community are at the forefront. Black designers, Black-owned print shop, a Black nonprofit serving Black communities. The SWT logo wrapped in Woforo Dua Pa A, this tee is a donation that pours right back into everything SWT stands for. Get yours and join us!
The Shape Up in full swing!
The Shape Up: The Barbershop Talks is having an amazing year and has tackled topics from healthy coping mechanisms, self-worth, dismantling limiting beliefs to healing through intergenerational conversations, and more. We also had the awesome opportunity to partner with Let’s Talk Bruh for our July session. Be on the lookout for that video and our fall schedule in the coming weeks!
Huge thank you to Lee’s Barbershop, our resident therapist, Tariiq Walton, LFMT, and Jeremy Herte of Let's Talk Bruh for the support to elevate mental wellness in our communities.
DC United Pop-Up
DC United, our professional soccer club, invited SWT to be a part of their nonprofit exhibition for Juneteenth weekend!
We had a great time sharing our mission and having the DC United fans and community collaborate on our community coloring sheet created by Janai, the DC Artiste, celebrating Juneteenth.
Bonus: Meeting the mascot, Talon! Thanks DC United!
JPMorgan Chase’s Data for Good Hackathon
45 students,
16 HBCUs represented,
20 hours straight,
And over 80 JPMorgan Chase employees volunteered their time and talents to help SWT better leverage data to support our communities, plan responsive programming, and prepare to expand.The Data for Good Hackathon: HBCU Edition hosted by JPMorgan Chase & Co. took place Friday, April 21st through Saturday, April 22nd in New Jersey to tackle how SWT can better serve our beloved communities.It was an epic weekend with these brilliant minds to think and rethink how SWT approaches our work and validate our approaches thus far.
SWT's founder Presents at NAMICon 2023
On May 26th, Founder, Charlyn Anderson, had the honor of speaking at our first #NAMICON - a national conference focused on mental health hosted by NAMI. Charlyn shared Starting With Today’s approach toward collective healing through our signature program, The Shape Up: The Barbershop Series. It was amazingly received!
SWT’s Spring Forward Fundraiser
Thanks so much to everyone who came out and donated to our first SWT Spring Forward Fundraiser! It was a success, but moreover it was a way to continue to build our community of supporters and participants alike! We look forward to more in-person opportunities to connect with our supporters in the near future!
Photography credits: Huge thanks to Candi Williams Photography for beautifully capturing so many of our SWT moments!! We are forever grateful!
Rock your support!
We have restocked!!
Grab your SWT t-shirt to showcase your support of this beautiful community! Your purchase is a great way to give back AND get some nice merch! Order yours today and support a Black nonprofit, a Black-owned print shop, and a Black graphic designer. That’s a lot of power in your dollars!
Grab your Freedom tea blend today!
The Black Leaf Tea & Culture Shop & SWT teamed up to bring you this beautiful and delicious custom loose leaf tea blend. Grab yours today and support two Black businesses at once.
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