Written by Kimberly Morgan, MS, SHRM-CP, CDE, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Specialist. Kimberly is also a member of OPTIONS Class 20
Well before the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana was prompted to broaden its mission in 2019 to expand their efforts to mobilize people, ideas and investments so every woman and girl in our community has an equitable opportunity to reach her full potential – no matter her place, race or identity, they were seeking to use their voice for change.
In 2018, the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana hosted First Lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama in Indianapolis, Indiana for what would be a memorable night for thousands, including myself! During her talk, Mrs. Obama made convicting comments to the audience that encouraged us all to use our seat at the table and voices for change. It was with that encouragement and proceeds received from ticket sales from the event, that the Women’s Fund was able to set aside funds specifically for a new mental health program for girls of color that would positively disrupt the way services were being provided with culturally competent programming, which would be awarded through a grant process.
Awarding of grants was not new for the Women’s Fund because they generally awarded funds at least twice a year either through the organization’s emergency crises funding grant cycle or their efforts to support more long term funding needs for organizations within their scope.
Through this unique process, Asante Children’s Theatre was awarded a $750,000 grant to be used over a three year period to assist the organization in their efforts to better understand lived trauma experienced by negative mental health interactions, disrupt the cycle or need for mental health services, and to address the emotional well-being of the girls they were serving.
For an organization whose mission is centered on philanthropy, $750,000 was a significant gift. But it was and still is the sentiment that “Asante Children’s Theatre created a bold, innovative and positively disruptive initiative to increase mental health services to underappreciated girls of color in our community,” said Jennifer Pope Baker, executive director of Women’s Fund. “The emotional well-being of these young girls is critical to their long-term success in life and they are an important part of the future of our community.”
The current times that we are experiencing prompted the Women’s Fund to conduct a Town Hall meeting on Friday, June 5 to share what Asante Children’s Theatre has been able to accomplish since receiving the funds.
AND NOW THE REST OF THE STORY…
I have been to a play produced by Asante Children’s Theatre, but as a participant on the live webinar, I now clearly understand the level of impact this organization is making in our community. For the last thirty years, Executive Director Deborah Asante and since 1991, Organizational Builder, Keesha Dickson have been committed to helping the young people they engage with use their innate superpowers to become community-minded and driven to strengthen their entire community. When the children enter the doors of Asante, they must lose their attachment to the outside world, because the leaders and volunteers have created for them a safe space for them to engage in their craft. It is on the inside that the children are encouraged to tap into their innermost creative beings and shine, so when they depart they are prepared to make a difference.
Yes on the OUTSIDE, the children of Asante witness violence, police brutality, killings, racism, and systemic oppression. But on the INSIDE in the loving arms of the Asante Children’s Theatre, they are taught to never stop dreaming, to never give up, to always see their purpose, and to live their purpose by being resilient conquerors.
The grant submitted by Asante Children’s Theater was done in collaboration with Community Solutions and will be used to create the SANKOFA PARADIGM: a forum designed to inform, inspire and encourage the female participants to seek a better understanding. The play that is being created, “Dreamfighters” is only one exciting aspect and just the beginning of the overall programming. The message of Sankofa teaches, “to go back and fetch what is yours”, recognizing that in order to move forward you have to connect to the past. There is no doubt that some of the 30-35 girls initially selected to participate the program may have come to them from traumatized backgrounds, having experienced pain and suffering in various forms, but because the leadership and volunteers of Asante recognize that they are worth the fight, this program will give them the armor and tools needed to discover themselves and if they put in the required work, they will be able to change the narrative.
As a woman of color, these young ladies look like ME, the leaders of the program look like ME. Our primary commonality may be the color of our skin but we all entered the game on a different playing field, impacted differently by our respective environments, homelives and socioeconomic status but because I had and as result of this program, they will have a VILLAGE around them with expectations for them to be great, they will receive the necessary springboard to make a difference.
Although the pandemic of COVID19 has required Asante Children’s Theater to pivot, they are just as committed to delivering successful programming as the day they were awarded the grant. The girls who stayed engaged with virtual programming are getting much more than just a play! They are receiving direct attention from women who love them and are learning how to be their best selves.
Engaging in this program has helped me to obtain a renewed focus on the importance and necessity of philanthropic endeavors, and although Asante Children’s Theatre would have engaged in the same dynamic programming with or without the resources from the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana, THE REAL MAGIC HAPPENS WITH SUPPORT!!!
