Bridgetown, Barbados – On Monday, February 5th, the Black Feminist Fund (BFF) is convened the 2024 Global Black Feminisms Forum, a gathering of close to 300 Black feminist activists, scholars, policy makers, cultural workers and funders from over 60 countries across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. This groundbreaking event is a unique opportunity to celebrate and honour the contributions of Black feminists across diverse social movements, and to build stronger relationships globally.
“We are so excited to be hosting the 2024 Black Feminisms Forum in Barbados and to welcome this global community to the Caribbean” said Amina Doherty, chair of the Fund’s board. “With a unique and engaging program featuring topics such as Black Feminisms in the fight for climate and economic justice, healing and wellness, and a dynamic youth-led space for activists ages 5-16, the forum will have something for everyone.”
Senator Lisa Cummins gave remarks on behalf of Prime Minister Mia Mottley at the welcome event on February 4th reaffirming Barbados’ commitment to gender equality and global philanthropy.
Notable speakers at the Forum include Dr. Nathalie Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA who will be joined by activists such as lawyer Sibongile Ndashe from South Africa, trade unionist Awa Fall Diop from Senegal and Movement for Black Lives activist Monifa Bandele from the U.S.
The forum commenced on Sunday with a pre-forum of Black feminist ‘elders’ (over 60 years old) intended to honour Black feminist histories and for elders to share their wisdoms, connect with each other and share the ways they continue to uplift and lead in Black feminist movements. The elders forum will feature stalwarts of the Caribbean feminist movement such as Peggy Antrobus and Jamaican gender and development advocate Judith Wedderburn as well as global leaders like Jurema Werneck, Director of Amnesty International Brazil and Gay McDougall a member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, our elders were among those who were most isolated and impacted by the health, social and economic crises. We are hosting a one day pre-forum that is created by and for older Black feminists in which they can share experiences, analysis and celebrate some of their historic wins”, said Black Feminist Fund Co-Founder, Hakima Abbas.
The Forum will also bring together close to 100 Black women and gender expansive people who work in the philanthropic sector. As the Black Feminist Fund showed in their most recent research ‘Where is the Money for Black Feminist Movements?’, the Caribbean region continues to be deeply under-funded and Black feminist causes in the Caribbean are even more so. A day dedicated to Black feminists in philanthropy will discuss how to improve the dire underfunding of Black feminist movements in the Caribbean and beyond.
“Over the last year and a half, the Black Feminist Fund has been building a network of Black women and feminists in philanthropy. Members of the network including representatives from key philanthropic institutions such as Ford Foundation, Mama Cash, Global Fund for Women, the African Women’s Development Fund and the Hewlett Foundation will attend the Forum, and take part in the Black Feminists in Philanthropy post-event meeting. The purpose of the gathering is to surface and reflect on what emerged in the preceding days, deepen our analysis and identify interventions to better resource Black feminist movements globally”, according to Black Feminist Fund Co-Founder, Tynesha McHarris. To date, the Black Feminist Fund has made over USD 15 million in funding commitments to Black feminist-led initiatives worldwide, and mobilized close to USD 50 million with a goal of raising USD 100 million towards this work.
For more information on the Forum, please see: forum.blackfeministfund.org
