Black Women Thriving
East of the River

Galvanized by the Jane Bancroft Robinson Foundation’s trailblazing approach to community empowerment, the Black Women Thriving East of the River initiative has spurred hope in Wards 7 & 8 in Washington, DC. 

Launched in 2019, a group of community residents and leaders spent more than two years working with the Foundation to design and begin implementing innovative solutions to address workforce development and cancer survival among Black women East of the River.

We envision a future in which Black women living in Wards 7 & 8 thrive with more access to opportunities, resources, and effective treatment, leading to optimal health and economic success.

Read the Report 

Black Women Thriving Initiative Video

Hear the voices and see the faces of the women who are driving change with Black women living in Wards 7 &8.


Wards 7 and 8 of Washington D.C. are communities marked by decades of neglect, marginalization and the effects of systemic racism. And they are also home to community resilience.

Leveraging an innovative new process called the Strategic Design Initiative, a diverse group of women living and working east of the river is transforming the lives of their community and families through workforce and healthcare interventions.

Black Women Thriving Initiative

Workforce Development

We focus on the best practices to advance and create new programs that are tiered to meet the needs of Black women

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Patient Navigation

We focus on interventions to reduce illness and death from cancer for women living east of the Anacostia River.

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Strategic Design Initiative

A groundbreaking approach to achieving meaningful inclusivity, disrupting the status quo, and dismantling inequitable systems.

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Our Team

We have assembled a team with broad perspectives and robust lived expertise.  This is the foundation of our effort and an essential way to ensure diverse, strong community-based workgroups.

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Final Report

This report is a full, candid recounting of the SDI process, the injustices and inequities that necessitated this action, and the vision for a community where Black women flourish without the weight of oppressive systems. 

Open Letter

A letter from Black Women Thriving East of the River on the conception, development, and execution of the project, as well as their goals for the future.

Funding Opportunities

Find more information on current & past grant and funding opportunities.

Resources

Check out all available resources like roadmaps, RFPs, videos, and more.

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