There’s a feeling you get when you walk into a room filled with Black women and girls who know their worth. It’s electric. It’s sacred. It’s a reminder that we don’t just deserve better, we are better. And the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium is making sure the world knows it, too.
This is not just a nonprofit. This is not just another initiative. This is a movement built on love, rooted in the South, and designed to pour into Black girls with intention, joy, and resources.
The Dream Conference: A Two-Day Homecoming
On June 6th, SwagHer Magazine had the honor of experiencing The Dream firsthand in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Dream Conference. From STEM robotics labs to lush skincare demos, we watched Black girls explore everything from science to self-care. There were hands-on workshops where girls learned how to protect their skin, nurture their curls, and celebrate their edges. Interactive art installations filled the space with expression and creativity, while the vendor market gave us a chance to support Black-owned brands and young entrepreneurs. It wasn’t just an event; it was a celebration of brilliance, beauty, and Black girl joy in motion.
The She Got NEXT segment left everyone speechless. It spotlighted the next wave of leaders, creators, and dreamers – not as future possibilities, but as current forces. These girls are not waiting for the world to make room. They’re taking the stage.
A Love Letter to Black Girls in the South
The Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium is led by Black women who are deeply connected to the work. We’re talking about philanthropists, community organizers, culture shifters, and change agents. These women didn’t wait for permission. They built their own table and then pulled up chairs for everyone who had ever been denied a seat.
At the heart of it all is LaTosha Brown, visionary founder, strategist, and truth-teller. Her work speaks for itself. But more than that, her love for Black girls radiates in every corner of this movement. She dreamed this up. And she didn’t just imagine it, she made it real.
The collective is anchored by four powerhouse institutions: the Appalachian Community Fund, BlackBelt Community Foundation, Fund for Southern Communities, and TruthSpeaks Innovation Foundation. Together, they’ve built something historic. Something sustainable. Something sacred.
This isn’t charity. This is restoration.
They’ve already invested over $ 10 million in 220 organizations across 13 Southern states. Nearly $500,000 in microgrants has been awarded directly to more than 800 Black girls. And they’re just getting started.
Full Circle with Chanceé Lundy
In March 2025, the Consortium welcomed its new Executive Director, Chanceé Lundy—an environmental engineer, entrepreneur, and fierce advocate for justice. Her resume is impressive. But it’s her story that moves people.
LaTosha Brown first met Chanceé as a 14-year-old in Selma, Alabama. Even then, she saw the spark. Years later, that same girl is now leading the organization LaTosha built. That’s not just full circle, that’s legacy in motion.
“Chanceé embodies everything our organization stands for: vision, resilience, and a deep commitment to uplifting Black girls and women,” LaTosha shared with CBS’s Amazing Race Leticia Gardner. “I’m proud to call her my mentee, and now, with immense pride, my leader.”
This Is What It Looks Like When We Love Us
The Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium is not a moment. It’s a movement. And it is teaching us that the most radical thing we can do is believe in Black girls right now.
This work is not reactive. It’s visionary. It’s joyful. It’s strategic.
This is what happens when Black women dream together. When we fund each other. When we lead with love.
If you’ve ever whispered a dream into the dark, unsure if it mattered…
Let this be your answer.
It does.
And the movement is already here.
Follow the Movement:
southernblackgirls.org
#BlackGirlsDream #SouthernBlackGirls #SheGotNext #JoyIsStrategy
-Topanga Hall
Topanga Hall is an Atlanta-based journalist, publicist, and unapologetic pop culture historian with a sharp pen and a heart for storytelling. With a background in journalism and mass communication, she blends media literacy, nostalgia, and social commentary to create powerful narratives rooted in truth, memory, and culture. Topanga’s work lives at the intersection of pop culture, women’s rights, racial justice, sexual abuse awareness, identity, and generational influence, examining how media reflects and reshapes who we are. From Y2K throwbacks to fluidity in femininity, she writes with edge, empathy, and an unflinching commitment to spotlighting voices and stories that matter.
