"BEWCAkron | Wellness, Education & Community Support"

Meet The Executive Steering Committee

Charmaine Thurman

Interim Executive Director

Cecil Lipscomb

Executive Director, The United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland (UBF)

Judi Hill

President of the Akron Branch of the NAACP

Rev. Raymond E. Greene Jr.

Executive Director of The Freedom BLOC,

Karla McDay

Executive Director, Harmony House

Dr. Damon Taylor

Founder and CEO, Here For You Enterprise Inc.

Dr. David Nelson

Founder & Executive Director, Progressive Alliance Community Development Corporation

Our Consultants

Terrence Shelton

Navigate, Inc.

Patrica Wicks

PATHworks!

Robert Dejournett

Dejournett Consulting, LLC

Curtis Minter, Jr.

Talented Xth Consulting

Timeline Section

Our Journey

In October of 2019

Leaders in the Black community representing several organizations united in the spirit of Ujima, collective work and responsibility, to address the inequitable practices and disparities that affect the Black community. Out of the circle discussions, The Black Economic and Wellness Coalition of Akron, (BEWCA) was born.

Developed A Plan of Action

BEWCA recognizes the need to empower Black-led and owned businesses, nonprofits and community organizations in sustainable, responsible, collective work. This work is focused on restoring families, neighborhoods, and communities in a trustworthy and equitable way.

Defined our Purpose

The purpose of BEWCA is to engage the community in deliberative dialogues to identify healthy, equitable, collective solutions to community issues, and to leverage our coalition of partners' collective experience, expertise and work to acquire funding. BEWCA’s main function is to develop and leverage its philanthropic network to make funding opportunities possible for its Coalition Partners and provide administrative oversight of the collective work.

Partnered with UBF

BEWCA partnered with the United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland (UBF), a public charity 501c3, founded in 1981, as fiscal sponsor. UBF’s 40 plus years of experience and credible record of fiscal management brings viable support and integral oversight to our efforts.

Black Economic And Wellness Coalition Of Akron

Akron Leadership Covenant

Commitment Statement.

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