Black Swan Academy  (BSA) received $1000 in funding through the #JUSTICE4 Giving Circle infinitive.  BSA used these funds to host two #OurLivesMatter townhall events for youth, and funding will support a #BlackLivesBlossom kite-making initiative taking place during Washington, DC, National Cherry Blossom Festival. How Grant Funds Were Disbursed:

• $475.00 – Kite-Making Session for #BlackLivesBlossom Event
• $170.00 – Food (for Classroom Instruction)
• $131.65 -  Food (for #OurLivesMatter Townhall)
• $94.14 - Supplies for Philanthropy Sessions and Clothing Drive
• $79.71 - Transportation Stipends
• $50.00 – Speaker Fee (for #OurLivesMatter Townhall)

BSA’s Measurable Impact:

• 540 Instruction Hours Hosted in 16 Sessions for Youth - BSA mentors taught youth about philanthropy and social justice related issues
• 180 Service-learning hours
• 200 Townhall Attendees - youth and community members attended inaugural #ourlives matter youth townhall
• 189 Townhall Attendees – youth and community members have pre-registered for the #ourlivesmatter youth townhall pt. 2
• 225 Youth Kitemakers – youth will make kites for the #Blacklivesblossom demonstration
• 270lbs or 20 Coats Collected - youth collected coats to benefit men, women and children seeking support from Bread for the City Southeast

 ===} CLICK HERE to view the full grant report.

===} CLICK HERE and HERE to view event photos.

Inaugural #JUSTICE4DC Giving Circle Members: Robert Bland, Adrianne Burke, Matthew Evans,  Saranah Holmes, Christian Howard, Kristina Jacobs, Alencia Johnson, Tara Mancini, Javier Martinez, Dexter Mccoy, Marcus Mitchell, Cadene Russell, Tisa Silver, Joseph Thomas, Daya Washington, Conrad Woody.

Background on #JUSTICE4DC Giving Circle: Capital Cause #JUSTICE4DC Giving Circle(www.justice4fund.org) chose two social justice organizations doing work to end police brutality and fight for social justice.  Those organizations were:  Thursday Network – Greater Washington Urban League and Black Swan Academy. The #JUSTICE4DC Giving Circle chose two finalists for donors to choose between for funding.  Their vote was a tie, and as a result two organizations received $600 in funding.  Dream Defenders and National Black United Front were the resulting grant recipients.

Thursday Network – Greater Washington Urban League Young Professionals received $900 in funding to host four community assembly events in Washington, DC (2 events), Prince George’s County ( 1 event) and Montgomery County (1 event).  The events brought together community leaders and neighborhood citizens to discuss police role in keeping communities safe.  Know Your Right Cards were also printed and distributed during these events and other community events that enabled DC and suburban Maryland communities to know their rights when stopped by law enforcement.

How Grant Funds Were Disbursed:

• $510.00– Food distributed during events
• $330.00 – “Know Your Rights” Cards Printed for Distribution at Events
• $60.00 -  Rental of Prince George’s County Event Space

Paul Lighthouse Charter School Testimonials:

• TN Staff - Thursday Network aimed to create dialogues within communities in the greater Washington metropolitan area. A large piece of this was expanding past Washington, DC and making sure that suburban Maryland was included. Our December 2014 and February 2014 town hall events were held in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County, MD, a large part of supporting that goal. We now have a stronger relationship with the ACLU of Maryland to include legislative action in the action plan.  Over 75 community members were engaged in the Community Action Assembly events.The other target group, in addition to these distinct communities is youth. The printed information piece of this project is aimed at this group. Distribution starts with Thursday Network’s youth mentoring program, the Empowerment Academy and will also be shared with local school partners, with an expected impact of 1,000 individual students.These events were shared in a meeting with DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier, Greater Washington Urban League leadership, including Thursday Network’s president, and they will provide high-ranking support for the next DC town hall.

===} CLICK HERE to view the full grant report.

===} CLICK HERE to view the grant report photos.

Inaugural #JUSTICE4 Giving Circle Members:

Robert Bland, Adrianne Burke, Matthew Evans,  Saranah Holmes, Christian Howard, Kristina Jacobs, Alencia Johnson, Tara Mancini, Javier Martinez, Dexter Mccoy, Marcus Mitchell, Cadene Russell, Tisa Silver, Joseph Thomas, Daya Washington, Conrad Woody.

Inaugural #JUSTICE4DC Giving Circle Members: Robert Bland, Adrianne Burke, Matthew Evans,  Saranah Holmes, Christian Howard, Kristina Jacobs, Alencia Johnson, Tara Mancini, Javier Martinez, Dexter Mccoy, Marcus Mitchell, Cadene Russell, Tisa Silver, Joseph Thomas, Daya Washington, Conrad Woody.

Background on #JUSTICE4DC Giving Circle: Capital Cause #JUSTICE4DC Giving Circle(www.justice4fund.org) chose two social justice organizations doing work to end police brutality and fight for social justice.  Those organizations were:  Thursday Network – Greater Washington Urban League and Black Swan Academy. The #JUSTICE4DC Giving Circle chose two finalists for donors to choose between for funding.  Their vote was a tie, and as a result two organizations received $600 in funding.  Dream Defenders and National Black United Front were the resulting grant recipients.

Capital Cause Young Philanthropists selected the nonprofit after hearing their pitch to receive support for $2,000 to help increase literacy at a charter school.  Administrators asked for funding to purchase a computer and literacy software that could be utilized on the computer and other computers by the school’s population who were reading below grade level.

How Grant Funds Were Disbursed:

• $1000– Two Discounted Computers
• $1000 – Two Software Licenses to Reading A-Z Literacy Program
• 144 -  Served Children Age 5 – 12

Paul Lighthouse Charter School Testimonials:

• PLCS Staff - The grant’s impact on Potomac Lighthouse’s mission is
  that it provides us a better chance to close the achievement gap. The grant
  allows us to truly prepare our youngest scholars for college

CLICK HERE to view the full grant report.

The #Justice4 Fund is a millennial-led intiaitive created to fund the social justice organizations working to advocate, protect and support Black lives. In September 2014, seventeen (17) members of Capital Cause nonprofit founded the #Justice4 Fund and in 30 days raised $3100 to fund four social justice projects benefiting 364 citizens whose lives have been or will be touched by injustice.

Past initiatives funded by #Justice4 include:

• Black Swan Academy – $1,000
• Thursday Network – Greater Washington Urban League – $900
• National Black United Front – $600

Please follow this link to read about their projects, and stay tuned for information related to their grant reports: http://www.justice4fund.org/

If you are a social justice organization, please visit the link below to apply.

==} APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDS {==

African-American male young philanthropists hosted sessions that empowered sixty-two (62) young middle school and high school boys.  This day-long mentoring opportunity changed lives by accomplishing three key goals:

• Hosting intimate rap sessions with young, Black boys
• Teaching boys how to tie a business tie
• Connecting young boys to mentors

All participants received breakfast, lunch and a certificate indicating their participation in the program.

For More Info: www.justice4fund.org

Leading the #Justice4 circle in New York City is Ms. Britney Whaley.  She has begun to recruit young philanthropists to fund her initiative.

Leading the #Justice4 circle in Washington, DC is Mr. Dexter McCoy.  He has built a different circle of young philanthropists in the District to raise $2500 to fund the Black Man Can Institute and another social justice organization doing work to support the work of Black men and boys.

Read more about this initiative below and by going to the affiliate website:  http://www.justice4fund.org/

What is the #Justice4 Fund?

The #Justice4 Fund is a millennial-led intiaitive created to fund the social justice organizations working to advocate, protect and support Black lives. In September 2014, seventeen (17) members of Capital Cause nonprofit founded the #Justice4 Fund and in 30 days raised $3500 to fund four social justice projects benefiting 364 citizens whose lives have been or will be touched by injustice.

What are the city circles?

Leaders in each Washington, DC, and New York City have committed to raising at least $2,000 to fund at least two social justice projects.  If you reside in one of these cities, or believe in the work organizaitons are doing in these cities, you can donate to support their efforts.  Donors get voting privileges and some donors get other perks!

Why should I support #Justice4?

If you believe Black lives matter; if you believe justice is for all, and not for some; if you believe equal opportunity is not an American myth, we encourage you to fund the projects of social justice trailblazers who are putting boots on the ground to create change!

Earlier this week, members of local philanthropic organization Capital Cause put King’s ideas into action during a “Black Out” that took place during the annual holiday commemorating the late civil rights leader’s birth. Under the local philanthropic organization’s guidance, millennials from across the D.C. metropolitan area did their part to support existing and up-and-coming black-owned businesses.

“We realized that there wasn’t much support and infrastructure when it came to black businesses,” said Kezia Williams, 32, chair of Capital Cause. In years past, Capital Cause has fed the homeless and held fundraisers in observance of the King holiday. Williams said the idea for the nonprofit’s Jan. 19 collaborative effort with the D.C. chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) came amid ongoing discussions about the economic welfare of black people in the United States.

“Even with a $1 trillion buying power, statistics show that black businesses aren’t successful. That’s why we thought about supporting these businesses during the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. We believe that this will resonate among entrepreneurs, especially since black wealth [as a whole] hasn’t grown beyond less than one percent in decades,” said Williams who lives in Alexandria, Va.

Data compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that more than 2 million black-owned businesses operate in the United States, with the District having the highest proportion of black business owners at 28 percent. More than 920,000 gainfully employed people of color work for a black-owned business. In recent decades, people of color have pursued a host of ventures including auto repair shops, restaurants, salons, advertising agencies, and consulting firms.

While black entrepreneurs have made some progress, experts say there’s much work to be done in helping build the solvency of black businesses. A study conducted by BlackBusiness.org showed that an increase in annual revenue would allow black-owned businesses to hire at least two more people, potentially dealing a deafening blow to high unemployment rates among people of color.

On Monday, a steady stream of Millennials from across the D.C. metropolitan area representing a host of career fields joined Capital Cause and NSBE in Sankofa Video Books & Café in Northwest and offered their services to budding business owners. Capital Cause representatives doled out “Buy Black” stickers that would help consumers of color identify black owned businesses. A web developer also remained onsite to assist entrepreneurs in bolstering their web presence.

“We’re doing the same thing that we did in the years between the end of the slavery and the end of desegregation,” said Salim Adofo, national vice chairperson of the National Black United Front (NBUF),  a coalition of organizations working together to benefit the people of the Black Diaspora.

NBUF recently launched a “Buy Black” mobile app that helps users locate local black-owned businesses. The recent project counted among a host of programs the organization sponsored as part of its Buy Black Power Initiative, an effort to help people of color understand the importance of cooperative economics. Businesses involved in the King Holiday “Black Out” will be added to the “Black Buy” database.

Young philanthropists wrote letters to Black-owned businesses, and enclose a sticker for them to post on their businesses.  These stickers were developed with the intention of informing consumers that the business was owned by an African-American.

“Capital Cause was intentional about this project.  African-Americans command one trillion in buying power,” said Kezia Williams “but most Black-owned businesses struggle with identifying repeat consumers that could help them scale their ventures. I brainstormed this idea as a way to connect consumers who are interested in supporting Black entrepreneurs to their businesses.”

With self-determination and purpose, the group was able to accomplish the task while also lending their talent to black business that needed pro bono support.  Read More in the Washington Informer article:   http://washingtoninformer.com/photos/2015/jan/21/117397/

Benjamin Crump, attorney for Trayvon Martin and Mike Brown, was invited and attended a special guest.

One-hundred thirty-four (134) donors contributed to the #JUSTICE4FUND.  The #JUSTICE4FUND Giving Circle voted to fund two organizations, and the third organization will be selected by the donors.  See below for the grantees selected by the Giving Circle:

GOAL:  $2500 .00 | RAISED:  $3569.00

Thursday Network  | Greater Washington Urban League – (Grant Request: $900 | Grant Amount Awarded: $900 |  Number Served: 1400 African-American youth and families) The Thursday Network will organize four town halls that will educate 1400 youth and community members about how to interact with law enforcement in accordance with their “End Police Brutality Plan.”  This program is focused on prevention.  Thursday Network wants to participate in the end of police brutality through protective measures for the community, education on dealing with law enforcement and effecting policy changes to mandate proper actions by our local police departments. As a local chapter of a national organization, we also have the opportunity to share our progress with other chapters who can enact these steps in their local communities, creating a larger spread in our effectiveness. The resource materials we create can be shared outside of the Greater Washington area also.

Impact will be measured by event attendance, media coverage, increase in community partners and evaluation/survey of town hall/community forum participants (youth, community, law enforcement, and facilitators)

Black Swan Academy  -  (Grant Request: $1,000 | Grant Amount Awarded: $1,000 | Number Served: 60 African-American youth)  Black Swan Academy is dedicated to creating a pipeline of black young leaders committed to improving self as well as the communities in which they live.  Black Swan Academy will organize two high-impact service events (in the net 90 days), planned and implemented by 60 African-American youth. Specifically funds will be used to transport 60 youth to and from community service sites as well as purchase the materials needed. Funds will also be used to offer scholarships for youth to attend a 2.5 day workshop conducted by People’s Institute of Survival and beyond, which promotes an “anti-racism” state of mind and gives youth tools need to uplift themselves and work for social change. The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond focuses on understanding what racism is, where it comes from, how it functions, why it persists and how it can be undone. This workshop utilizes a systemic approach that emphasizes learning from history, developing leadership, maintaining accountability to communities, creating networks, undoing internalized racial oppression and understanding the role of organizational gate keeping as a mechanism for perpetuating racism.

Donors will vote to determine if Dream Defenders or the National Black United Front – DC receive the third grant award.