May Newsletter

May means Mother’s Day, Mental Health Awareness Month, and AAPI Heritage Month–but this May, we are also painfully aware of the attack on birthing bodies and the continued targeting of communities of color. This month, a SCOTUS decision to repeal Roe v. Wade was leaked, and two mass shootings targeted the Black and Asian communities on opposite sides of the country. Make no mistake: These attacks are not isolated incidents–they are part of a concerted effort to assert dominance over women, people of color, and all vulnerable communities. Moving forward, we must be cognizant and adamant about the ways we protect ourselves and fight for the rights that we deserve as human beings. Although the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would have codified Roe, failed to pass the Senate, we can still make demands and hold our elected officials accountable. This midterm election year, let’s show them that Black girls VOTE, and we are not letting our representatives off the hook!
-Nyki ✨

Thank You!

If you are receiving this newsletter, you have not yet joined the Black Girls Vote movement. BGV membership is a direct and powerful way to change our communities and stand as a united front for our representation of our women and girls. Black Girls Vote inspires the new generation of young women to vote and become a strong voice within their communities. And because of this, we need your help in expanding our network. Our multi-tiered membership plan ensures that regardless of financial background, there is a tier that is suitable for everyone. As a member, you also have access to join one of our fantastic volunteer committees. For a one-time annual fee, you can become a BGV member today! Click here to enjoy the full benefits of membership.

PSA

Midterm season is here. The gubernatorial primary election in Maryland is just around the corner, on July 19th! Check your registration status.

In Case You Missed It

In collaboration with the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Black Girls Vote celebrated the first-ever proclaimed Black Maternal Health Week with conversations around Black midwifery, doulas, and building community under this year’s theme, “Building for Liberation: Centering Black Mamas, Black Families and Black Systems of Care.”

#BGVOutreach Team has completed yet another successful iteration of the High School Voter Registration Challenge! This year, ahead of midterm elections, BGV registered more than 600 new voters from nine Baltimore City public high schools…

#BGVOutreach, #BGVAdvocacy, and #BGVCollegiates collaborated for the launch of our first ever Voter Engagement Tour! This campaign visited five Baltimore local colleges and universities in an effort to get out the vote…

In response to the recent leak of the SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, several organizations in Baltimore and across the country came together to protest the upcoming judgment in the Bans Off Our Bodies Rally. Rally goers shared their personal experiences with abortions, challenged elected officials to fight for our rights and remove the #BansOffOurBodies. Krystal Leaphart (Advocacy Co-Lead) and Patricia Watson (Roles & Responsibilities Committee Member) are pictured above…

Porch’se Miller is the Founder & CEO of RANTF (Reformative Action Nationwide Taskforce), a social reform group created to address the need for change in our society. It is an organization made up of community of individuals who have come together to fight for justice in all forms.

BGV Partnership Spotlight

Black Girls Vote is ecstatic to announce our collaboration with BETCHES! Our organizations began working together earlier this year, during the months of February and March. In honor of Black History Month and Women’s History Month…

BGV News

BGV is a consistent leader when it comes to reaching people where they are and providing civic education. This month, Shirmel Wiggs was a guest on WEAA’s Today with Dr. Kaye to discuss our work…

Black Girls’ Voices Matter!

Crystal Amuzie joined Black Girls Vote in 2021, shortly before the Ladies & Politics Women’s History Month campaign. Since then, she has supported the Black Girls Vote social media pages and graphics, created the BGV Black Student Debt Forum, led efforts to expand the BGV Communications Department, facilitated media training, and even revived the BGV newsletter…

Pass The Torch

Our Collegiate Ambassador of the Month for the Month of May is Bowie State University President, Breanna Thomas. Breanna is an English major with a concentration in Creative Writing, and she is graduating at the end of this month!

Views from the Yard

@ncat_bgv Stroll to the Polls event brought young Black students together to march through the streets of Greenboro, NC and to get registered, encourage others to register, AND vote in the North Carolina primary election.

Bowie State Chapter of BGV (@bowiestate_bgv) partnering with BSU Green ambassadors to plant trees. Because of their efforts, BSU is in line to become the FIRST HBCU designated a tree campus!

During Morgan State’s Annual Star Train Awards ceremony, @msubgv was awarded the Social Influencer Award and the Certificate of Excellence from the MSU Office of Student Life & Development. MSU BGV members Yolanda Waters, Michelle Span, and Latésjia Lorfils also received awards for their contributions as individuals.

Afro Agriculture and BGV NCA&T pushed back against food insecurity and land accessibility issues by creating a sustainable community garden in inner city Greensboro.

So many BGV collegiates are graduating this month! Some of our collegiate chapters have had their commencement ceremonies already. Check out their pictures below!