ATLANTA, June 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Southern Black Girls and Women's Consortium (Southern Black Girls) successfully concluded its 2025 Black Girls Dream Conference on June 7, 2025, welcoming over 1,200 Black girls, femme identifying youth, and women from across 13 southern states to Atlanta, GA. The two-day conference, themed "She Got Next," celebrated Black girl brilliance while providing transformative workshops, networking opportunities, and community building experiences.

"This conference represents our investment in not just tomorrow's leaders, but today's changemakers," said LaTosha Brown, visionary founder and anchor of Southern Black Girls. "We're creating a powerful ecosystem where Black girls and women can access the resources, mentorship, and community they need to turn their boldest dreams into reality."

The conference featured over 80 interactive workshops addressing critical topics including mental health, social justice, science and technology, financial empowerment, arts, culture, and wellness. Southern Black Girls was proud to welcome Dove, co-founder of the CROWN Coalition, as the "Creating Joy" Sponsor, bringing signature experiences including the Roots to CROWN hair braiding workshop and the Shine & Share photo experience celebrating natural beauty and cultural heritage. Dove has been working to "Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair" by supporting The CROWN movement and the passage of the CROWN Act since 2019, and as part of its ongoing mission to make a positive experience of beauty universally accessible to all, Dove celebrates the natural beauty and limitless potential of Black girls and women.

Highlights included the inaugural "She Got Now Awards" recognizing outstanding achievements by young Black women, including Calcea Johnson and Na'Kiya Jackson, who made history by solving a 2,000-year-old mathematical proof using trigonometry; Jasmine Carson, NCAA Women's Basketball National Champion and entrepreneur; and Trinitee Stokes, multi-talented actress, singer, author, and the youngest student ever admitted to Emerson College at age 14.

The event also recognized the Global South Health Advocacy Program, featuring women from across the African diaspora working to advocate for increased investment in global health issues that impact Black women globally. The ceremony also celebrated Dream Investment Program awardees, who received funding through Southern Black Girls Innovation Fund in partnership with Kindred Futures, with 15 young entrepreneurs under age 18 and 10 early-stage entrepreneurs receiving $1,000 - $5,000 investments in their businesses.

Additional recognition was given to Black Girl Defense Fund recipients, who received grants to support community-led efforts protecting Black girls' rights, and 25 #BlackGirlJoy Challenge winners ages 12-24, each receiving grants to support project ideas they submitted to spread joy in their communities.

Chanceé Lundy, Executive Director of Southern Black Girls, emphasized the conference's impact: "Here, Black girls and women are not only celebrated but empowered to dream without limits. Through powerful workshops, inspiring speakers, and authentic sisterhood, they gain the tools, confidence, and community needed to lead, innovate, and transform their futures."

Youth Ambassadors from across the South served as conference leaders and shared their transformative experiences. "As a first time Youth Ambassador for Southern Black Girls, I really enjoyed the conference and the welcoming atmosphere of it all. It exposed me to diversity in my culture. I am honored to be a part of such a great organization," said Dakota Young, Youth Ambassador.

Alauna Armstead, a young entrepreneur in our Dream Investment Program, reflected: "The community of black girls and women is so amazing to see. I have felt so loved and supported by everyone. I truly hope that every black girl can experience this feeling of being uplifted."

The State of Georgia formally recognized the conference's impact through proclamations presented by State Representative Inga Willis (District 55), who honored Southern Black Girls' work and presented the Outstanding Georgia Citizen Award to organizational founders, LaTosha Brown and Alice Eason Jenkins.

"Our 'She Got Next' campaign represents our goal to raise $100 million, because we believe Black girls and women are worthy of significant investment," added Lundy. The 2025 conference builds on Southern Black Girls' mission to disrupt traditional philanthropy in the South, where Black women and girls receive less than one percent of the $5 billion in regional philanthropic investments. Through participatory grantmaking, community partnerships, and movement building, Southern Black Girls continue to shift narratives and create pathways for Black girls and women.

For more information and content from Dream Conference, visit www.southernblackgirls.org/dreamconference/

About Southern Black Girls and Women's Consortium

Founded in 2017 by visionary LaTosha Brown and anchors Felecia Lucky (Black Belt Community Foundation), Alice Jenkins (Fund for Southern Communities), and Margo Miller (Appalachian Community Fund), the Southern Black Girls and Women's Consortium is a philanthropic organization dedicated to funding Black girls and women across the Southern United States. Since its founding in 2017, Southern Black Girls has awarded over $10.2 million to more than 220 Black women-led organizations and provided nearly $500,000 in grants to over 800 girls through initiatives like the #BlackGirlJoyChallenge. Operating in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia, Southern Black Girls employs participatory grantmaking approaches that center Black girls' voices while supporting racial justice, education, health and wellness, economic mobility, and leadership development.

Contact: For Media Inquires Only
Candice M. Dixon
Communications Manager
candice@southernblackgirls.org
(334) 394-3236

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SOURCE Southern Black Girls & Women's Consortium