Community Connections
The Places We Connect to That Help Us Change the Narrative
Thrilled to have been asked to add our culturally-informed curriculum in a format that will fit within the DV/SA certification training that should be updated by end of 2022!
June 2023 Update: the website is LIVE and being used to certify DV advocates. We cannot wait to see what we learn about its impact on victim services throughout the entire state of Iowa to equip new advocates with the right way to productively approach and assist Black women in crisis.
As of the 2020 data of vital statistics, IDHHS serves 3.1 million Iowans annually. IDHHS has collaborated with us for the 3rd consecutive year for the STOP VAWA federal grant. This funding allows us to deliver FREE training to Centers of Trust and Centers of Must.
There has now been added the RPE federal funding as well. What's great about this addition is it allows us to be supported as we tackle the social determinants of health - in other words, the ways we mitigate lack in those areas within the Black community in ways that will bolster efforts in violence prevention for Black women! One of those ways is our recent #BacktheBlack campaign, a new branch of Iowa Healthiest State Initiative's Make It OK campaign. This statewide campaign aimed at reducing stigma surrounding mental health now has a Black Iowan community-focused campaign created by and intended to reach Black Iowa. When we provide safer mental health spaces for Black Iowans, we increase safe spaces for Black women! Stay on the lookout for #BacktheBlack activities in Iowa near you!
This publication has a nearly 4K+ readership and is a staple of communication within the greater DSM area. It is read in Iowa, and other states nationally, as well as other countries. CFire LLC's monthly articles since 2021 to educate Black women and its community on what DV truly looks when it attacks our women. This collaboration provides access to inform our community directly while simultaneously expanding the knowledge of CFire LLC's work within it.
We're now writing in it quarterly as well to make way for our Black NEWSPAPER articles!! Keep readin'!
We have been working on this collaboration since 2022 and excited to launch it in 2023! Imagine a nonprofit who wants to teach systems not to contribute to ACES in our youth. Whate are ACES? Adverse childhood experiences. WOW.
What a thrill to have leadership in this organization who want to find the ways to crisscross our respective work for the greater good of the spaces we both want to impact! We took off with this collaboration in June 2022. More on this to come - stay tuned!
Not since the Iowa Bystander decades ago has Iowa had a Black NEWSPAPER! We've got one now that is in 13 cities in Iowa and rising, and our founder, Courageous Fire, is writing in it! We know it is crucial to get the information directly to our folks in ways that connect the way digital never could.
We try to keep some copies on us, but if you text us and we're out, then click here to find where else you can pick up your free copy: FREE NEWSSTAND LOCATIONS!!
Want it delivered right to your door? No problem! Email Black Iowa News at dana@blackiowanews.com.
So excited to be collaborating with this organization to restructure a campaign for Make it Okay Campaign for the Black Iowan community! Executive Director, Jami Haberl, and her team recognize that we need to build the vehicle to reach our community.
The committee met in the Fall of 2022 and completed the launch in May 2023. To see the press release on the #BacktheBlack campaign, click HERE.
To access the #BacktheBlack website, head over to IowaHealthiestState.com/backtheblack page.
Why am I collaborating in this manner? Social entrepreneurship, Beloved! When we make mental health support more accessible to the Black community, we increase direct support to DV victims in active crisis and survivors for long-term mental health issues caused by DV, as well as provide indirect support by helping heal folks who are or may become perpetrators.
Eleven24 and Owner, Tonjie Reese
Youth: Prevent DV, Learn Healthy Relationships
Many Black women start off as Black girls. How are we helping our Black girls understand healthy relationships? Through our partnership with Eleven24.org and their incredible program for doing just that. Who better to learn from than a Black woman? Our sister nonprofit pilot, Courageous Access, with this curriculum was well-received by the youth participants and easily applied to real-life circumstances. CFire LLC is looking to partner this curriculum its mission by getting it into our schools as a part of the education process, as well as partnering with the juvenile correctional system to help our youth utilize this information to choose healthy relationships and behavior - we want to see our Black girls given positive alternatives to the prison pipeline.
Children and Families of Iowa:
Domestic Violence Program Project
Children and Families of Iowa's (CFI) annual report for 2021-2022 reflects having served over 22K individuals in their combined departments, including DV (domestic violence) services. With a net that large across this state, as well as being the only DV shelter within Polk County, the treatment of Black women being impacted by CFire LLC's work is critical.
We're pleased at being able to cultivate a working relationship with the DV shelter staff as we support them by providing Centers of Must training as well as Self-Care for Advocates training.
We started in 2023 with them and look forward to conducting Centers of Must training with their leadership this year as well.
We were thrilled to have our first company-based initiatives be conducted here at Nationwide Insurance!
The speaking engagement commissioned by the All Women's Associate Resource Group made such an impact on the professional lives and personal wellbeing of women, that we were asked to create a workshop series to help participants find their passion, strengths, and allow those to direct their professional purpose. We tend to utilize other reasons and occupy careers for decades. Participation helped some women change that narrative, some earning thousands more annually in doing so!
The Claims Total Loss Department of 100+ associates and leaders needed to improve performance. We facilitated and ran a positive psychology initiative for 21 days. Positivity changed that narrative by improving performance and increasing employee wellbeing.