Courageous Fire, LLC began as a personal mission for a Black woman domestic violence (DV) survivor and mother to teach culturally competent strategies in addressing those unique needs during DV and sexual assault (SA) - became a focus to disrupt the health disparities disproportionately impacting Black women regardless of its source. Over time, this mission expanded beyond victim services, leveraging 2,400+ hours of global research, Our Founder's own lived experience expertise, and the following certifications to advocate for systemic change across healthcare, corporate, and policy sectors:
-
Certified Community Health Worker (CHW) - 45 hours
-
Evelyn K. Davis Center Entrepreneur Business Certification
-
Iowa Center for Economic Success Women's Business Center Certification
Courageous Academy, our innovative digital platform, delivers 24/7 training that combines research-driven solutions with actionable strategies for centering inclusion. Organizations that embrace these strategies don’t just improve equity—they boost their bottom line. Inclusive workplaces experience higher employee retention, enhanced operational efficiency, and stronger ROI. Courageous Fire, LLC ensures our clients reap both social and economic rewards by embedding equity into their core operations.
We have a client roster of over 60 organizations, including global leader Safe and Together Institute, national leader Council of State Governments Justice Center, and Iowa’s leading coalitions: Iowa Department of Health & Human Services, Iowa ACEs 360, Iowa Healthiest State Initiative, Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, & Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault. We’ve proven that prioritizing inclusion is both a moral imperative and a business advantage. Let us help you turn inclusion into a strategic asset and join us in #ChangingTheNarrative.
Our CEO & Lead Designer, Courageous Fire, CHW
As a Black woman, I discovered my marriage was a facade masking domestic violence (DV)—not the kind you see on TV, but the insidious types: economic, sexual, spiritual, verbal, and emotional, all wielded through coercive control. Mainstream resources failed me and my daughters because I didn't fit the "typical" victim mold. Fifteen years felt wasted, unless I could change the narrative for others. Shockingly, my struggle is shared by over 40% of Black women in this country.
A National Crisis
Our Founder & CEO had stumbled onto something that would soon uncover an even more alarming, national truth about Black women: her health outcomes are nearly ​always at the bottom rung of every statistical ladder.
Research points to the singular reason why this population leads in physical ills such as heart disease, maternal fatalities, cancer, stroke, and psychological ills such as depression and anxiety - the compound stress of racism and lack of equitable healthcare access.
Mission
Equipping organizations - mainstream and in the Black community - to leverage their understanding of the unique needs of Black women and other often overlooked populations to transform their spaces into safe ones that improve health outcomes and their business bottom lines,
uplifting our society as a whole.
Philosophy
History Matters
The stereotypes of the happy servant, angry Black woman, strong Black woman, and hypersexuality stem from historical myths like Mammy, Sapphire, and Jezebel. These biases create daily barriers for Black women.
Expectation Matters
These historical elements—'submissive, sexy, sassy'—encourage biased expectations of subservience, anger, and independence from both the Black community and mainstream. These biases create barriers to good health outcomes for Black women during and after DV and other crises, and prevent poor outcome prevention for Black girls. Education for both Centers on their roles in improving outcomes is the overlooked game-changer.
​
Inclusion as a Strategy
The fact is organizations that only look at the big picture, miss the needs of smaller groups that can change the big picture for the better. Education in this arena can lead to huge turnarounds in employee retention, operational efficieny, and ROI.
Vision
A world where Black women feel safe, supported, and have countless options in spaces to occupy that contribute to their positive health outcomes.
