A new nonprofit inspired by the death of George Floyd with a vision to unpack the different shades of Huemanity for a more inclusive and representative world.
Founded in 2020 by Folake Phillips, a Yoruba princess immigrant to the U.S. from Osun State in Nigeria, in response to the death of George Floyd and the national street protests that erupted for Black Lives Matter in the midst of the US COVID-19 pandemic, AWO is a BIPOC-led, social justice nonprofit start-up that seeks to transform the Black experience in America, especially here in Silicon Valley. AWO means both skin and color in the Yoruba language of Nigeria. It is a reminder that all too often, our implicit biases determine how we treat people who have a skin color different from our own.
For Folake, her American dream was plunged into an American nightmare by the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minnesota police. “As a Nigerian immigrant woman new to living in the US during these times of civil unrest, wondering if I should be afraid for myself or my son's life is now my reality,” she explains. To confront this new reality, Folake bravely decided to bring people together across class, culture and color by spotlighting, educating and galvanizing people to express their unheard stories so that more inclusivity and representation becomes the norm within our communities.
The craft of designing, building and launching a nonprofit start-up from concept to reality is no easy task. Y Chen & Associate helped AWO to accelerate this process in only 6 months -- from concept to actualization, working with Folake to name and brand the organization, build a website, conduct strategic planning, design and market programs, obtain press coverage, fundraise grants and sponsorships, and much more. By June 2021, AWO launched its first annual HUEmankind Fest 2021 celebrating and promoting human kinship and kindness in Los Gatos and Santa Clara County.
Today, through storytelling, interactive dialogues, and collective problem solving, AWO continues to bring people together across color, class and culture to dismantle inaccurate stories and re-imagine more equitable collective narratives and social systems. By learning from the experiences and stories of African-Americans, African nationals and immigrants representing diverse cultures residing in the Bay Area, AWO is building a following to achieve a more color-full perspective in American society.
At Y Chen & Associates, we specialize in building nonprofit start-ups and social innovation projects from the ground up. We know what it takes to take a deep seated conviction and turn it into reality. Let Y Chen & Associates help you turn your social justice dream into reality.
For more information about this wonderful organization, please visit the AWO website.
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