Imagine standing in a room bustling with Black girls.Determination, enthusiasm, and creative ideas bounce off each other in the spirit of unity. It’s not just a room with Black Girls, it is home, and you are among sisters. The time you are spending with these sisters is fun, educational, and above all a networking experience. Wait, did I mention that you are getting to explore the world’s cultural landscape through sisterhood?!
This does not summarize your experience at the Grassroots Bootcamp in Ireland 2021. It is a snippet of the woman you will be at the Bootcamp, and after the Bootcamp. The main aim of the Grassroots Boot camp is to build a network of driven and ambitious Black girls who are like you! Your work as a Black girl solving problems in your community is an important part of our development. This is an opportunity to build your capacity to keep excelling.
How can you prepare to participate at the Boot camp?
First, you are the most important part of your preparations. The Bootcamp will be an opportunity to gain knowledge and transferable skills in digital literacy, communication and writing, self-advocacy, and feminist thought and action. It will take more than just your presence to fully benefit from this program. It is important to establish your goals and expectations for the Bootcamp. This will not only guide you to envision what you will achieve with these skills, it will also channel your networking to bring about meaningful interactions from which you will take home lessons and new ideas. In general, having goals for a vision is the biggest step towards bringing that vision to life. This allows you to follow up on yourself, even as you research on your work. More-over be prepared to have fun, meet new people, and socialize!
Second, secure funding for your trip. This is one of the things that may present itself as a barrier for your participation. As a Black female, you have the ability to crash through this ceiling and break that barrier. This will be driven by your ambition and desire to participate at the Bootcamp. There are several ways of fund raising that you may explore to take advantage of this opportunity. Black girl, your talent and ambition are your most valuable resource for this venture, use them. Here are some ways of getting your talent and ambition to help you fund-raise for your trip:
Be an entrepreneur
Use your hobbies or skills to earn extra money. There are several ways in which you may leverage your skills or hobbies. For example, if you like to cook and or bake, you may host a themed fundraising dinner or a bake sale. At the event, inform the attendants of the trip and what it means to you. As you would have already earned money from the suggested donation per plate, opening up about your trip may also attract partners and/or sponsors.
2. Seek Partnership and or Sponsorship
Check to see if an organization near you or your school has a female/youth empowerment program. Reach out to them and let them know about your fundraising campaign. Also, reach out to your network of social and professional organizations. You may offer yourself as a volunteer within these organizations as your way of giving back and showing gratitude for their donation. Inform them of the skills that you will gain from the Bootcamp and how they will not only benefit you, but them as well as your community.
3. Show gratitude and make your fundraising public.
Make use of social media to talk about who you are and what you do. Use this as a platform to show your interests in self-development, community development, as well as feminist thought and action. Talk about your fundraising campaign and why it is important to you to participate at the Bootcamp. When you receive donations, thank your donors publicly. This helps to show that you are genuine, as well as rally the support of other potential donors.
There are many other ways of fundraising that you may look into. These include engaging in a for-profit community project such as tutoring children after school for a fee, or, organizing games and activities for children in your community for a fee. Save the money that you make from these projects for your trip. You can also have a gift policy with family and friends, asking them to give you money instead of gifts for your birthday, Christmas, and other holidays. Your determination will guide you through to the final point of your journey. Always remember that proper planning prepares you for success. Stay vigilant for opportunities without giving up!
The third and final thing you need to do is to pack up and go! The world is ready for you future Black female.