‘Give Black, Give Back,’ an initiative of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CFMT), is celebrating Black Philanthropy Month in a big way this month.

Interviews with next-generation philanthropists, business and nonprofit executives, Fisk Jubilee Singers Director Dr. Paul Kwami, and influential journalists and historians took place throughout the month.

Interviews with change makers have included interviews and conversations with Black Philanthropy Month’s global architect, Valaida Fullwood; Dwight Lewis, author and former award-winning reporter; and Dr. Paul Kwami, musical director and Curb-Beaman chair of the Fisk Jubilee Singers to name a few.

Interviews are available for viewing at <www.cfmt.org/change makers>, with scheduled live interviews available on CFMT’s Facebook page.

“What most people may not remember is that the Give Black, Give Back initiative was actually birthed out of Black Philanthropy Month about two years ago,” said co-founder Kia Jarmon.  “It was launched following CFMT’s inaugural celebration of Black Philanthropy Month in 2019.”

Black Philanthropy Month has been recognized globally since 2011 upon its creation by Jackie Bouvier Copeland, a San Francisco Bay-area social and environmental justice activist.

The focus of Give Black, Give Back is to support Black-led charitable funds established at CFMT. The initiative is dedicated to fostering collaboration between its fundholders and to establishing new partnerships among Black philanthropists and nonprofits with similar goals and aspirations.

Give Black, Give Back events for Black Philanthropy Month were planned under the direction of co-founders and co-chairs Kia Jarmon and Lisa Swift-Young and the initiative’s coordinator, Audra Cox. The event series includes conversations to encourage Black philanthropy and inspire generational wealth-building within Black communities.