WFS President Carmen J. Randolph's Speaking Engagement Draws Crowds at Sold Out Annual ABFE Conference

Randolph's Topic on Radical Self-Care In and Out of Philanthropy Proved Exceptionally Powerful

NEW ORLEANS, April 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern-based non-profit Women's Foundation of the South (WFS) was pleased to participate in last week's annual ABFE Conference, held April 13 through 15^th in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina – and WFS's president's speaking engagement made quite an impression.

This year's conference, themed Harambee 2023, highlighted the importance of Black arts and culture as a tool for social change. Conference attendees were asked to strategize on ABFE's Call to Action on Anti-Black Racism for philanthropy during and around the event. The conference was designed to be a philanthropic "remix" of members' stories and strategies, bringing together funders and nonprofit leaders from across the diaspora to share stories and strategies for collective betterment and deserved liberation. The theme clearly resonated with its audience; the conference was completely sold out.

Carmen J. Randolph, WFS Co-Founder and President, spoke to a large and charmed audience about radical self-care in and out of philanthropy, her speech resonating beautifully with the theme of this year's ABFE conference. She described how the Women's Foundation of the South made its official debut in 2021 but was two years in the making; starting as a dream in 2019, becoming a vision, and then undergoing years of intentional strategic planning by women of color leaders and allies in and around the field of philanthropy. She spoke of the internal policies and procedures that center self-care and financial well-being for the staff, including free financial planning services for staff members, summer Fridays off, generous leave policies, and market value salary levels.

Audience members were particularly receptive to WFS's values: Equity, Ingenuity, Sisterhood, Wisdom, and Mother Wit. It is clear that the organization not only advocates and works on behalf of the health, wealth, and power of its women and girls of color constituents in the South, but that it insists on the same for its staff: hence, her topic of radical self-care in and out of philanthropy. The captivated audience laughed and applauded loudly when Ms. Randolph concluded her speech by quipping that WFS has "A contagious vision…I hope you catch it!"

WFS is a revolutionary first-ever foundation dedicated to BIPOC womxn and girls across 13 states, guided by grantmaking experts of color. WFS centers and invests in the collective power, health, well-being, economic security, and leadership of women and girls of color (WGOC) in the South.

About ABFE
ABFE is a 501(c)(3), membership-based philanthropic organization that advocates for responsive and transformative investments in Black communities. Partnering with foundations, nonprofits, and individuals, ABFE provides its members with professional development and technical assistance resources that further the philanthropic sector's connection and responsiveness to issues of equality, diversity, and inclusion. Established in 1971 as the Association of Black Foundation Executives, the all-volunteer organization was credited with many of philanthropy's early gains in diversity. It since evolved into a fully staffed, influential network. In 2013, the organization shed its descriptor and adopted the simpler ABFE (ab-fee) to better reflect its broadening membership.

About Women's Foundation of the South:
WFS centers and invests in the collective power, health, well-being, economic security, and leadership of women and girls of color in the South. WFS is a permanent, endowed institution that serves as a gateway for donors, foundations, corporations, and individual investors to maximize the social impact of their investments in womxn and girls of color in the South. Women's Foundation of the South seeks to connect philanthropy – funders and individual donors – and investments with womxn BIPOC of the South to help amplify the voices and actions of those nonprofits in the South who are led by – and working on behalf WGOC of the South. By transforming the way philanthropy prioritizes its funding, we can effect systemic change in gender and racial injustice when it comes to charitable giving.

Media Contacts:
Tashion Macon; [email protected]; 8187498786; Taylor; [email protected]

SOURCE Women’s Foundation of the South