New Membership Community Officially Launches for Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy with Online Event

NEW YORK, July 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- YFJ Consulting, LLC announces the official launch of WOC™, a new membership community for Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy. WOC's mission is to celebrate, inspire and champion women of color in fundraising, philanthropy and related fields through building community and providing unparalleled personal and professional development resources. WOC's website has launched for membership at www.WOC-fp.com. An official virtual launch celebration took place online on June 30, 2020, with many special guests.

Courtney Celeste Spears, Dancer at The Alivin Ailey American Dance Theater and Emmy Nominated performer, and Andrew Stewart-Cousins, New York State Senate Majority Leader opened the celebration with wonderful remarks. Next there was a panel discussion, "Workspace Sisterhood: Perspectives and Tools that Bring Us Together" moderated by Yolanda F. Johnson, featuring noted women of color leaders, including Katherine Giscombe, Ana Oliveira, Allyson Reaves, Jeannie Sager, and Fatima Shama. Another arm of WOC was also announced, the Allies in Action™ membership network, a place for non people of color to unite in solidarity, taking action to champion, support and celebrate women of color in fundraising and philanthropy.

Leadership:

Founder: Yolanda F. Johnson, President and Founder, YFJ Consulting, LLC

Advisory Committee:
Adeshola "Shola" Akintobi, Founder and CEO, Best Face Forward Cosmetics
Brenda Asare, President & CEO, The Alford Group; Vice-Chair of The Giving Institute
Anna Barber, Founder and Principal Consultant, Barber & Associates, LLC
Chantal Bonitto, Director, Inclusive Philanthropy, PPFA, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Birgit Smith Burton, Founder, AADO, African American Development Officers
Elisa A. Charters, President, Latina Surge
Vanessa Coppes, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, BELLA Magazine
Angelique S. C. Grant, Ph.D., Senior Consultant and Vice President, Aspen Leadership Group
Erica Hamilton, Principal, Arbor Brothers
Martha Lauria, Director, Development Systems and Analytics, Northwell Health
Mary M. Luke, Member, UN Women USA Board of Directors
Zena Lum, Senior Consultant, Lindauer Global
Shaunda McDill, Program Officer, Arts & Culture, The Heinz Endowments
Ana Oliveira, President, New York Women's Foundation
Allyson Reaves, Corporate Vice President, CCS Fundraising
Jeannie Sager, Director, Women's Philanthropy Institute IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
Mei-Mei Tuan, Founder and Managing Partner, Phoenyx Partners, LLC, Founder, Notch Partners LLC

Why WOC Now:

WOC (pronounced "woke"), endeavors to be the "hub" and "heart" for women of color in the fundraising and philanthropic communities around the world. Individuals are able to join, and receive a variety of membership benefits including professional development programs; exclusive partner discounts; membership events; and much more. Founder Yolanda F. Johnson remarks, "In order to see real, lasting change, we must begin with ourselves. Let us naturally include women of color in the way we think about leadership, careers and advancement. Not as "others," or exceptions, but as the norm in a society that welcomes the talents, skills and leadership of women of color and values them just as equally as anyone else. There is a place for all of us at the table of success. I invite all women of color to take their seats and WOC is here to lead the way."

Supporters: 
CCS Fundraising
Lindauer Global
Wells Fargo Private Bank
Aspen Leadership Group
Nina Christine Fragrance
Best Face Forward Cosmetics
BELLA Magazine

About Founder Yolanda F. Johnson:

With more than two decades of experience in the non-profit sector, Yolanda F. Johnson has successfully led fundraising operations for a wide range of non-profit organizations, launching creative event sponsorship and marketing initiatives that produced new streams of both contributed and earned income. Her fundraising expertise includes securing foundation, corporate, and government funding and cultivating a diverse major gifts portfolio. The three pillars of her work with YFJ Consulting, LLC are fundraising strategy, philanthropic counsel and special events.

In addition to leading YFJ Consulting, LLC, Yolanda is the President of Women In Development (WID), NY, the NYC area's premier professional organization for women in fundraising and philanthropy. Yolanda has also had an outstanding career as a performing artist, as a composer, as a producer, as an educator, and she has used her background as a performer to become a sought-after fundraising expert.

CONTACT: Christine Kite Kelly: [email protected] , 203.505.8816

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SOURCE WOC - YFJ Consulting, LLC