Who We Are
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We are an organization of women of color from diverse backgrounds who are working to retain and sustain women of color and their families in the Johnson County area. We believe working together to create space for ourselves will allow us live and thrive here in Iowa.
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Our Story
About Us
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After numerous conversations with local women of color about feeling disconnected and wanting to meet more women of color, one of our founders sent out a social media message to see if women of color would come to have dinner with her- no agenda, just meeting.
At the first gathering in December 2015, over 70 women of color came together. The event was so popular that women asked for other opportunities to connect in person and online. From that night, Sisters In Power (SIP) was created. Sankofa Outreach Connection is the next step in building sustainable, holistic, culturally- specific events, activities, and opportunities for women of color in our community. Currently, we have connected with over 300 women in some capacity, whether that be by email, by phone, or through social media.
We hope to continue to partner with more organizations and local government entities to show additional ways to increase culturally appropriate options to reach women of color. Many of these women are the center of their families. It is important to provide avenues to hear and understand issues from our/their perspective. |
Goals
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Within our mission, our design is to address racial and gender disparities in community.
Our three primary goals are: 1) to increase the overall wellness of women of color in our community; 2) to decrease social isolation of women of color; and 3) to connect women of color to existing spaces such as recreation centers, walking/biking trails, and free- to low-cost amenities that increase wellness in our community. These goals work in conjunction with our mission to promote intergenerational health and wellness, and to address barriers to the elimination of health disparities. |