Introduction

“But what of black women? . . . I most sincerely doubt if any other race of women could have brought its fineness up through so devilish a fire?” W. E. B. Du Bois

Black women have had a devastating history in the United States. Prevalent research reveals that Black women, on average, experience much greater deficit in wage, poverty, underemployment/unemployment, social status, lack of education, housing, health problems, physical/mental/emotional abuse, poor self-image, discrimination, racism classism and sexism among other challenges, compared to white women and other ethnic groups. Despite proof of the inequities that exists, and which has kept a large segment of the population mired in a vicious cycle of social, educational, political and economic forms of oppression, there exist no real policies in place to address and resolve these societal concerns.

The dimensions that embodies black women are matched only by the depth of their struggles. We are among the most misunderstood and misrepresented figures in American history. We have been marked as strong, yet hopeless, capable, yet helpless, masculine and unattractive, yet exotically sexually appealing. We are branded lazy even though we contribute to the workforce more than, or at  least as much as any other group. We are marked as angry and overly aggressive, yet on a broad scale, black women are the caretakers and nurturers of America’s young, sick and the old. Many of us are deemed unintelligent and discredited no matter our level of education, but we are the fastest educated group. Black women are not tragic nor are we disempowered – we are America’s untold success story.

The SELF Factor is committed to addressing these social issues, challenge the status quo and demand the rights, opportunities and dignity of citizenship.

Mission

The SELF Factor is committed to advancing the lives of Black women and girls through ethnic identity development to be empowered, self-accepting, prideful and self-loving. The SELF Factor centers around  five core objectives: Education, Awareness, Action, Change, and Empowerment.

Vision

  • Foster self-love, acceptance and ethnic pride in Black women and girls and other marginalized groups
  • Empower women and girls to self-define and control their narrative
  • Empower women and girls to adapt a positive self-perception
  • Advocate for political representation and reforms to address the intersectional challenges that are unique to Black women and girls and other marginalized groups
  • Decrease negative stereotypes and microaggressions about Black Women
  • Reduce socioeconomic disparities among Black women in the workforce
  • Advocate for equitable employment opportunities, and equal pay for Black women
  • Improve access to quality education for inner city girls/ Increase graduation rate and college enrollment
  • Advance discourse and community engagement between different ethnic groups to form a cohesive and progressive movement toward an equal and just society.

Partnerships:

The SELF Factor collaborates with Black women, feminist groups, educational institutions, racial justice and non-profit organizations to teach a multi-dimensional course around five core objectives: Awareness, Action, Change, Identity Reconstruction, and Empowerment.

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