🔊 Reflections from the Founding BlackFemaleProject Leadership Team
“The lack of success your first time does not necessitate your failure. It’s literally a lesson that you’ve learned to not make the same mistake again.” Fern A. Stroud
In this five-part conversation, Ché Abram talks with fellow members of the inaugural leadership team. This is the group of volunteers responsible for our behind-the-scenes operations, outreach, events support, and more; they’ve given their time to make sure the project is moving forward.
Ché leads the group in a conversation focused on what’s led us to the present reality of BlackFemaleProject, what’s changed over the past few years, and why each team member has felt compelled to contribute to sustaining the work. Content covered illuminates the organic growth and expansion of what started as Precious’s own healing journey.
Guests
April Fenall, Transportation/Logistics, Consulting -- Beginning (in this industry) April Fenall is a business professional with a background in marketing and communications, bringing over 15 years of broad experience working both in the private and government sectors. April enjoys work that is both impactful and allows her to connect with the public. She is also the Founder of Piikup, a delivery startup and 2017 Indie Award winner. April received her Bachelor’s degree in Intercultural Communications from California State University Sacramento.
dana e. fitchett, Education/Nonprofit, Consulting, Arts -- Mid-Career dana e. fitchett has worked in schools and in education- and social justice-focused not-for-profits for the past 12 years with roles ranging from direct classroom work and family organizing to event management and marketing and communications. Also a multidisciplinary artist, dana writes, makes visual art, teaches movement classes, and directs a small group of Black woman dancers based in the Bay Area. She holds an AB in Urban Studies with concentrations in Sociology and Black Studies from Vassar College, and is currently pursuing a Masters in Fine Art in Interdisciplinary Art, exploring identity reconciliation and decolonization through creative expression.
Fern Stroud, Information Technologies (IT) -- Mid-/End-Career Fern A. Stroud, a gifted musician and tenure of IT Software Development Project Management, Fern's life work is to bridge the gap between business, art, and community. Her vision has been realized through successful partnership, board service, and other initiatives including production of Black Vines - A Toast to Black Wineries and Diverse Art. Fern earned a B.S. in Computer Information Systems and completed a software development internship at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in Palo Alto, California. She currently manages Big Data related efforts in Silicon Valley.
Precious Stroud, Marketing & Communications, Nonprofit -- Late-/Mid-Career Precious founded the BlackFemaleProject. And she helps nonprofits tell their stories. The daughter of a teacher and a poet, she combines her business acumen and problem solving ability with her imagination to increase the brand awareness of community-based and public service organizations. Precious' lifelong learning includes more than 16 years of marketing communications experience and a B.S. degree in Business Administration. Precious currently serves as Principal and Lead Consultant for PJS Consultants.
RESOURCES
Blackfemaleproject.org
PJSconsultants.net
Piikup.com
blackvines.net
