Charlotte convening ties philanthropy to girls' well-being

GRANTMAKERS FOR GIRLS OF COLOR

Monique Couvson, president and CEO of Grantmakers for Girls of Color, is hosting a national philanthropic convening through May 15 in Charlotte.

A philanthropic gathering focused on girls is meeting in Charlotte.

Grantmakers for Girls of Color is set to host its first in-person national convening May 12-15. The showcase event will include sessions, workshops, panels and wellness activities for attendees centered around “investing in ecosystems that support our youth.” The event is for philanthropic leaders and funders to mobilize resources and opportunities for girls and gender expansive youth of color.

Monique Couvson, G4GC’s president and CEO, said the nonprofit’s mission is to create stronger alignment around equitable distribution of resources when resources are moved into communities. Girls, she said, are often overlooked despite leading work in their communities.

“Much of the strategy work that is happening, the healing work that is happening, the education work that is happening is often led by girls,” Couvson said. “Our mission is to amplify that, but also to really organize within philanthropy an opportunity for there to be a much more robust investment that's made in their well-being.”

Hosting the meeting in Charlotte also gives organizers a chance to highlight the city's nonprofit and philanthropic community while connecting local organizations with national leaders. Couvson said Charlotte is often associated with banking and finance, but the city also has a strong philanthropic network.

“This is a chance for us to amplify some of the local work that's happening, align it with the national work that's happening so that we can also recognize the way that the South is providing leadership in a lot of ways for girls and gender expansive youth of color,” she said.

The convening will focus on how communities and organizations can invest in girls to create long term support. Conversations throughout the event will touch on issues including education, equity and systems that impact young people.

The showcase will feature speakers and organizations from advocacy, arts and philanthropy. Special guests include Me Too founder Tarana Burke and actress Dominique Thorne alongside Charlotte-based organizations such as Black Girls Film Camp and The Breathe Collective.

“If we say we love our girls, then we should move resources that are in alignment with that,” Couvson said.

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