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In June 2020, Concordia committed to gifting three Global Patron Memberships to organizations advancing racial equity in the U.S. The three organizations—Birth Queen, Greyston, and Black Crown Media—are each addressing a critical challenge disproportionately facing the Black community, from post-incarceration employment to BIPOC entrepreneurship and Black maternal mortality. Today, on Juneteenth, we’re spotlighting the important work of these groups. 

Birth Queen

A New York City-based nonprofit, Birth Queen is working to eliminate racial disparities in maternal and infant mortality in the U.S. It does this by offering training for doulas, midwives, and lactation counselors, as well as by providing essential support for Black mothers. We recently sat down with founder Rachel Nicks who laid out her vision for Black mothers.

What motivated you to launch Birth Queen, Rachel? 

After suffering from anxiety attacks during my entire third trimester in the summer of 2020, I realized I was overwhelmed with the fear of bringing another Black son into this world. No mother should experience that kind of anxiety, but I knew I wasn’t alone. Black women die at 3-4x the rate of white women during childbirth and, in my city of New York, 12x the rate of white women. The challenges don’t start or stop there: Black mothers and expectant mothers do not receive adequate education, resources, or social support, adding further challenges to what should be a joyful experience. I had a vision right before giving birth and I continued to meditate on that calling, ultimately realizing that I could be part of the solution to not only save the lives of Black mothers but empower them to thrive as the Queens that they are. I was encouraged by many to dream big, so I took the plunge and I’m so glad I did.

Birth Queen was officially incorporated in March of this year. What role has partnerships played in its growth so far, and how do you see them applying to your next steps?

Birth Queen aims to provide Black birthing people with Black birth workers, midwifes, doulas, and lactation counselors, as well as funding training for Black birth workers. Partnerships are essential to creating awareness, collaborative change, and raising the funds necessary to accomplish our mission. We are stronger together, and we can all be the solution—no matter how big or small. We are excited about putting together roundtable discussions and Concordia Lives in order to engage new players in our practical solutions, and I am grateful to have the support and wisdom of Concordia to help Birth Queen build fruitful and lasting partnerships.

You’ll be speaking at the 2021 Concordia Annual Summit. Tell us what your key message will be, and what you hope the audience will take away from your remarks.

There is a national crisis: Black women are dying at 3-4x the rate of white women during childbirth and 12x the rate of their white counterparts in New York City alone. Almost every Black woman I know is afraid they will die in childbirth and many are questioning if they even want to be mothers at all. I was afraid to bring my beautiful Black son into this world because I know I will have to rob him of his innocence one day to protect him and I know that someone else may rob him of his life due to their ignorance and hatred. We must all stop and wake up to the fact that it is inhumane that Black people in America live in a constant state of fear and trauma. My goal with Birth Queen is to end the narrative of lack of survival that black people have been served. We must end the generational racial trauma that keeps being passed down in the Black community. Birth Queen will educate and support Black mothers so that they can thrive and reconnect to their ancestry of joy, abundance, and Queens.

If you could meet any one person at the 2021 Annual Summit, who would it be?

Dr. Jill Biden.

Greyston

Greyston opened its bakery in 1982 to provide jobs to those who traditionally face rejection in the workplace. When people have the desire to work, Greyston affords them that chance. Applicants add their names to a list, and they are hired on a first-come first-serve basis. Many do not realize that placing trust in the potential of every person is beneficial for business and the world. Today, Greyston is pushing its mission even further through its Centers for Open Hiring in Yonkers and Rochester, New York. With the hope of spreading this model and providing more individuals with this unconditional second chance, Greyston shares its experiences and success stories with other business leaders, and then assists them in implementing an Open Hiring model in their organizations. 

When asked about Greyston’s partnership with Concordia, CEO & President Joseph Kenner commented: “Greyston is excited about its upcoming collaborations with Concordia. Given Concordia’s stellar reputation for bringing promising ideas to the forefront, Greyston hopes that its involvement with Concordia will add additional momentum to our Open Hiring business model that has proven to be a “win-win” for employers and employees. I eagerly look forward to participating in a Concordia Live on July 26 to elaborate on Open Hiring and share this model with Concordia’s distinguished membership.”

Stay tuned for more information on our July 26 Concordia Live!

Black Crown Media

Dre Manning, Jamie Beckford, and Steven “Flow” Pacheco joined forces over their passion of sharing stories that accurately reflect the complexities of Black experiences and helping their businesses thrive. They developed Black Crown Media, a full-scale video production and digital marketing company that collaborates with small- and mid-sized businesses and brands. By producing, distributing, and tracking targeted video content that emotionally connects the brand to their target audience, Black Crown Media is able to help its partner brands and businesses achieve their goals. 

Last year at the 2020 Annual Summit, Black Crown Media co-hosted a “Business Day” event as part of Concordia’s Next Step Networking session. This discussion equipped BIPOC entrepreneurs and business owners with the tools, knowledge, and networks specific to starting or sustaining a business during a challenging economic time. 

“Being a member of Concordia has been incredibly fruitful for Black Crown Media,” says Co-Founder Dre Manning. “Due to the pandemic, we weren’t able to move forward with our in-person event, but with the assistance of Concordia we were able to produce a virtual event. Concordia worked hand and hand with us to ensure that the virtual event was a success. We also had the opportunity to produce a video celebrating Concordia’s 10th anniversary, which profiled us in front of audiences across the globe. Partnerships such as the one Concordia provides help small businesses leverage their network and gain access to resources that would otherwise not be available. Access to these resources is essential to the growth and longevity of Black and Brown businesses. Concordia has empowered us to not only compete but to position our company as a vital resource to our community. While the origin of the following quote is often debated, still, the weight of it remains firm: “He who travels alone travels fastest, but in the company of friends you go farther.” Thank you, Concordia for all of your support because with it Black Crown Media continues to travel farther.”

To learn more about how to partner with Concordia, email partnerships@concordia.net