We Give Black Fest launches this weekend to support and celebrate Black-led organizations

BALTIMORE -- We Give Black Fest is launching for the first time this weekend in West Covington Park.

"It's a weekend to amplify and celebrate Black-led organizations serving in Baltimore," said festival organizer Jamye Wooten.

WJZ is a proud sponsor of the event, which is all about amplifying and celebrating Black-led businesses and organizations, which for a long time, have not received sufficient support.

But Wooten is hoping to change that.

"We know that Black-led organizations only receive about 2% of the $60 billion in foundation funding," he said. "So during Black Philanthropy Month, we thought this was a great opportunity to get out celebrate and make sure organizations that are doing the work in the community have the resources not just to survive but to thrive."

Tickets for the festival raise money to support Black organizations that Jayme's social change group, CLLCTIVLY, helps out, like the Tendea Family.

"Tendea mobilizes and organizes black young people that want to do work to change their community," said founder Elijah Miles.

Miles is a panelist this weekend along with WJZ's Vic Carter and Torrey Smith.

There will also be demonstrations, plus great music and food.

"For us to be able to launch the We Give Black Fest, I think is really modeling not only for Maryland, not only for the city, but really for the rest of the country on how we do put Black folks, folks with lived experience, at forefront of what change actually looks like," said Shawna Murray-Browne, who is a CLLCTIVLY advisory board member and an integrative psychotherapist and principal consultant for Kindred Wellness.

The festival runs on Friday from 2-10 p.m., Saturday from noon-10 p.m., and Sunday from noon-7 p.m.

Tickets are available at wegiveblack.com.