For one month, the inaugural “Joy is our Journey” Dream Bus Tour will bless nine southern cities with a festival-style event for the culture.
Starting with a kickoff in the ATL on Saturday, August 20, the tour will then travel to Elaine, AR (8/27); Little Rock, AR (8/28); Selma, AL (9/9); Wilcox County, AL (9/10); Livingston, AL (9/10); Jackson, MS (9/11); Houston, TX (9/13); and finish up with the 2022 Black Girls Dream Conference in Birmingham, AL from Friday, September 16 through Saturday, September 17.
In partnership with Grammy award-winning rapper and philanthropist Megan Thee Stallion’s Pete and Thomas Foundation and the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium, this pop-up bus tour is created specifically for Black girls, young women, and gender-expansive youth ages 12 to 24. It’s free to attend and will showcase a full day of interactive workshops on everything from health and wellness to beauty, culture, and art to entrepreneurship, S.T.E.M., and turning dreams into reality.
“I’m really excited to have The Pete and Thomas Foundation partner with the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium on this special initiative,” Megan said in a press release about the event. “We both share the same goals — to empower our young Black women, give them the resources to succeed, and help them pursue their personal and professional dreams.”
Besides bringing all-out Black girl magic and joy to several cities, this bus tour is also about raising awareness of Southern Black Girls’ work and mission to raise $100 million by 2032 to help other Black girls and women finance their goals. So far, they’ve been able to give $2.2 million to 71 organizations and projects in 12 southern states.
For years, Black women have been launching businesses faster than any other group — but access to funding has been severely lacking. That’s why a collab like this is such a vibe. Let’s hope this is just the beginning and that more and more organizations will follow this lead to ensure Black founders always have the capital they need to legit thrive.
Main Photo: Instagram
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