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HOUSTON (CW39) Black History Month is starting off Big for dozens of local organizations, all because of help coming from the Houston Endowment. It’s awarding $20 million to 55 local organizations working to achieve racial equity and social justice in Houston. With these funds, the endowment seeks to honor, recognize, and support historic Black institutions that have served as landmarks in the struggle for Black liberation, while also supporting new and emerging Black voices that will deepen Houstonians understanding of the issues facing Black communities.

Buffalo Soldiers National Museum. One 0f 55 Houston Organizations selected for a grant by the Houston Endowment for 2021

According to the Houston Endowment, this monetary commitment is an investment to support organizations addressing anti-Black racism and system injustices across five areas like:

Police & Advocacy: Local grassroots organizations, community-centered researchers, and local academic institutions addressing systems-level issues disproportionately impacting Black communities,

Strong Communities: Collaborative, community-based organizations focused on connecting residents to services, confronting racism and other forms of hate and neighborhood-level change for Black communities.

Art, Culture, and History: Black historical, cultural and civic institutions that have a longstanding relationship with the Black Community across the Houston region.

Education: Organizations that center Black youth in their design and programming and are actively participation in collaborative community-wide efforts.

Strong Families and Children: Organizations providing support to ensure a strong social safety net for children and their families.

According to Ann Stern , CEO & President of Houston Endowment, “All Houstonians should have the opportunity to thrive, and we recognize that it will require long-term commitment to achieve the anti-racist society we envision. With this initial round of grants, we hope to amplify Black voices in the community and provide needed resources to organizations that are carrying out this work today.” Stern goes on to say, “Change will only come when we truly hear each other`s voices. We are inspired by the work these extraordinary organizations and leaders do every day to enact meaningful change and better our community,”.

Emancipation Park Houston. One of 55 organizations being awarded a grant by the Houston Endowment for 2021

Tanya Debose, Executive Director of Preserving Communities of Color and Independence Heights Redevelopment Council explains it like this…. “Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the nation, yet the on the ground work in many communities of color is a daily struggle, especially for those in African American spaces. Nevertheless, we cannot create equity or create a just society without Allyship and Equal Access to resources. This support and the investment being made in Black-led organizations signifies a new day and is a path in the right direction toward real change,”.

Organizations Awarded:

Arts, Culture & History:
Blue Triangle Community Center
Buffalo Soldiers National Museum
Community Artists’ Collective
Community Music Center of Houston
Convict Leasing and Labor Project
Emancipation Park Conservancy
Ensemble Theatre
Freedmen’s Town Preservation Coalition
Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy
Houston Museum of African American Culture
Independence Heights Redevelopment Council
Project Row Houses
Texas Southern University (University Museum)

Education:
Color of Life Community Resource & Activity Center
Houston Guided Pathways to Success (Equity in Higher Education Initiative)
HYPE Freedom School, Inc.
Mufasa’s Pride Rites of Passage
Prairie View A&M College of Education
Urban Enrichment Institute

Policy and Advocacy:
Black LGBTQIA+ Migrant Project
BLM HTX
Center for Civic & Public Policy Improvement
Harris County Youth Collective (Launch of a Youth-led Organizing Entity)
Houston Area Urban League
Houston Organizing Movement for Equity (HOME) Coalition
Institute of Engagement
Pure Justice
Sankofa Research Institute
Texas Southern University (Center for Justice Research, Dr. Robert. B. Bullard Center for Environmental Justice, Earl Carl Institute for Legal & Social Policy, Inc.)

Strong Communities:
Achieving Community Tasks Successfully
Center for the Healing of Racism
Change Happens
Coalition of Community Organizations
Communities for Better Health
Complete Communities
East Harris County Empowerment Council
Emancipation Economic Development Council
Fifth Ward CRC
Harvest CDC
Houston Coalition Against Hate
Julia C. Hester House
Neighborhood Recovery Community Development Corporation
Northeast Houston Redevelopment Council
Preserving Communities of Color
SHAPE Community Center
South Union CDC
Sunnyside Community Redevelopment Organization
Tamina Community Center

Strong Families and Children:
8 Million Stories
Collaborative for Children (Support for Centers of Excellence in Historically Black Neighborhoods)
Monarch Family Services
Shades of Blue Project

Congratulations to all of these Organizations and for what they do for the Houston Community. For more information visit the Houston Endowment .

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