aSHE Fund is an advocacy organization that supports and contributes to the sustainability of Black Women Creatives. Our annual Micro-grant program provides Black women creatives 18+ years of age residing in the Metropolitan area (DC/MD/VA) with a creative projects grant award.
Our Beginning
Founder Seshat Yon’shea Walker created the fund in March 2019 after chatting with several fellow Black women creatives about the challenges they've faced in actualizing their creative projects. Walker states that name aSHE derives from the Yoruba word ase/ashe' meaning to conceive the power to make things happen and produce change. The letters in ashe also make the founder’s middle name which is Yon’shea.
“As a creative Black woman I understand the very real and unique challenges we face; from trying to complete projects, purchase materials to securing space.”
— Seshat Yon’shea Walker, FOUNDER
aSHE FUND is a source for equity, opportunity, support, and funding. There is a gap that needs to be filled that is inclusive and provides a pipeline access to funding and resources for Black women creatives.
Our Mission
Our mission is to encourage Black women creatives to create and produce impactful work; serve as a consistent funding resource; and provide a platform to highlight their work .
“As a Black woman artist, it is important that I show love and support to other women of color creatives who are at the start of their journeys or who may be further along, yet need a financial boost. Love and peace may seem to be in short supply. But, we are here for each other.”
Jamila Zahra Felton,
Artist & Owner of The Beat of Blossoms
aSHE Fund’s micro-grant program launched March 1, 2019. Since then we have awarded a total of $12,000 to eight Black women creatives.
From March 2020 to December 2020 almost 5K was distributed and re-distributed amongst 31 women via The fund’s financial solidarity database which supported Black women creatives affected by the Covid-19 pandemic until December 2020.
Our 2024 fundraising goal is $54,000.00 which will allow us to continue to award five grants and pay our administrative costs.
157
funders many of whom represent various creative disciplines from curation to visual art to film to music and writing and more have contributed to the fund.
219
applications were received from Black women creatives residing in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia.
aSHE Fund made an immediate impact within three months of launching by raising $2500 for its first grant award. Since that time the fund has and continues to engage well over 600+ women as applicants, donors, reviewers, event attendees and followers. We are relentless in securing funding and opportunities for all Black women creatives.
Our 2024 Fundraising Goal is $54,000.
SUPPORT THE FUND HERE
“I donated to
aSHE Fund because it empowers women of color so that the dollar might not stand in the way of creative dreams.”
Kelli Anderson,
Digital Media Strategist & Founder Sojournals
Canady Foundation For The Arts is the fiscal sponsor of aSHE Fund.