Black History and Black Futures

Black History Month is a time to celebrate influential leaders and impactful moments of the past. But celebrating Black history is not enough.

United Way Bay Area continues to work toward a future where Black community members have the same access to employment, education, and housing as their white neighbors.

As part of that work, we are highlighting one of our focus areas – Financial Stability – and explaining what United Way Bay Area is doing to help:

A Moment in History

On May 12, 1968, thousands of Black women, led by Coretta Scott King, begin the first demonstrations in the Poor People’s Campaign. After building Resurrection City on the National Mall, they stayed in temporary shacks for over a month in a fight for jobs, unemployment insurance and a higher minimum wage.

United Way Bay Area’s Work

When the pandemic hit the Bay Area, Black communities were among those that were hit the hardest. In May, United Way Bay Area created a relief fund to respond to the immediate needs of our community and invest in the long-term shifts required for an equitable recovery. Our ongoing work includes:

• Helping youth and adults stay on track for their education and career goals
• Providing free tax preparation services for middle- and low-income families
• Offering financial education and coaching, especially to unbanked individuals
• Providing job counseling and application assistance to the unemployed

The pandemic has revealed the deep and systemic disparities – both economic and health – for people of color. It is critical that we help our communities emerge stronger from this. We CANNOT go back to the “old normal”.

You can be a part of this important work. Give, advocate or volunteer to ensure that every single person, no matter their race, can thrive in our community.

Give  |  Advocate  |  Volunteer