Carol Blackmon is Principal Consultant of CB Enterprises & Associates, Inc. She also serves as Senior Consultant and Human Rights Coordinator for SRBWI, where she trains community leaders and their commissions on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Ms. Blackmon also serves as the Senior Organizing Manager for Mississippi for Black Voters Matter Fund and is the former director of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus Foundation.

Cynthia Brown has spent the last eighteen (18) years as founder and Executive Director of Heritage Training and Career Center (HTCC),   Montgomery, AL. The program offers manpower training and access to remedial education and skill-building opportunities for individuals in marginalized situations. It aims to equip them with the necessary skills to achieve economic independence and improve the quality of life for their children and families.  Additionally, HTCC administers a critical housing rehabilitation program in the City of Montgomery that is designed to address urgent housing needs, particularly for low-to-moderate income households
During its 18 year history, HTCC has impacted the lives of over 1,000 individuals; equipping them with tools that have provided attitudinal and behavioral changes in their view of themselves, their children and the empowerment of their community.

Oleta Garrett Fitzgerald is SRBWI Board Chair and has served as the SRBWI Regional Administrator since its inception. She is also Southern Regional Director of the Children’s Defense Fund’s office based in Jackson, MS.  She has helped to grow SRBWI from its conception in early 2000 into one of the most formidable organizations in the U. S. focused solely on improving the lives of rural Black Women. SRBWI promotes the first Human Rights agenda in the United States aimed at eradicating historical race, class, cultural, religious and gender barriers experienced by southern rural Black women and young women in the U. S. South.

Sophia Bracy Harris, described as a warrior for children by Equal Voice News, Sophia Bracy Harris has given more than 40 years of distinguished service to the fight to improve the accessibility of childcare for children of color, and further leadership and economic development in marginalized communities. As co-founder and executive director of the Federation of Child Care Centers of Alabama from 1972-2015, Harris’ passion for equipping others to transform their lives was recognized with numerous prestigious awards including the Rockefeller Public Service Award, and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Genius Award.  Since retiring, Sophia has remained active as the SRBWI Parliamentarian and has authored the memoir, Finding My Own Way: A Journey to Wholeness Against the Odds. 

BKyanna Hollin received her Bachelor of Accountancy degree from Mississippi State University. Currently, Kyanna is pursuing her Master of Professional Accountancy degree from Mississippi State University and her Certified Public Accountant licensure for Georgia. She is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Hollins has been an active member of YWLI and SRBWI for five years.

Sheryl Threadgill Matthews is director of BAMA Kids, Inc. and  the SRBWI Board Historian. Sheryl Threadgill-Matthews is the co-founder and Executive Director of BAMA Kids, Inc. Threadgill-Matthews worked for 29 years for  the Wilcox County Department of Human Resources; as a Social Worker and Quality Assurance Coordinator. During her tenue with DHR, Mrs. Threadgill-Matthews  also served as the Community Development Coordinator for a W. K. Kellogg-funded project . She started volunteer coalitions and developed resources to support the elderly, families and children.  Upon her retirement, Threadgill-Matthews served as director of the Wilcox Area Chamber of Commerce; while continuing to sustain and strengthen the program-components of BAMA Kids, Inc. and its networks.

Kristen Robinson, Bio forthcoming..

Shirley Sherrod grew up in Baker County, Georgia on her family’s farm during the Jim Crow Era. Mrs. Sherrod co-founded Southwest Georgia Project with her husband Charles Sherrod, and through SWGP the two spearheaded community organizing campaigns that led to the creation of the first community land trust in the United States.

Sherrod spent most of her career as the Georgia State Field Director for the Federation of Southern Cooperatives (July 1985- August 2009) where she successfully organized the Flint River Farmers’ Cooperative, the Southwest Georgia Farmers’ Cooperative, and Southern Alternatives. Sherrod’s time at the Federation was inextricably linked to the Civil Rights Movement, fighting particularly hard for the rights of Black farmers and other landowners in the South. For her work and activism, Sherrod was selected as Kellogg Fellow in 1993.

In 2009, Sherrod was appointed by the Obama Administration to serve as Georgia Director of Rural Development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), she was the first African American to serve. Today, Sherrod serves as the Executive Director of the Southwest Georgia Project where she continues to advocate for black farmers and landowners. She also serves as Board Secretary for SRBWI.

Jasmyn Elise Story, Bio forthcoming…

Tamilya Thomas is a student at Tougaloo College majoring in Mass Communication with emphasis in Broadcast Journalism and Public Relations. She is passionate about storytelling, media advocacy, and creating platforms that elevate the voices of Black women and rural communities. As a dedicated emerging leader, Tamilya brings a fresh, insightful perspective to the Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative Board of Directors. She has been a member of YWLI since the age of 15 years old.

Veronica L. Womack is a dedicated scholar, researcher, and advocate for the Black Belt South and its rural communities. She is a long-time resident of the Alabama and Georgia Black Belt and has worked in higher education for over 25 years. She highlights the richness of agrarian traditions, rural culture, and the resilience of the region and its people in her work. Holding a doctorate in political science from the University of Alabama, she is committed to amplifying the many assets of rural life, particularly agriculture, while addressing the Black Belt region’s historical underdevelopment and disinvestment.

Timneshia Young hails from Wilcox County, Alabama, and is currently navigating her Senior year at Troy University. She is focused on a Major in Criminal Justice, complemented by a Minor in Legal Studies. Alongside her studies, she works as a District Court Clerk under the guidance of the Honorable Carolyn Posey. Additionally, Timneisha is honing her skills as an Embalmer and funeral director at Christian Memorial Funeral Home. Her passion lies in becoming a Juvenile Judge, motivated by a desire to support at-risk youth in overcoming challenges. Timneisha also envisions establishing her own family-owned funeral home in the future. A proud graduate of the Wilcox Central High School class of 2018, she furthered her education at Coastal Alabama Community College, where she earned an associate degree in criminal justice in 2022.During her time at both educational institutions, Timneisha emerged as a leader and actively participated in various social justice organizations. Her commitment to community service is evident through her tutoring and mentoring efforts for young individuals. For her dedication, she received the Coastal Alabama Citizenship Award in both 2021 and 2022. At the age of 23, Timneisha joined the SRBWI as a mentor in the Unita Blackwell Young Women Leadership Institute and has recently been appointed to its board, where she continues to grow, learn, and inspire others.

Deborah Thomas, it is with the deepest sadness that we share the loss of our beloved sister warrior, friend, and SRBWI champion, Deborah Thomas. Through it all, she continued to bring unwavering light, love, and encouragement to all of us at SRBWI and to everyone she touched. Her warmth, integrity, and dedication to the many social justice causes and organizations she gave her all to will forever live among us as a source of inspiration, strength, and love. We extend our deepest sympathies to her sons and extended family. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers during this time of remembrance and celebration of her beautiful life. 

Deborah Thomas came to us by way of program operations for the Federation of Child Care Centers of Alabama (FOCAL), the founding Lead SRBWI Organizational Partner in Alabama.

 Rest in Peace Sister Deborah!

Gladys Krigger Washington, it is with deep sorrow and reverence that we share the passing of our beloved SRBWI sister, friend, mentor and colleague. Gladys Washington was a retired Deputy Director of the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation. She supervised the Foundation’s programmatic work and investments in 11 Southern States, including Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. A champion for social justice and racial equity, Gladys  served as a mentor to nonprofit and philanthropic leaders on the value of general operating support and capacity building.

Gladys’s voice lives on, urging us toward courage, hope, and action. Let us honor her by continuing the work she so deeply believed in.

Rest In Peace, Sister Gladys!