BPnews Special 40th Anniversary Celebration Edition

Celebrating 40 Years of Black Women in Leadership

November 2023

Lillie P. Allen Receiving the Black Women's Health Imperative Founder's Award

Honoring Lillie's Leadership

by Margherita Vacchiano and Kelley Alexander

On Friday, September 22, 2023, Lillie P. Allen received the Founder’s Award in celebration of the 40^thanniversary at the Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) (see photos below, taken by Kelley Alexander). Lillie received the award from Byllye Y. Avery, the founder of the National Black Women’s Health Project (now BWHI) who recognized Lillie as a Builder of the Movement and for creating magic in her remarkable advocacy and commitment to the health and well-being of Black women and girls everywhere.

That evening, over 20 family and Be Present® network members from across the country were present to witness this transcendent moment. It simultaneously honored Lillie’s Black & Female: What is the Reality?™ workshop as a point of origin and, by extension, affirmed the Lillie Allen Institute, as well as Be Present^®, Inc. as the institution that continues to sustain a social movement that is inclusive of people from all backgrounds and experiences. We are changing people’s lives, and this important work is the result of Lillie’s vision, Black women’s leadership, and our collective efforts as a diverse network of people with a shared vision of justice for all.

Both of us also attended as Be Present’s Co-Leaders of Transformative Action. This was our first public event since embracing our partnership in April 2023. It was a poignant tribute given that Lillie led the way on why titles matter when she transitioned from Executive Director to Creatrix of Play more than 15 years ago. Thank you, Lillie for your ongoing leadership!

If you are interested in learning more about Be Present’s shared and distributed leadership models, look for our article in the next issue. It will focus on Be Present’s Transformative HR and how to successfully practice leadership in regenerative and fun ways.

Lillie and RaShaunda Allen Speaking, 1983

Lillie and RaShaunda Allen, 2023

Present in Becoming Be Present^®, Inc.

by Carletta Joy Walker

(Photo Credit: Carlos Sanfer)

In the mid 1980's, I attended my first Black & Female: What Is The Reality?™ retreat facilitated by Lillie P. Allen. The retreat was held in Dahlonega, Georgia. Lillie's spirit had come to me earlier by way of Catherine [Sanders] Lamkin and others attending and participating in the first Black & Female: What Is the Reality workshop; a core part of the 1983 conference on Black Women's health.

When I say, “Lillie’s spirit had come to me by way of…” I am saying I felt the integrity of the energy coming from the conference and particularly of the Black & Female: What Is the Reality Workshop.

The model Lillie created, practiced, and evolved in and with a collaborative community of practice, starting with herself and Black Women became the Be Present Empowerment Model™. Three threads weaving a whole, practiced in steps taken simultaneously, separately, or in alternating order:

Know yourself outside the distress (and history of distress) of oppression
Listen to others in a conscious and present state
Build effective relationships and sustain true alliances

EMORY UNIVERSITY, HERE WE COMEl!

We are beyond excited to announce that the collection of Be Present’s archival materials will be formally accepted soon into Emory University's Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, joining other major collections such as those of Alice Walker, Flannery O’Connor, Valerie Boyd, and Shay Youngblood! This is the first step in the protecting of and making available to the public Be Present's documents, papers, letters and digital and graphical materials that tell the stories of the social justice movement that was started by Lillie Allen and others and expanded to include all people. Be Present’s movement-building legacy will be made available to students, scholars, and others who want to research and understand the history of how Be Present, as an inclusive movement, has been and continues to be sustained.

TUESDAY, NOV. 7

Collaborative Governance in Action

1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. ET

Board of Directors Meeting

7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. ET

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 8

Board of Directors Meeting

11:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET

FRIDAY, NOV. 10

Black & Female: What is the Reality?™ Gathering and Celebration

FOR BLACK WOMEN AND GIRLS

7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. ET

All events will be held in-person and virtually via Zoom. The Zoom link will be provided 24 hours prior to events for all who register.

Our Mission

Be Present builds transformative leadership for social justice by:

Teaching the Be Present Empowerment Model^® (BPEM) to strengthen individuals’ self knowledge and capabilities to consciously listen and act in all aspects of their lives.
Providing intensive training and ongoing systems of support to build leadership skills, knowledge, and abilities.
Maintaining a diverse national network of locally organized and connected communities to sustain a more integrated and comprehensive approach to capacity building for social justice.
Collaborating with other nonprofits advancing a more resilient and equitable society

Donate Now

Email Be Present, Inc. |Visit the Be Present Website

Present in Becoming Be Present®, Inc.

EMORY UNIVERSITY, HERE WE COMEl!

Our Mission

Present in Becoming Be Present^®, Inc.