Mission Statement & Vision
Black Advancement Inc. combats problems plaguing the Black Community through action and dialogue to create a self-determined and sufficient community among Black People.
Synopsis – Example
The Black Advancement is a non-profit organization that addresses and resolves issues plaguing the Black Community through discourse and mitigating the problems by implementing “Solutions.” For instances, many Black families in Frederick, Md. have struggled to pay for their children’s school lunches. In an effort to mitigate this problem, we have worked with the Frederick County Public School (FCPS) Food and Nutrition Services to help pay down some of the school lunch debt amassed throughout school year to lessen the financial burden on these families. We also are going to enlist and encourage other organizations to assists with funds. Any donations devoted towards our “Solutions” go towards only those Solutions.
A Paper, A Conversation, A Beginning (2002-2010)
Black Advancement Inc. unofficially began in the summer of 2002 when Agyemang Asante Goodman (Agye) wrote a reflection paper about issues he felt impacted the Black Community, which was broken down into five different sections: Self Hatred, the Role of Education, TV Imagery, the Black Community, & Justice or Just Us. When he return to Hampton University, Hampton, VA., for his senior year Agye became the President of the History Club known as the Griot Society with several progressive ideas on how to make the club grow. During the initial meeting, the Vice President, April Anderson, noticed a manuscript entitled, “Black Advancement” and was immediately intrigued; however, it was never mentioned during the meeting. After the conclusion of the meeting, Agye was asked by the April why he never mentioned Black Advancement. He simply responded “I didn’t think anyone would be that interested.” With prompting from April, Agye discussed his vision of the program and they immediately began to work through a format, research relative content, and construct a symposium. After some compromises and bartering, they came up with topics that impacted the life of Black people and held their first symposium on the “Role of Education” on November 7, 2002 with 21 people from several different majors in attendance.
Purgatory Leads To Incorporation (2010 – 2011)
From 2003 through 2010, the idea of Black Advancement was dormant. Although Agye remained enthusiastic about the promise of Black Advancement, none of his enthusiasm translated into action. After reaching out to family and close friends, Agye decided to not just be an enthusiast, but a person of action. In September of 2010, Agye gathered support and contributions from family members and close friends to develop a plan to start Black Advancement Inc. as a non-profit. The first official meeting of Black Advancement Inc. was held on November 13, 2010 which consisted of the “Founders” Agyemang Asante Goodman, Keith Jenkins, and three other individuals. Black Advancement Inc. officially launched on Valentines Day (February 14), 2011 with the mission to unite the Black Community through discourse and action!!
First Five Years: Three Feet and Rising (2011 – 2016)
The first five years of Black Advancement Inc. were a test in patience and will. The group slowly but surely continued to get the word out about Black Advancement Inc. and had increased the social profile via Facebook and Twitter by putting on moderately successful fundrasiers, live symposiums, and several YouTube Roundtable sessions. However, Black Advancement Inc.’s mildly successful “Solutions” gained them a repetition as a group on the rise with forward thinking with ideas such as “The Pen It Forward Program” and “The Credit Commandment” booklet series.
Chaos Brings Opportunity (2016 – 2021)
From 2016 to 2020 Black Advancement Inc. muddled through just enough to stay together. Although the group continued to make big swings they would continue to come up short and lacked the outsized support they would need to become the nationwide group they wanted to be. Due to the lack of membership and interest the group struggled to get out there message, complete their Solutions, and have enough consistent panelist for roundtables and symposiums. From the leadership down, the group lacked consistency and intention until COVID-19 made the world stop. When it did, Black Advancement Inc. shifted it’s focus from trying to be a nationwide campaign to focusing locally to implement their plans. The pandemic enabled the group to branch out wider through the use of technology such as Zoom, for their roundtables, symposiums, and general meetings. They seeked and adhered to advice and expanded beyond the meat of their organizational message to let the people see the full face of Black Advancement Inc. This came in the form of shows where they could speak to the Black experience through the lenses of different genres, whether that be through movies and television with HollyHood, the news through the Obnoxious Synopsis, or the perspective of Black women on everything on The Female Voice. This new approach garnered more participation and support then they could have imagined increasing their YouTube following by 2583% and increasing interest and participation in the organization.
Opportunity Turns into Action (2021 – 2026)
By 2022, Black Advancement Inc. had built a local following and was recommended to apply for the first ever Ausherman IDEA Grant along with many other local non-profit organizations. Upon receiving the grant, Black Advancement Inc. also was able to make invaluable contacts throughout the community enabling them to finally start making headway on multiple Solutions including Operation Food Desert Storm, Local Political Awareness, Black2School, Page 57, Black Shot Gun Club and the Black Health Project. Black Advancement would continue to develop and foster relationships throughout Frederick County, including with the Frederick County Government, Frederick Speaker Series, Frederick County Teachers Association, Soul Street, the Black Health Equity Committee, Racial Equity Committee, and several community leaders. All of this work lead to Black Advancement Inc. being recognized by the Human Relations Committee earning the Human Relations Award for 2026.