Black Women Lead is a very new nonprofit, but we have done so much in such a small amount of time. It hasn’t been easy starting a nonprofit in the middle of a global pandemic. A challenge directly linked to the pandemic is our rally turn out. People, myself included, want to stay home for their safety and the safety of others. Still, the community has rallied around BWL and continued to show up even when it’s hard. We’ve learned to show up for each other in whichever capacity is right for us. Some people may not be able to march, but they can donate. Some people can’t donate because they’ve lost their job, but they can volunteer their time to help on rally days. I am so thankful for all of the support, both monetary and other. Because of the support we get from our community, I get to do this job. This job has challenges like every job, but overall, it’s one of the most fulfilling careers I have had. Turnout and engagement go hand in hand. Every nonprofit, new and old, experience this struggle at some point. Keeping people engaged is hard and finding new and creative ways to do that is challenging but fun! We are launching the Black Women Lead Film Fest TODAY! The first venture we are undertaking is the One Minute Short Film Contest. It’s a 15$ donation to BWL to submit your short film, and all proceeds go directly to BWL so we can keep feeding people, holding rallies demonstrations, and food/toy drives. If I could tell the world one thing about Black Women Lead, it’s not just a name. It’s a movement. Follow Black women; they won’t lead you astray. Listen to Black women. Protect Black women. Vote like Black women. Let Black women lead you; they won’t let you down. - Shannon Morton | Founder of BlackWomen Lead | @Black_womenlead Read the rest of Shannon's story on ShoutoutLA.com Image Credits: @FranklinEast and @Amarimdixon