Because Only Together We Can

The Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative for Economic and Social Justice (SRBWI) is a collective of women leaders across Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia dedicated to lifting up Black women and families in rural, impoverished areas.

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The Young Women's Leadership Program
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Southern Journeys Collective
Human Rights Commissions
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Who We Are

The Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative for Economic and Social Justice (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.

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Call 1-877-437-3382

Tell Southern governors to prioritize #HealthOverProfit!

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What We Do

01.
Young Women's Leadership

Young Women's Leadership

Creating young women leaders through programs like the Unita Blackwell Leadership Institute.

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02.
Women in Agriculture

Women
in Agriculture

Lifting women from poverty through a coop that accesses land and builds a business around food.

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03.
Human RIghts Commission

Human Rights Commission

Local black female community leaders making grassroots strides in public policy and human rights.

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04.
Southern Journeys

Southern
Journeys

Southern Journeys is a worker-owned social enterprise that draws its inspiration from the West African traditions of piece sewing and quilting.

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Hall of Fame

Mrs. Orgireen Carter Romious
2005 Mississippi – Bolivar County

Mrs. Romious was best known as the owner, along with her husband, of several successful family-oriented businesses during the 1940s to 1960s.

Thelma Palmer Barnes
2007 Mississippi – Washington County

Ms. Barnes served with the Mississippi Delta Ministry, organized a Christian Fellowship Center and provided programs for underserved youth and families.

See all of our Hall of fame winners

Our Mission

SRBWI works to eradicate historical race, gender, class, cultural and religious barriers facing Southern rural Black women.

We will:

  • Nourish the internal capacity of women to take responsibility for their own lives, personally and externally.
  • Engage women in advocacy and policy initiatives that redirect local, state and federal resources to help ensure women’s access to economic and social justice.
  • Develop an asset-based economic development strategy that invests in women and communities to help lift women out of poverty.
  • Build organizational capacity within the region to sustain our work.
  • Connect with women’s groups committed to human rights and economic and social justice.