|
Listen to this article here
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Ava DuVernay said, “If your dream only includes you, it’s too small.” Sometimes the only thing that can make the ups and downs of life even heavier is that you feel alone in them. Founders Nicole E. Kenney and Dr. Deborah D. Roebuck want to change what is often a solitary experience for Black women through the Hey Auntie! platform. This virtual community was designed specifically for Black women who want to participate in communal upliftment.
“We are a digital relationship-building service and community connecting Black women across ages and life stages to learn the rules, gain the tools, and build networks to thrive at home, work, and everywhere in between,” they share on the website.
Kenney went through experiences that led her back to her own aunt at a critical time in her life. She took a workshop on filmmaking for social change and recorded a documentary of her mom, aunt, and a mentor discussing how to live a more balanced life.
Named “It Starts with Me,” the film has been shown at colleges and universities, church groups, and appeared at the 2017 Congressional Caucus on Black Women & Girls Mental Health briefing in Washington, D.C.
The Hey Auntie! platform helps Black women gather in like-minded company and foster genuine connections.
In filling the need for Black women to be able to associate and nurture healthy relationships with one another, Hey Auntie! is off to an excellent start.
“I’m proudest when members of our Hey Auntie! family say they feel safe, connected, and supported in navigating their lives,” Kenney tells Fortune. “And they are having fun! These are the ingredients necessary to thrive. These indicators represent the ethos of the auntie.”
According to an interview with Fast Company, when members join, they must agree to community guidelines called “Aunties House Rules.” Kenney then serves as an icebreaker until relationships develop further. Members can opt into a biweekly newsletter and participate in discussions and Q&A sessions with experts. There’s also a private Slack channel to facilitate group and one-on-one conversations. The platform utilizes a matching service to assist with intergenerational one-on-one pairing.
Boasting around 700 international members, the free community has intentionally grown by word of mouth. “Explosive growth is not part of our ethos: The safety of our community is our utmost priority,” Kenney told Fast Company. “As a relationship-building business, we need to protect our digital community from messages of judgment, perfectionism, and cyber violence so often directed at women—especially Black women.”
When asked what’s next for the platform, Kenney said, “I want to raise $1.5 million to help us go to market. The vision is to be able to connect tens of thousands of women all over the world.”
If you’re interested in joining the Hey Auntie! platform, you can submit your application here.
The author’s content and opinions have not been pre-reviewed, approved or endorsed by Discover.