Black Feminist Future (BFF)

BFF is supported by several large left-of-center organizations including Tides Foundation, Solidaire Network, Women’s Foundation of California, Common Counsel Foundation, and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. ²

Background

Black Feminist Future (BFF) was founded in 2014 by Paris Hatcher during protests demanding an end to alleged police violence against Black people. It began with salon meetings that were meant to provide participants with a vision of Black feminism. ³

In 2016, BFF began building altars of black women and girls who were killed by police across the country. ⁴ They were called Defend Black Womanhood altars. In 2017 BFF expanded to offering black feminist organizer trainings, focusing on race, gender, and abortion. ³ BFF focuses on developing leadership skills in Black women, girls, and gender-expansive people. ¹

Hatcher has expressed the view that laws that restrict abortion, transgender health care, and certain educational curricula create a “patriarchal world” that keep white men in control. She believes Black feminist leaders are needed to fight against perceived oppression and inequalities. ⁵

Black Feminist Organizing Schools

Some of Us Are Brave is Black Feminist Future’s organizing school that offers attendees training on becoming activist leaders and organizers in preparation for building their own movements. ⁶

Canon: Theorizing and Resisting in Black Feminisms is BFF’s advanced training focused on leadership development for Black feminist organizers, while providing a Black feminist network. Black feminist scholars provide the content and training. ⁷

BFF’s The Harriet’s Troop program teaches young Black people about Black feminism. ⁸

Campaigns and Events

Black Feminist Future’s Abortion is Freedom campaign opposes abortion-restricting laws, claiming that they are all “about power and force, not abortion.” BFF claims abortion is a Black feminist issue because “we were forced to this land, forced to take care of their children and have more babies so they have more labor.” ⁹ In June 2022, BFF members marched in Washington, D.C., along with other abortion activists SisterSong, Afiya Center, and SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW. ¹⁰ BFF founder Paris Hatcher said she would make sure that “anyone who needs an abortion will get (one) by any means.” ¹¹

In 2022 BFF launched the #BringBrittanyHome campaign demanding the release of Brittany Griner from a Russian prison, claiming that it was a Black feminist issue “ripe with glaring examples of misogynoir,” ¹² which is defined as hatred or prejudice against Black women. ¹³ BFF organized a demonstration outside a WNBA game in May 2022 to highlight the issue. ¹⁴

BFF partnered with Women’s March, National Organization for Women, National Women’s Law Center, Planned Parenthood, UltraViolet, and United State of Women to organize the 2022 Women’s Convention in August 2022 to “build political power in the aftermath of Roe decision.” ¹⁵

In June 2023 BFF organized Get Free: A Black Feminist Reunion in Baltimore, Maryland. It featured Black feminist leaders and was sponsored by several left-of-center pro-abortion groups including Grantmakers for Girls of Color, Ms. Foundation for Women, National Women’s Law Center, Women’s March, MomsRising, Planned Parenthood, and Girls for Gender Equity. ¹⁶

Funding

BFF was fiscally sponsored by Freedom, Inc. under its Ending-Gender-Based-Violence program. In 2022 BFF became an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit group, ¹⁷ and Freedom, Inc. transferred $3,516,583 to BFF as a “fiscal agent transfer of ownership.” ¹⁸ Freedom, Inc. provides services and encourages activism for people of color, specifically women, transgender, and children in Dane County, Wisconsin, whom the group claims are impacted by poverty, racism and discrimination. ¹⁹ It is a project of left-of-center fiscal sponsor The Praxis Project. ²⁰

In 2022 left-of-center Solidaire Network contributed $50,000 to Freedom, Inc. in support of Black Feminist Fund; ²¹ left-of-center feminist organization Women’s Foundation of California contributed $100,000; ²²and Tides Foundation contributed $180,000. ²³ Additional 2022 donors to BFF included Common Counsel Foundation, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, and Silicon Valley Community Foundation. ² In 2022, Black Feminist Future received $122,357 from the Alliance for Global Justice, an organizing group that fiscally sponsors numerous left-of-center organizations. ²⁴

Leadership

Paris Hatcher is the founder and executive director of BFF. ³ She describes herself as a “black feminist rabble rouser.” Previously she was executive director of SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW. ²⁵ Hatcher previously made political contributions to Pennsylvania state Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes (D) and Movement Voter Project. ²⁶ Mayes was founder and CEO of New Voices for Reproductive Justice for 18 years. In office she advocated for abortion for women in marginalized communities and for LGBT interests. ²⁷

Raven Freeborn is the board president as of the 2022 BFF annual report. ²⁸ Freeborn is executive director of Avow, an abortion-activist organization in Texas. ²⁹ Previously she founded businesses that provided coaching and therapy to Black, Brown, and transgender people and dealt with “the truth of historical oppressions.” ³⁰