AWF Colored Women's Resource Centers
Establishing and Sustaining a Culture of Evidence-Based Practice
a 5101c4 Initiative
Ascending Women of Faith, Inc
Our Directives
DIRECTIVE I
WOMEN & FAMILIES
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Prioritize visibility, dignity, and stability for women and families navigating social and economic inequity.
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We recognize lived experience as a valid source of knowledge and design responses that are culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and rooted in community reality.
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*This directive governs our
Family Resource and Community initiatives.
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DIRECTIVE II
ECONOMIC & CIVIC POWER
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Support pathways to economic stability, leadership, and informed civic participation.
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AWF advances economic empowerment and social justice by equipping women with the tools, knowledge, and access needed to participate fully in the workforce, civic life, and decision-making spaces.
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* This directive governs our
Economic Empowerment and Social Justice work.
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DIRECTIVE III
INFORM, ENGAGE & ADVOCATE RESPONSIBLY
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​Through platforms such as At the Well and WMSI, we encourage critical thinking, respectful dialogue, and responsible engagement on issues affecting women, families, and communities.
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*This directive governs our
educational, discussion, and policy-awareness efforts.
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Organizational Purpose & Legal Role
Ascending Women of Faith, Inc. (AWF) is a mission-driven organization established to advance the social welfare, civic engagement, and economic stability of women, families, and communities. Originally organized as a 501(c)(3), AWF transitioned to a 501(c)(4) to more effectively engage in policy education, systems advocacy, and legislative awareness impacting underserved populations.
AWF serves as the governing, convening, and advocacy entity—responsible for strategy, partnerships, public education, and alignment across programs and initiatives. Through this structure, AWF ensures that community needs are translated into informed action, responsible advocacy, and sustainable systems change.
AWF exists to affect conditions
—not simply respond to them.
The Operational Expression of the Mission
The Colored Women’s Resource Center (CWRC) is the practical, service-oriented expression of AWF’s mission. While not yet a single, permanent physical facility, CWRC functions as a community-based hub model—bringing together resources, partners, and services wherever women and families need them.
The Center’s design is rooted in an integrated service approach first articulated in community resource center models developed in faith-based and neighborhood settings. CWRC coordinates information, referral, prevention, stabilization, and capacity-building services across multiple life domains, including:
•Family stabilization and emergency intervention
•Workforce and economic development
•Health education and navigation
•Youth, elder, and caregiver support
•Reentry, housing, and utility advocacy
•Community-based education and technology access
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FOCUS AREAS
WOMEN AND FAMILY
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Inspired by Hagar
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Visibility, Healing, and Survival Support
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This focus area centers women and families navigating crisis, transition, and caregiving responsibilities.
Key Emphases
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Trauma-informed support and referrals
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Housing and family stabilization
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Maternal and caregiver support
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Mental health awareness and navigation
Hagar’s story affirms that being seen is the first step toward healing and restoration.
COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD
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​​Inspired by Miriam
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Community, Culture, and Collective Care
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This focus area strengthens community connection, cultural identity, and peer support systems that promote resilience and belonging.
Key Emphases
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Community-based education and engagement
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Intergenerational mentorship
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Cultural preservation and storytelling
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Peer support and collective wellness
Like Miriam, we recognize that healing and liberation happen in community—not in isolation.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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Inspired by Ruth
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Work, Stability, and Legacy
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​This focus area supports women and families in achieving economic stability and long-term sustainability.
Key Emphases
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Workforce readiness and re-entry support
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Financial literacy
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Micro-enterprise and small business pathways
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Caregiver economic resilience
Ruth’s journey reflects the power of dignity through work, mutual support, and opportunity.
SOCIAL JUSTICE
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​Inspired by Deborah
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Leadership, Advocacy, and Accountability
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This focus area advances justice by supporting women as leaders, advocates, and informed participants in civic and policy spaces.
Key Emphases
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Civic engagement and policy education
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Leadership development
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Legal and systems navigation
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Advocacy for equitable public policy
Deborah’s leadership reminds us that justice requires wisdom, courage, and public responsibility.