We were lucky to catch up with Tawanna Jones recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tawanna , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

This work was actually not part of any plan I made for myself. I began my doctoral work with a focus on Black boys. This has been a huge focus for me as an educator. While watching Republican National Convention, I heard Condolezza Rice speak about being told as a child that she could be whatever she put her mind too – this got me to thinking about the Black girls I worked with everyday – I questioned if they also believed in this ideal, aligned closely to the American Dream. In that moment I decided that I would focus my doctoral studies on Black Girls belief in the American Dream – and the role of public education in their pursuit of the dream. As I worked through my study I heard so many stories from Black girls about their experiences in school. I was shocked at my own ignorance as a Black woman, mother, sister, daughter, and aunt. I wondered how I could be so immersed in the lives of Black girls and so disconnected from their experiences, of invisibility and hypervisibility in communities, schools, families and homes. I decided that I wanted to share what I was learning with the public. I got a few friends together and asked for their support in hosting a community event to raise awareness about the experiences of Black girls in schools, in human trafficking, in maternal mortality, economic development and many more. The December 2016 event was attended by more that 70 people. As I watched the event happening, I recognized a mistake – I asked Black women to speak instead of Black girls. I decided in that moment that I would commit my time to supporting Black girls in telling their own stories. The next summer we hosted a one week experience called, we SPEAK. The program sought to support Black girls in understanding the obstacles that are socially constructed and that program was the birthing of we REIGN Inc. (Rooting Empowering Inspiring a Girls Nation) with the mission of

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

It is interesting because this role, leading a non-profit organization, was not on my life map. I spent more than 20 years working in the field of education and was sure that I would be a principal and superintendent. I did not know that supporting Black girls in finding and using their voices was my life work. My time in schools working with young people prepared me for this role. I worked as a classroom teacher, special education, and school psychologist in schools. I have also served as a professional development facilitator/teacher educator. I have observed teaching, schools, and school leadership and have had a full view of how schools harm young people – disservice and silence them. By accident, I decided that I wanted to understand better how Black girls were experiencing school and if they believed school was the great equalizer – supporting access to the American Dream. It was my doctoral work that led me down this path. I learned so much, but most importantly, I learned that Black girls believe in the American Dream – what they want to know is how to access it. Schools, historically, have not been the great equalizer we believe it to be. we REIGN, and my work, in many ways, helps them answer the question about accessing the dream by exploring how they can impact and push, dismantle the structures that create obstacles for them – through advocacy, activism, and community organizing. My work had been from the outside in -through we REIGN and providing professional development for practicing and aspiring teachers with a focus on high quality instruction and culturally responsive practices that support student learning.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source of new clients for us at we REIGN Inc, is past clients. We rely on word of mouth to get new participants. This has meant that we have to lean into our mission and focus on the lives and experiences of Black girls. This can be rough terrain because many people have challenged our focus on Black girls and tried to push us in a different direction. We have continued to grow our network by staying true to our original mission and being authentic in our engagement with Black girls. Creating opportunities for Black girls to lead their own discussions is a great draw for girls and their families, who want them to practice advocating for themselves. We have had families register every girl child in the family in our programs, which is a testament to our commitment to being authentically engaged with the Black girl community.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

A book that has significantly contributed to my management style and philosophy is Community: The Structure of Belonging by Peter Block. I read this book many years before starting my organization. The book outlines a process for facilitating community through authentic engagement, dialogue that supports and challenges collective growth. It focuses on the questions we ask and the questions we do not ask, the conversation and invitations that facilitate engagement, and the need to create spaces that are not based on fear but on possibilities. I have a set of norms that I use based on the book – these norms guide my life work and my life –
Focus on gifts.
Trade problems for possibilities.
Associational life is key.
Discover your own and our collective power to act.
Seek to understand the power of language and the power of context.
Appreciate paradox.
Choose freedom and accountability.

These norms have led my work in creating an organization that stays true to our mission, and has served more than 1000 girls and community members since we started in 2016.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://wereign.net/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/we.reign/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeREIGN.INC/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawanna-jones-03171490/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wereigninc7470

Image Credits

Troi Williams, Photographer