The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. Greater Cleveland Chapter welcomes the Fall Class of 2022. We are excited to welcome advocates Tamia D. Woods, Markayla Mariner, Moriah Batiest to the Greater Cleveland Chapter!

The 2022 Fall Class responds to the question: Given an opportunity, what current issue affecting Black women and girls would advocate for and why?

Tamia D. Woods “Our community, have complications with understanding the need for education, understanding finances and how to advance in the corporate work environment. Black people especially black women suffer from financial trauma, financial abuse, and financial shaming. According to article Fact Sheet: Black Women’s Financial Trauma written by Chloe B. McKenzie, “Financial trauma is rooted in our financial system, which has historically dehumanized, and shamed black women based on their race, gender, and socioeconomic status as well as their net worth”. Helping build a more confident woman, both young and old can help decrease the financial and educational gap that we have in our community.”

Markayla Mariner “A very pressing issue affecting Black women and girls today is the importance of mental health. Society deems for Black women and girls to be strong in all circumstances. We are often the backbone of our families. Unfortunately, when involving generational trauma (racism, health, financial instability, hardships, forms of abuse, etc.), our strength can only take us so far. Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety can stem from the challenges mentioned above, and I want to advocate for more accessibility of mental health resources. From a personal viewpoint, I also want to reassure Black women and girls to be comfortable and feel secure in seeking help and achieving self-validation.”

Moriah Batiest “A current issue I would advocate for and that is affecting black women and girls would be unconscious bias and a lack of equity in the workplace. As a black woman in corporate America, I understand that a large percentage of black women are paid unfairly and are under pressure to perform against company expectations. I would develop programming to develop awareness and provide solutions.”