(Top row, from left) Joyce Searcy, Tykayla Rucker, (bottom row, from left) Shereese Scott, Odessa Kelly
The final Black Women Empowerment Weekend is just around the corner, as Equity Alliance will be hosting a summit at the Cal Turner Family Center at Meharry Medical College on July 26th, followed by a signature brunch and fundraiser at Marathon Music Works on July 27th to close out this weekend of #BlackGirlMagic. This will be the perfect weekend for anyone betting on Black women.
We are proud to announce this year’s recipients. These four incredible Black women have done so much to create and foster positive impact to uplift their communities in Tennessee. Now is the time to give them flowers while they can still smell them.
Political pioneer: Joyce Searcy was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi and moved to Nashville at age 17 to attend Fisk University and Peabody College. Following a career in higher education and consulting, she served as CEO of Bethlehem Centers of Nashville for 22 years and currently serves as the founding director of community relations at Belmont University. Joyce has served in numerous executive roles, launched Belmont’s Supplier Diversity Program and received honors such as the Nashville Athena Award.
Unsung Hero: Tequeira Rucker is a “Social Justice Butterfly” from Memphis who has been a passionate educator, mother of three, and civil rights activist for over a decade. As the former president of the Shelby County Education Coalition and current political director of Memphis for All, she advocates for educational equity and social progress. Tequeira’s leadership inspires others to leverage their power and come together to work for a brighter future.
Radical Flame: Nashville native Odessa Kelly co-founded Stand Up Nashville to advance racial equality and economic justice. With degrees in Economics and Public Service and Administration, she previously worked for Nashville’s Parks and Recreation Department, focusing on underserved Black communities. Her leadership with Stand Up Nashville has brought significant benefits to the community, including affordable housing and wage increases for stadium workers, and she has gained national recognition for running for U.S. Congress in 2022.
Radical Flame: Sherice Scott has been a reproductive justice educator, advocate, and activist for 19 years and founded SisterReach, Tennessee’s only reproductive justice organization, which expanded to Chicago in 2022. As a nationally sought-after speaker, she has been featured in numerous publications and honored by Essence and O Magazine. Sherice is an ordained minister, independent artist, poet, and proud Black mother, guided by the belief that “we are not free until we are all free.”
The BWEW Summit will celebrate these women and also feature guest speakers Ronne Brown of The Pink Table Talk and Dr. Raquel Martin of Fireside Chats with Renaldo DaSilva. The signature brunch will feature an open bar, VIP experiences, silent auction, goodie bags and live performances by Cristina Rae and Nate Bean & 4Given. Tickets are selling out fast so get yours now before they’re gone. This will be a weekend not to be missed.
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