"I've Got Your Back" Hoodies Hit The Streets!
The limited edition hoodies are out and our friends are sending us their pictures from across the country wearing their new BSI gear! A Big Thank You to everyone who supported our annual "I've Got Your Back" campaign!
In The News
BSI Students Launch "My Black Skin" Video
Virtual Lunch Allows Students To Fill Up On Knowledge
BSI Students Launch "My Black Skin" Video
In conjunction with reading the "Dear Martin" novel by Nic Stone, students collaboratively wrote an open letter to America on their experiences as young Black males in this country. Click on the picture above to watch this YouTube video.
Our Seniors Are College Bound!
Virtual Lunch Allows Students To Fill Up On Knowledge
BSI Students Launch "My Black Skin" Video
This year, our organization partnered with Seed of H.O.P.E. to provide our 3 seniors with 1 on 1 college prep coaching. To date, all three students have been accepted into their "dream college". Collectively, they have been accepted into over 20 colleges.
Virtual Lunch Allows Students To Fill Up On Knowledge
Virtual Lunch Allows Students To Fill Up On Knowledge
Virtual Lunch Allows Students To Fill Up On Knowledge
November kicked off The Black Suit Initiative’s first “Lunch Appointment “. This hour-long, virtual lunch meeting, allowed young men the opportunity to converse, on on one, with men who are working within their desired career.
A big thank you to Fox 8’s meteorologist, Charles Ewing, Army Veteran, Michael Howard, HPU Instructor of Physics and Astronomy, Jeff Regester, and Parks & Rec Superintendent, Fred Thompson.
Life Skills At The Laundromat
BSI Food Drive Collects More Than 6,000 Nonperishable Items For Hope Chapel
Virtual Lunch Allows Students To Fill Up On Knowledge
Not only are we concerned about the educational aspect of the young men in The Black Suit Initiative , but can they sort, wash and iron their own clothes? Young men who needed assistance in these areas, spent the morning with volunteers Mr. Anthony and Mr. B learning these vital life skills.
BSI Students Serve As Zoom Panelists for Randolph College Workshop
BSI Food Drive Collects More Than 6,000 Nonperishable Items For Hope Chapel
BSI Food Drive Collects More Than 6,000 Nonperishable Items For Hope Chapel
Amir Funderburk and Myles Luster were 2 panelists at Randolph College's workshop designed to share ways teachers can make their classrooms more welcoming and supportive learning spaces for Black boys. The program was a part of the Education Department’s initiative on Culturally Responsive Teaching.
BSI Food Drive Collects More Than 6,000 Nonperishable Items For Hope Chapel
BSI Food Drive Collects More Than 6,000 Nonperishable Items For Hope Chapel
BSI Food Drive Collects More Than 6,000 Nonperishable Items For Hope Chapel
Black Suit Initiative members exceeded their goal of collecting 5,000 items to fill the Hope Chapel Food Pantry. For 24 hours, BSI members fasted from all food and solicited donations both in person and virtually to achieve this goal. This is the organization's 4th year collecting food items to fill local pantries. The learn more, click on the picture above.
BSI Members Visit Pieces Of Now Exhibit
BSI Members Visit Pieces Of Now Exhibit
BSI Members Visit Pieces Of Now Exhibit
BSI members spent a beautiful Saturday October morning at the Greensboro History Museum exhibit, “Pieces Of Now: Murals, Masks and More” followed by lunch and conversation. Because the pandemic has limited travel, it's great to explore activities within our own city!
Blessing Box Now Available 24 Hours
BSI Members Visit Pieces Of Now Exhibit
BSI Members Visit Pieces Of Now Exhibit
BSI members are also Venturing Scout members, which allows them the opportunity to partner with other scout members to make impactful changes in the community.
The Eagle Scout in this picture built an external food pantry on the campus of Hope Chapel. Members from BSI will help maintain the external pantry to ensure individuals/families in need have access to non-perishable food items 24 hours a day.
BSI Creates Partnership With Nasdaq
BSI Members Visit Pieces Of Now Exhibit
BSI Creates Partnership With Nasdaq
The Black Suit Initiative is proud to welcome Byron Loflin as one of its newest volunteers! Loflin is VP & Global Head of Board Engagement at Nasdaq in Greensboro, NC.
Loflin will serve as a monthly facilitator of financial literacy workshops which will cover such topics as entrepreneurship, stock investing, corporate board responsibilities as well as giving our young men access to speakers from around the globe.
WE CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOUR HELP
Shopping Helps Deliver Smiles!
The holidays are right around the corner and your Amazon purchases can bring a smile to our organization through their Amazon Smile program.
It's simple. Add our nonprofit to your prime shopping account and every purchase you make, 0.5% is donated to our organization!
Click on the button below to learn more !
Looking For The Right Gift
Do you want to support the Black Suit Initiative, but don't know how? Check out our Walmart registry for items we need immediately.
Meet The Founder
Evainna W. Ross
Born in Lynchburg, VA, Evainna W. Ross has dedicated most of her life to helping youth secure better educational and economic opportunities through the development of her nonprofit organization, The Sparrow's Nest, Inc.
Upon graduating from North Carolina A&T State University with a B.S. in Public Relations in 1991, Ross began her journey working with youth under the leadership of the late civil rights pioneer, Rev. Prince E. Graves. Ross spent six years volunteering as the youth director of St. James Baptist Church increasing their youth programs' participation substantially.
Ross took what she learned at St. James Baptist Church and developed a community based model and launched The Sparrow's Nest, Inc. in Claremont Courts, a public housing community in Greensboro in October 2008. The Sparrow's Nest , Inc. was a mobile service which provided free programs on Saturdays such as ballroom dancing, sculpting, culinary arts and public speaking directly to youth in 4 of the largest public housing communities in Greensboro. Because of the growing popularity of these programs, Ross felt she wasn't making a lasting impact only seeing youth in these communities once a month. For that reason, in 2010, Ross, with a panel of educators and business owners, interviewed and selected 50 middle and high school youth to be members of a leadership program called The Chosen 50. The majority of these youth were selected from the communities she had served prior. These youth remained in the program until they graduated high school.
During their time in the program, these youth were empowered to make positive decisions for their lives as well as their communities. These youth have developed their own small businesses, developed political campaigns, created a stock portfolio and learned how to purchase their own homes and cars.
In 2014, Ross was recognized nationally by the Ascena Retail Group as an "everyday hero" who has dedicated her life to making the world a better place by empowering children in the areas of education, social support and self-esteem.
The Sparrow's Nest, Inc. has continued to evolve into a program which addresses the need of an ever-changing society. In 2016 they launched their newest division, The Black Suit Initiative, an all male leadership and community engagement program for middle and high school students.
Ross has been married to Kevin for 30 years and they have one daughter, Amariah.