Happy MAY!!

As spring, finally, starts to blossom around us, I'm filled with so much gratitude for all of you who are part of the S.H.A.U.N. Foundation for Girls family!

It has, no doubt, been a challenging start to the year however, we have so much good news to report!

First…Our 2nd Annual GUMBO, JAZZ and Good Times fundraiser at Board of Advisor’s Vanessa Bell Calloway's beautiful home was a tremendous success! The delicious Louisiana cuisine, soulful jazz performances and the great weather made for a perfect day! Thank you to our sponsors including my Spelman Sister Theodora Lee, who gifted us the wine from her Theopolis Vineyards. We were so blessed to have generous friends who came out to support and helped us raise funds that will directly impact the lives of underserved girls in our programs. These moments of community remind me why our work matters so deeply.

I recently had the privilege of attending an inspiring talk by former First Lady Michelle Obama with our Board member Lisa Gilford. Mrs. Obama shared heartwarming stories about her family and delivered a powerful reminder about the importance of staying vigilant in protecting civil rights—values that align perfectly with our foundation's mission to empower underrepresented girls and women.

Please join me in congratulating our Advisory Board member Nikkole Denson-Randolph on her well-deserved promotion to U.S. Content Chief at AMC Entertainment! Having such accomplished women supporting our cause inspires the girls we serve to dream boldly.

This issue of MAGNOLIA Monthly is packed with incredible stories, program updates, and testimonials I know you'll enjoy. Each article reflects the positive change we're creating together. As always, your continued support makes our work possible. If you feel moved to contribute, please visit shaunfoundationforgirls.org/donate.

With heartfelt gratitude,



Shaun

Shaun Robinson

President and Founder

S.H.A.U.N. Foundation for Girls

Special thanks to the following supporters for making this beautiful event possible:

The Calloway Family

Fred and Stephanie Prince

Theopolis Vineyards

WP Miller Special Events

Simone I. Smith aka SIS

Aziz Diagne

Diana Shannon Young

Christina Bentley

Dennis Middleton

Kevin Bennet

Our 2nd Annual GUMBO, JAZZ & GOOD TIMES fundraiser was such a success!

We're so grateful to our incredible village of friends who came out, bought raffle tickets (the prizes were amazing!), placed silent auction bids, chowed down on the delicious food, vibed with the beautiful music and brought good energy—all in support of our mission to help underserved girls and young women.

Check out our Instagram for a look back at all the Good Times!

SHE Leads 2025

We're excited to share that La June Montgomery Tabron, President & CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and Fatima Goss Graves, President & CEO of the National Women’s Law Center, will be joining us as SPEAKERS at our 2nd Annual SHE LEADS: Empowering Nonprofit Leaders for Girls Conference!

Do you know a woman leading a girl-focused 501(c)(3)? We'd love to invite her to register! For more information, please email: sheleads@shaunfoundationforgirls.org

Ivy Walker

Serial Entrepreneur, Author & Risk Management Expert

Treasurer, S.H.A.U.N. Foundation for Girls

Good Governance Tips for Nonprofits

Navigating Uncertainty: 3 Essential Strategies for Nonprofits Serving Girls of Color

In a nonprofit executive education session I taught recently, the executive director of a nonprofit serving an under-resourced population expressed a sentiment shared by many of the participants: "I have so much uncertainty to navigate and so little bandwidth to do it! I constantly feel like my hair is on fire." Between economic shocks from erratic political decisions, increasing attacks on DEI initiatives, and more cautious funders, many nonprofit leaders are feeling overwhelmed by the reactive nature of their work these days.

Like many nonprofit leaders, this ED spent most of her time reacting to things demanding immediate attention rather than executing her work strategically. When you're operating in reactive mode, it's exhausting, inefficient, and limits your organization's capacity for growth and impact.

Here are three powerful strategies to help your nonprofit not just survive but thrive in these uncertain times:

1. Diversify Your Funding Sources

2. Strengthen Community Partnerships

3. Focus on Demonstrating Measurable Impact

Healthy Her

Exercise, Blood Pressure, and Heart Health. Connecting the Dots...

Does exercise increase your blood pressure or decrease it? It’s a question that often is confusing. And so, the answer may seem at a glance to be equally as confusing as the response is, “both are correct”. That’s right. Both!

Here’s how. 

When you are actively engaged in exercise, your blood pressure rises in response to your increased heart rate and the increased force of blood pumping through your heart. This is a normal response that allows you to exert yourself. Hormones like cortisol and adrenalin are also elevated while actively exercising, both of which increase your blood pressure especially with vigorous exercise.

Jayne Morgan, M.D.

@drjaynemorgan

Cardiologist and V.P. of Medical Affairs, Hello Heart

Adj. Ass. Prof. of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine

Creator of the Stairwell Chronicles

Advisory Board Member,

S.H.A.U.N. Foundation for Girls

Patrik Henry Bass

Executive Editor,

Amistad Books

Patrik's Pick

When Shaun asked me to recommend book picks, we wanted to make sure that our choices were vetted in the care and integrity that is the signature of the S.H.A.U.N. Foundation for Girls. 

Three years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Garcelle Beauvais and working with her to share her extraordinary story of resilience from a proud Haitian young woman triumphing in the entertainment industry, and she is now walking away from being in one of the most iconic reality television shows, because she can. Please revel in this prime example of an empowered woman in her memoir, LOVE ME AS I AM, which you can experience in hardcover, paperback, audio and ebook.

Mindfulness Tip:

May is for Loving Kindness

Laura Saltman

Mindfulness, Meditation and Metaphysical Teacher

LaDonna Whittingham

Costume Designer

Local705 Film/TV Costumer and Wardrobe Stylist

The Edit: Featured Beauty Brand

Founded by Ezinne Iroanya-Price (IG: @ezinneprice), SKNMUSE is the number one premium beauty brand, offering a curated collection of nourishing oils, luxurious nail cuticle oil, rich skin butter, and all the essentials you need for radiant skin. Experience the quality and care that make SKNMUSE a true celebration of beauty and empowerment.

Breaking Barriers: This Month's Must-Reads

The S.H.A.U.N. Foundation for Girls is a grant-making, 501(c)(3) dedicated to improving the quality of life for underserved and underrepresented girls and young women. We support initiatives empowering girls in the key areas of our mission: (S)TEM, (H)EALTH, (A)RTS, (U)NITY and (N)EIGHBORHOODS.