In the Spotlight: Women Lift Project

/ Women Lift Project/

For our “In the Spotlight” series, we’re shining a light on community resources around the Ypsilanti, sharing how to best find and give support to our friends and neighbors. This month’s highlight: Women Lift Project.

The Women Lift Project (WLP) is an Ypsilanti nonprofit committed to expanding the footprint of businesses owned by Black women through financial support, education, and opportunities. We spoke with Kimmie Thornton, President of WLP, about how everyone can get involved, uplift our community and support local Black entrepreneurs.

Women Lift Project Leadership (Left to Right): Candye Hinton, Vice President; Crystal Francis, Secretary; Lajuanna Robinson, Treasurer; Kimmie Thornton, President.


Thank you Kimmie for chatting with us!

What should we know about the Women Lift Project?

Our Mission. We are helping Black women entrepreneurs, educating and helping them grow to be successful. We're in the community making a difference, and our whole mission is to be supportive to Black women because- there is a barrier. Personally, I have been a business owner of my salon for 13 years and it has not always been easy. We are here for educational and financial support, and we are here to help be that pillar for Black women entrepreneurs.

How does the Women Lift Project provide business and financial education?

We're here to help make sure all your affairs are in order, like making sure your paperwork is right and assisting with business legitimacy. Making sure that you're in compliance with the state, or even having a bank account and building relationships with financial institutions.

We talk about generational wealth, passing things onto your next generation. There's just so much that people are not aware of and just trying to get by. We want to help teach how to build the wealth and share it.

We're also big on giving back. Once we help you, it's time to for you to help the next person. We educate about how giving back is so important. We're big on paying it forward.

How else does the Women Lift Project support their ‘Liftees’?

We offer micro-grant applications to Liftees twice a year. We offer one-on-one mentoring, and newsletters notifying them that we have Business 101 Seminars. We make ourselves available to everyone. When we have our grant awards ceremony, we often tell Liftees we're here for education and available to anyone who has questions.

That's my favorite part is the mentoring, I enjoy it. They know they can come to me, and I go and support them when they have pop-up shops. We’re out here and we’re available.

Apply to become a Liftee: Liftee Application

How can someone become a ‘Lifter’, donate, or support the Women Lift Project?

  • Become a Lifter and contribute financial support in the form of a $500 micro-grant for Black women entrepreneurs. Become a Lifter.

  • Donations to straight to the micro-grants that support these women. Make a donation.

  • Visit our website, there's so many ways to join or be a part: WomenLiftProject.org

We're out here in the community. We host two main events each year that are fundraisers. We welcome people to come and hear about us, and possibly be moved enough to join us.

Speaking of fundraisers, the Annual Black in Business Party is coming up! What can you tell us?

This year's Black in Business Party is on Black Friday, November 28 at Fellows Creek Golf Club. We'll have entertainment highlight local Black Talent (like last year's Murder Mystery). We'll have our comedy staple, but it's about gathering and Black Excellence. It's just a good time, so let your hair down and be supportive!

Tickets: On sale October 1 and benefit the Women Lift Project. Reserve your space.
Sponsorship: Businesses or individuals can sponsor the annual Black Party fundraiser. Contact WLP for opportunities.

What else should we know about the Women Lift Project?

I'd like to give appreciation for my board. They've been working very hard to figure out ways to grow, and the only way we're going to do that is with the community. I can't stress enough how important it is to get involved. We're looking for people to be a part of our organization, to keep growing, and to help support Black women.


Contact or learn more about the Women Lift Project:

Website: WomenLiftProject.com
Email: womenliftproject@gmail.com
Phone: (734) 252-6387

We’d like to give a special thank you to Kimmie for chatting with us!

View the latest spotlights and more of what Ypsilanti has to offer at LiveNypsi.com.