BLACK GIRLS ROCK!® (BGR) is an affirmation turned award-winning women’s empowerment brand that is dedicated to celebrating and facilitating the advancement of Black women. 

Founder and CEO Beverly Bond has announced a strategic partnership with tech giant Microsoft to build technology infrastructure and empower more Black girls to become leaders through access to culturally relevant programs, leadership development, and STEM skills. 

“It’s remarkable to be championed by a towering institution like Microsoft to propel the work we’ve been doing at BLACK GIRLS ROCK!® to educate, empower and inspire the next generation,” Bond said in a statement. “This partnership gives BLACK GIRLS ROCK! the support necessary to expand our work to help more girls find their voices, define their truths, and forge the futures they envision.”

One of BGR’s core missions is to mentor, enrich, and educate the next generation of young women leaders by providing the tools needed to develop leadership skills, refine critical thinking, and increase civic engagement. With this new collaboration with Microsoft, they hope that they will be able to scale and launch new programs designed to affirm Black girls and cultivate their leadership potential. 

Director of Strategic Partnerships for Microsoft, Marcie Nymark, says that Microsoft is committed to empowering women and girls in STEM. 

“We also recognize the challenges facing women, especially Black women, are complex – no one organization can solve them all,” Nymark said. “That’s why we’re excited to partner with Beverly and BLACK GIRLS ROCK! to bring together our efforts to educate and inspire the next generation of innovators.”

The partnership will officially kick-off with the launch of the first BLACK GIRLS ROCK!® Book Club and workshop on April 14 followed by their 15-year Anniversary Fundraising Gala in June and annual Leadership Conference in July.