Engaging young minority women earns $300,000 fellowship grant

PROVIDENCE (AP) — A Rhode Island woman with a plan to engage young minority women in solving issues in their communities has been awarded $300,000 to make it happen.

Ditra Edwards, of Providence, plans to use her innovation fellowship to launch "SistaFire RI," a network of women to train other women in effective civic engagement and advocacy.

Edwards is one of two 2017 recipients of a three-year grant awarded by the Rhode Island Foundation. Donna Childs, of Warwick, was also awarded $300,000 over three years to develop a mobile application and other technology for volunteer service.

Traditionally, the foundation awards innovation fellowships for projects that improve life in Rhode Island. This year, it focused on improving civic engagement. The grants are funded by philanthropists Letitia and John Carter.

Edwards said she wanted to create an organization where a diverse group of young women can work together. She said they have a lot to offer, but often aren't seen as visionaries with solutions to better their communities.

Edwards wants to connect women to address employment opportunities, affordable housing, education and any other topics they feel are pressing.

"There's pure gold in their vision and what they see as possible for the state," she said.

She told the foundation that an investment in her is an investment in them. Afinalist for the grant, Johanna Torres, identified ways to engage millennials in the community and politics. Edwards told Torres she'd like to work with her because there's a natural connection between their ideas.

Childs envisions building an app that tracks community service. When a person volunteers for an hour, they can get an hour of service in return for themselves or for a cause they designate.

Childs said she worked on a similar program in Massachusetts in the 1990s for elder care, but the new project takes advantage of technological developments and social media. She's focusing first on volunteerism in the area of climate and disaster resilience.

"Donna and Ditra have impressive ideas for change making. Each of their projects will focus resources on our state's most valuable asset, its people," Neil Steinberg, the Foundation's president and CEO, said in a statement.

The fellowship is now in its sixth year. There were about 200 applications for the 2017 grants.