Women of Color in Community Development

Women of Color in Community Development (WCCD) was formed to support the personal and professional development of women of color engaged in the business of community and economic development, representing a wide variety of industry sectors: affordable housing, economic development, real estate finance, social services, health care, entrepreneurship and education. Our members enjoy networking opportunities, professional development, and social engagement programs. WCCD’s reach continues to grow, with over 400 women represented within its network, primarily located in the DC metropolitan area.  In January 2018, WCCD formalized the membership organization and successfully obtained a 501c3 designation from the IRS.  To date, there are over 100 women who are officially dues-paying members! 

Our members enjoy several key benefits with their membership, which include professional development seminars, opportunities to cultivate and expand networks and an intentional focus on connecting members to career and mentorship opportunities within the industry. These activities are critical to providing WCCD members a platform to share their stories, create community and engage in critical discussions about the industry through the specific lens of a woman of color.  

This year we are also excited to report that we have launched Entrust Black Women (EBW)! This initiative is designed to amplify Black women’s expertise, skills, and insights and support diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in our region. EBW provides a platform for WCCD members to share their stories, tap into employment opportunities, and participate in exclusive learning and networking sessions with regional and local leaders who are serious about building Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) throughout their organizations.

Our goal is to continue to grow the WCCD network, and your contribution will support our professional development series, networking events and programmatic initiatives like EBW!