About us...

Sabrina and LaVida have been friends since they were students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign almost two decades ago. It's hard to believe these two were ever residents of an all-female dorm but that's exactly where they met and began the studying, organizing, nurturing and strategizing around race-consciousness, feminist/womanist theory and community, that has endured to this day.

Sabrina is a veteran, award-winning journalist and media professional who worked for mainstream newspapers long before the implosion of that industry, and she subsequently transitioned into media consulting, public relations and freelance writing. She proudly served as deputy communications director for African-American media for Obama for America. She is a past recipient of the Pew Fellowship in International Journalism, the Miami Herald Distinguished Writing Award and is the founder and president of South Loop Media, LLC. She lives in Chicago.

LaVida is a veteran community organizer and trainer. She has extensive experience in creating grassroots campaigns that engage community members, major stakeholders, and elected officials. She is the principal and founder of The Asha Group, a collective of women of color who have come together to be a clearinghouse for resources and tools to support systemic change in people of color communities. She also consults with the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women’s Network on their Domestic Violence 40-Hour Training. Currently she also works on international and domestic hunger and poverty issues with a national faith based nonprofit.

Their busy lives keep them from seeing each other as much as they'd like, but they spend a LOT of time deconstructing the issues of the day via phone and email. As with many sister girlfriends, technology has become their figurative and literal lifeline to one another as they continue navigating and negotiating what it means to be bright and shiny Black women in a world that still has a little trouble with both. So, have a seat. Listen in. And if you have something to say, "Hit us back!"