Mayor Craig Greenberg discusses Simmons College’s impact in Louisville
Mayor Craig Greenberg and Simmons College of Kentucky President Kevin Cosby speak at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the school’s new residence hall.
- The Baptist Women’s Educational Convention, Inc. (BWEC, Inc.) is a national organization aimed at empowering Black women and supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
- BWEC, Inc. highlights current challenges, including the dismantling of DEI programs, disproportionate job loss for Black women and underfunding of HBCUs.
- The organization has a specific mission to support Simmons College of Kentucky, Louisville’s only HBCU.
- A Fall Gathering is scheduled for November 8, 2025, in Louisville to mobilize support and provide strategies for community action.
Our nation’s current state of affairs signals a time when silence is a concession and action is a moral imperative. Black women of faith and their allies across America face an inflection point: essential diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs are being dismantled, Black women are experiencing disproportionate job loss, Black history is under attack and vital Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are perpetually underfunded.
This is the time to move beyond isolated efforts and claim ownership of our collective future by uniting with an organization built for such a time as this: the Baptist Women’s Educational Convention, Incorporated (BWEC, Inc.).
Mobilizing a legacy of power
Joining the BWEC, Inc. movement is a strategic alliance for lasting change. Incorporated in May, BWEC, Inc. is the national extension of Kentucky’s BWEC, the oldest Black Baptist women’s organization in America, established in 1883. Our legacy of more than a century is the foundation of the resilience we embody today.
Our mission is dual: to empower Black women in leadership and provide essential support to Simmons College of Kentucky. While rooted in the Baptist tradition, BWEC, Inc. draws women of every faith tradition. We believe the tremendous power needed to overcome challenges in the current landscape is unleashed when Black women and our allies act together. The time to act is now!
Simmons College: Our enduring legacy
To understand the stakes, we look to an institution that represents our historic journey of struggle and triumph: Simmons College of Kentucky.
Simmons is more than an institution of higher learning; it is our enduring legacy — an HBCU that African Americans have built, led and must continue to fund. When we invest in Simmons, we honor the visionary spirit of men and women who planted trees in whose shade they would not sit. We are the beneficiaries and stewards of their foresight.
Since 1879, Simmons College has consistently opened its doors to students often overlooked by traditional institutions, wrapping its arms around first-generation learners, returning citizens and those who dare to dream big. Simmons is a modern-day resurrection story, a “comeback HBCU” that proves what dedicated leadership and unshakeable faith can make possible. Every dollar invested in Simmons creates powerful ripple effects: graduates return to uplift their neighborhoods, launch businesses, serve in churches and lead change. While we support all HBCUs, we have a unique and urgent responsibility to bloom where we are planted. Simmons College is Louisville’s only HBCU. Mobilizing national support for its extraordinary comeback story declares, “All things are possible to those who believe.”
Your call to action: The Fall Gathering
The time for engaging, organizing and mobilizing is now. Take the next crucial step byjoining us at the BWEC, Inc. Fall Gathering. The event is free, but registration is highly encouraged. We welcome women of all ages, including high school and college students.
- Date: Saturday, November 8, 2025
- Time: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Doors open and in-person registration begins at 8:30 a.m.)
- Location: St. Stephen Baptist Church (1015 S. 15th Street, Louisville, Kentucky)Come dressed casually fine for a day of dynamic engagement, featuring seminars led byinspiring Black women addressing essential self-care and strategies for responding to thecurrent community climate.
This will be a day of inspiration, fellowship and actionable steps. You will leave equipped,inspired and clear on how you can make a tangible difference by joining BWEC, Inc. andsupporting institutions like Simmons College of Kentucky.
The legacy of our past and the hope of our future rest on the actions we take togethertoday. Join the BWEC, Inc. Movement and help us kindle a flame of faith and action thatwill not burn out.
