Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Clark Chatman.
Hi Crystal, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hello MemphisVoyager Family!
Growing up in the housing projects in Memphis, Tennessee, I felt ill-equipped to handle life’s demanding situations. I wished for a Mentor other than her mother and sisters to teach me the importance of education and self-worth. Let’s say they did an exceptional job instilling principles in my life. As a victim of molestation, low self-esteem, bullying, mental abuse, and so much more, as an adult, I channeled the desire by being obedient and founding Beautiful Spirited Women (B.S.W.) in 2009. Beautiful Spirited Women is a nonprofit organization for girls and young women in low-income areas. Beautiful Spirited Women offers a free mentorship program for girls all year round, ranging from 4 to 19 years old.
My energy and resilience are contagious, and I deliver excellence in any engagement. I am married with four children and an inspiration to all around me. I hold a B.S. from Lane College and an M.B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. I am an instrumental person in my community by improving the healthy prosperity of the people in Memphis by increasing awareness around public health, which helped me to become the recipient of the 2021 Tennessee Public Health Association.
My contributions to my community also help bridge the gap in low-income areas and education by partnering with programs to bring life-changing experiences to the community I grew up in, like S.T.E.M. programming. By 2013, I had assisted our team with 93% of enrolled high seniors in a scholarship program to attend college. Most of the percentage came from consistent networking and preparation for their graduation day.
With God as my BOSS, he helped me and my amazing sisters of Beautiful Spirited Women, donors, partners, and sponsors get to where I am.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Before I started this program, I did not know about nonprofits. God or any resources did not give me a road map. Teen pregnancy rates were increasing in the City of Memphis; there was no outreach program for girls in my founding community, no safe-haven space for them to go, and no one there to listen or care for them. Because of my steadfast devotion and leadership, Beautiful Spirited Women has no teenage pregnancy.
My struggles were mostly people needing to understand what a nonprofit was and how it honestly operates. I had so many opinions surrounding me but never enough hands, prayers, or people who genuinely had my back when it was turned. While serving in a nonprofit, I always encouraged myself and those who surrounded me that taking myself/themselves out of the equation will always send you overflow. While doing that, patience was never the key to many answers.
Another daily struggle is needing more funding to run active programming.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have led my team in hosting over 550 free workshops and community service projects for impoverished girls. Some conversations discussed sexual education, drug abuse, domestic violence, low self-esteem, bullying, and depression and equipped them with essential life skills to advance in their schools and workplaces.
With no city or government grants, I developed a B.S.W. Family model, which led me to raise over $200,000 in just the first two years of programming through monetary and in-kind donations to give youth girls and young adults a free opportunity to new opportunities. The compassion I show to my team, the girls, the parents, and community partners shows how I embody the importance of the organization’s mission.
I am so proud that I can assist in serving in fourteen more cities worldwide. While some of the girls involved are not adolescents, I go beyond and above my call of duty to collaborate with community partners so that every young girl has a chance at life-changing moments. I lead women and youth workshops to pack over 2,500 hygiene care packets and serve 200-300 women and men during the yearly holidays and 65,000 constituents yearly.
I also provide one-on-one mentorship in personal and professional career development. Every youth girl can receive volunteer hours to assist with scholarships and extra-curricular activities inside her program. I exemplify kindness, innovation, great energy, and being a team player.
What sets me apart from others is that I am FEARLESS and CONFIDENT in what I do. I change lives, and I am not afraid of the unknown. I go after what I need for my program and will ask. I am unafraid and know what my program can do for families.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking.
Taking risks in nonprofits is a daily routine. You will win some, and you will lose some. One of the most significant risks for my nonprofit is financial. Nonprofits rely heavily on donations and grants to fund their operations. However, if we take a risk and invest in a new project or initiative that fails, we may lose valuable resources. This can be incredibly challenging for me because we have a smaller budget that may need more financial reserves to withstand significant losses.
Another risk that nonprofits face is reputational. Nonprofits are often held to high standards of accountability and transparency. If we take a risk that ultimately backfires, it can damage our reputation and make it more challenging to attract donors and supporters in the future.
Despite these risks, taking risks can also lead to significant rewards. My nonprofit is always willing to take risks and innovate because it helps us make a significant impact. By taking additional risks, my nonprofit gains new and creative ways to achieve its goals and make a difference in the communities we serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: beautifulspiritedwomen.org
- Instagram: @beautifulspiritedwomen
- Facebook: bswblessings
- Linkedin: Crystal Chatman
- Twitter: bswblessings
- Youtube: Beautiful Spirited Women
Image Credits
Robert Towns – Tcity Works Productions and Nilaya Sabnis Photography
