Black Female Development Circle provides open dialogue to students

Maria Lago/Contributing Writer

An organization that provides a space for an open dialogue and helps students build themselves up. That’s the Black Female Development Circle.

BFDC was initially created by the University of Florida in 1994 by a group of black women. In 2002, a chapter was established at FIU with the mission to “educate, explore, enhance, and celebrate womanhood.”

The purpose of the organization is to “present vital knowledge in forms of mental and spiritual challenges that reshape thinking and provide specialized and practical life skills,” according to president Jayde Prescod.

The organization holds general body meetings in which the members from all genders, races and ethnicities can sit down and talk about a variety of topics, such as self-love, budgeting, and self-defense. The purpose is to provide students with an open space where they can discuss these issues, voice their opinions and come up with strategies to the challenges they face.

BFDC also offers a range of events such as the Purple Lemonade, which raises funds for the program Relay for Life that helps patients with cancer.

The Tribute to a Black Men and Shades of Womanhood are also part of their signature events; both honor men and women that have achieved a level of success in their community, academically, or in another area.

On Feb. 21, BFDC will host an event called “The Love of Lust,” in which they try to spread awareness to girls about sexual health and sexuality. This year, they will sell a “bundle of love” basket that comes with a bottle of sparkling cider and gift cards for dinner and movies as an effort to “get everybody excited for Valentine’s Day and to know more about our event,” said Prescod.

To join the organization, members can show up to the bi-weekly meetings on Thursdays at 8 p.m. or join for free through Panther Connect. For more information, visit bfdcinc.org/about/ or their Instagram page @bfdc_fiu.

Featured photo courtesy of Jayde Prescod.