About Us
What we stand for:
We are advocating for Black women and girls on many fronts including adequate access to maternal health care, mental health services and improving overall health and wellness.
Black Girls Break Bread (BGBB) is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded by Jessica Davenport-Williams, Khadija Warfield and Jazzy Davenport-Russ, with a mission to empower, uplift and inspire Black women and girls through the creation of safe spaces for intergenerational discourse and engagement.
Black Girls Break Bread believes in advocating on behalf of our community and amplifying the voices of our people. Since the founding and establishment of Black Girls Break Bread, we have successfully impacted over 2,000 Black women and girls in spanning from middle school to middle age, while servicing and partnering with colleges and universities. As Chicago natives and black women, we understand the challenges of navigating the complexities of this highly segregated city and the attention needed to protect our youth and preserve our elders.
Black Girls Break Bread believes in advocating on behalf of our community and amplifying the voices of our people. Since the founding and establishment of Black Girls Break Bread, we have successfully impacted over 2,000 Black women and girls in the Chicago area spanning from middle school to middle age, while servicing as a Chicago Public Schools vendor and partnering with colleges and universities. As Chicago natives and black women, we understand the challenges of navigating the complexities of this highly segregated city and the attention needed to protect our youth and preserve our elders.
Meet Our Founders:
Jessica Davenport-Williams
Co-Founder
Jessica Davenport-Williams is a native Chicagoan who engages with the private sector, government, public health agencies, health systems, key stakeholders, and nonprofit organizations to help create innovative, collaborative business solutions to address racial disparities and improve operational efficiency. As the co-founder of Black Girls Break Bread, she served as a member of various task forces and committees at the local, state, and federal level to contribute insights for designing and tailoring Black Maternal Child Health interventions for economically disadvantaged populations, and proudly co-lead the development of the first Maternal Child Health and Wellness community health center in Illinois. As a community-based organization leader and advocate, she is grounded in the community and collaborates with community members to develop strategies and test interventions, inviting academic partners to support her research mission to ensure interventions remain community centered.
As a strategic advisor and consultant, she assists various organizations and agencies develop a shared value strategy by addressing policies and practices to reduce health disparities. Before consulting, she served as a financial administrator in higher education for nearly ten years and champion for racial and educational equity. She co-authored and published for the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) and presented nationally and internationally on the affordability, sustainability and accessibility of post-secondary education while also working to improve educational equity in K-12 public education. Davenport-Williams holds an undergraduate degree in Statistics and Operations Research from the University of Illinois-Chicago and Certificate in Nonprofit Management program at the University of Chicago graduate school of Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice (formerly SSA). She is a loving wife and mother of two extraordinary daughters.
JazzyDavenport-Russ
Co-Founder
Reared on the South Side, Jazzy Davenport Russ, co-founder of Black Girls Break Bread, is a Chicago native, an educator, instructional coach, mentor, and advocate for social justice, expanded mental health care, and racial equity. As a first-generation college graduate, Davenport Russ proudly identifies as a lifelong learner. She prides herself on being Fisk made while also holding degrees from Columbia College Chicago, DePaul University, and Dominican University. She transitioned her career from teacher to advocate and leader when she was chosen to complete the Surge Institute Fellowship in 2022 and the Illinois Stand for Children Fellowship where she worked to revise the Illinois Dual Credit Quality Act to expand the requirements for teaching and participating in Dual Credit courses in Illinois so that more Black and Brown educators would have access to teach accelerated courses. A champion of Black children, her servant leadership style nurtures an environment of excellence for students, schools, and communities. As a fierce equity advocate, she desires to engage in work and live in a community that supports all stakeholders and values the holistic wellness of all its members. She aspires to continue to do meaningful work for young people, families, and communities by creating change and opportunities for all, but certainly those with the greatest need. Davenport Russ is a proud wife and mom to Zion and Zoie.
Khadija Warfield
Co-Founder
Khadija Warfield, co-founder of Black Girls Bread has attended Fellowship Community Church of Chicago (FCC) for the past three years. As a Chicago native, Khadija works in community outreach and organizing, along with praise and worship at FCC. She also is an active member of Rock of Ages Church, Maywood, IL. She spends most of her time as the Area North Coordinator for YoungLives as part of YoungLife, working with teen moms and their babies at Simpson Academy.
Khadija has a passion for fundraising, mentoring, and educating these ladies for the future. Khadija holds a certification in prayer and volunteers with Courtside Ministry. She is also the proud mother to two young men, and two young ladies.
Our History:
Oct. 2016
Black Girls Break Bread is founded by Chicago natives, Jessica Davenport-Williams, Khadija Warfield and Jazzy Davenport-Russ.
Nov. 2016
BGBB establishes its first academic collegiate partnership and hosts on-campus dinner fostering community through intergenerational conversations with students, staff and faculty.
Dec. 2016
BGBB commemorates its launch with an Inaugural private dinner and discussion for 50 Black women.
April 2017
The founders of BGBB are invited for their first live televised talk show interview on ABC7 Windy City Live.
April 2017
BGBB expands its academic partnerships nationally by facilitating for Georgia State University.
June 2017
BGBB attends the Essence Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana as a first-time exhibitor.
Oct. 2017
To commemorate its one-year anniversary, BGBB hosts a citywide dinner for 200 Black women.
Jan. 2018
BGBB partners with Cook Country Juvenile Temporary detention center.
Mar. 2018
BGBB returns to Georgia State University and partners with Gear UP to facilitate at Clark Atlanta University.
April 2018
BGBB participates as exhibitor at the Black Women’s Expo in Chicago, IL.
May 2018
BGBB is awarded a grant of the Chicago Fund for a Safe and Peaceful Community.
Dec. 2018
BGBB returns to the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center for the holiday season Adopt-a-Pod program.
Jan. 2019
Additional college and university partners are added to BGBB's academic partnership program.
April 2019
BGBB expands to Chicago Public Schools selective enrollment high schools.
Aug. 2019
BGBB partners with Chicago Public Schools for Back to School initiative.
Oct. 2019
BGBB celebrates 3 year-anniversary by highlighting and sponsoring local Black women-owned/operated businesses.
Feb. 2020
The “Breaking Silos & Taking Action,” statewide maternal health forum is launched by BGBB and Black women OB/GYNs and healthcare administrators.
April 2020
BGBB kicks off “Masks for Moms” initiative in partnership with public health state agencies, community health centers and hospitals to distribute over 22,000 masks to pregnant and postpartum persons during the COVID-19 pandemic.
June 2020
BGBB begins weekly distributions of essential goods and nutritious food throughout Chicago and surrounding suburbs as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest.
Oct. 2020
Coinciding with National Mental Health Week, BGBB begins a mental health awareness campaign to sponsor free therapy sessions.
Dec. 2020
BGBB launches inaugural 12 Days of Giving providing nutritious meals and essential items to families with hospitalized children, unhoused encampments and transitional housing shelters.
Jan. 2021
The Chicago Bulls highlights BGBB as a community hero
April 2021
BGBB launches first community health and wellness challenge.
Nov. 2021
BGBB launches “Healthy is Happy” nutrition campaign in Chicago Public Schools to increase access to health food and beverage options to pregnant and parenting students.
June 2022
BGBB championed IL policy change for a pregnant patient’s freedom of choice to receive pregnancy-related health care.
Oct. 2022
BGBB celebrates 6-year anniversary by expanding the Mental Health Awareness Campaign
