The Womanist Freedom Project


Our Mission
From the soil of ancestral wisdom and the strength of collective care, we tend holy ground — cultivating sacred hives where healing takes root, liberation blooms, and every woman rises boldly into their boundless purpose. We serve women and girls of color by curating stories and cultivating visionary leadership, spiritual formation, and liberatory education through womanist ways of knowing, faith, and community.
Our Vision
We envision a holy ground where our sisterhood becomes a sacred refuge of ancestral wisdom, collective care, and liberating love — a living community where women and girls of color are nurtured, restored, and called forth into bold purpose. In this future, healing is communal, wisdom is honored, and every sacred space becomes a place where spirits are strengthened, stories are lifted, and freedom takes root for generations to come.
"We cultivate visionary leadership and holistic well-being for women and girls of color through faith, education, and community action." This is holy ground! A sacred hive where Black women and girls are formed in faith, freed in spirit, and equipped to lead!
Our Values
Collective Care
Radical collective care through mutual support networks.
Sisterhood
Deep-seated sisterhood cultivated through shared experiences.
Spiritual Formation
Transformative experiences that nurture the whole person.
Justice
Transformative justice supported by womanist principles that intentionally center the most marginalized voices and experiences.
Hospitality
Ensuring every voice is heard and valued in our programs and advocacy efforts.
Our Ethos:
The Four Principles of Womanist Ethics
The Womanist Freedom Project is rooted in the sacred moral vision of womanist ethics—a framework shaped by the faith, wisdom, and lived experience of Black women. These principles guide every Freedom School, Hive, and mentoring circle we create. They remind us that liberation begins within and extends outward into community.
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Radical Subjectivity
“We speak for ourselves.” Womanist ethics begins with the power of self-definition. Each woman and girl carries a sacred story that is her own to tell. At the Womanist Freedom Project, we teach that identity is not something granted—it is claimed. Through storytelling, reflection, and theological study, participants are invited to name their truths and lead from a place of authenticity.
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Traditional Communalism
“We rise together.” In the womanist tradition, the good of the individual is inseparable from the good of the community. Leadership is a shared calling rooted in cooperation, care, and collective uplift. Within our hives and Freedom Schools, we practice interdependence—honoring that true freedom is found in fellowship, not isolation.
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Redemptive Self-Love
“Loving ourselves is a sacred act.” Self-love is a radical declaration of worth in a world that too often denies it. Womanist ethics sees love of self as the foundation of love for others and the source of resilience. Our programs create healing spaces where women and girls learn to honor their bodies, minds, and spirits as reflections of the divine.
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Critical Engagement
“Faith without justice is incomplete.” Womanist ethics calls us to confront and transform unjust systems—racism, sexism, poverty, and all forms of oppression. Through education, advocacy, and creative action, we teach that faith and justice are inseparable. To love God and neighbor is to act boldly for freedom.
Together, these four principles form the moral compass of the Womanist Freedom Project. These principles, articulated by ethicists such as Katie Cannon, Emilie Townes, and Stacey Floyd-Thomas, shape the moral foundation of womanist theology. They remind us that leadership is love in action—and that every step toward justice is a step toward wholeness.
Our Founder
The Womanist Freedom Project founded by our Queen Bee the Reverend Dr. Terri Ofori stands is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization passionately dedicated to forging sustainable pathways for girls and women of color to rise with purpose, power, and boundless possibility.
About the Reverend Dr. Terri Ofori, Founder & Executive Director
Reverend Dr. Terri Ofori is an ordained minister, scholar, and educator, and spiritual director whose work bridges faith, education, and social justice. A graduate of Harvard Divinity School and Princeton Theological Seminary. Reverend Ofori completed a doctorate in Christian and womanist spirituality at Fordham University. Her ministry and teaching have spanned Harvard, Brown, Wellesley, and Ursinus College.
Through the Womanist Freedom Project, she advances womanist leadership, spiritual formation, and collective liberation. Rooted deeply in the tenets of womanist theology, our foundational work boldly centers the voices and experiences of Black women and girls—those who have long been marginalized, yet who have historically stood at the forefront of social change.
Reverend Dr. Terri Ofori
Reverend Dr. Terri Ofori developed the concept of the Queen Bee and her hive of worker bees as a living metaphor for womanist community—a robust, interdependent network of women committed to healing, wholeness, and social change. In this vision, every woman is both a pollinator and a nurturer, contributing to the flourishing of the collective.
Through programs and virtual platforms known as “Pollination Pathways,” the Womanist Freedom Project mirrors the work of real pollinator gardens—spaces that sustain life, foster renewal, and generate abundance. These pathways are designed to nourish spiritual, intellectual, and emotional growth within individuals, families, and communities.

Reverend Ofori drew her inspiration for the Womanist Freedom Project from Deborah, the biblical judge and prophetess (Judges 4-5). Deborah (the bee) was far more than a mere leader; she emerged as a strategic warrior, a wise counselor, and a spiritual guide who courageously led her people to freedom and peace with unparalleled wisdom and courage in ancient Israel.
Just as Deborah nurtured and fiercely defended her community, our dedicated Queen Bees are deeply committed to community and guiding, uplifting, and empowering the next generation of Black women leaders, propelling them towards their destiny with personalized mentorship.
Reverend Ofori powerfully articulates the Queen Bee and her Hive as more than just a concept; it is a living, breathing tapestry of interconnected sisterhood, dedicated to the radical practice of collective care, igniting a powerful movement that cultivates profound, transformative change within communities.
Our Inspiration
The Hive As Holy Ground
"The hive is holy ground — built by faith, sustained by sisterhood, and alive with divine purpose… in the hum of the hive, we hear the voice of the Divine."
🐝 God's Blueprint the Way of the Bee 🐝
The Womanist Freedom Project draws inspiration from the natural wisdom of bees and the life-sustaining ecosystems they create. Just as bees work together in harmony to nurture their hive and pollinate the world around them, the Womanist Freedom Project cultivates interconnected sisterhood, radical collective care, and transformative leadership across generations.
In the Womanist Freedom Project, bees are more than a symbol—they are a sacred teaching tool, a spiritual blueprint, and a reminder of how God organizes communities for strength, resilience, and flourishing.
Just as bees nurture their colony, pollinate the earth, and sustain life, we cultivate hives as holy ground where women and girls can heal, grow, and lead.
Our bee-inspired framework teaches:
  • Collective Strength: Every bee has a role; every woman has a voice.
  • Pollination as Transformation: When we share our stories and wisdom, we spread life, healing, and justice.
  • Sacred Leadership: Deborah’s model reminds us that spiritual authority and community care go hand in hand.
  • Flourishing Ecosystems: Healthy hives—like healthy communities—are built on cooperation, not competition.
Bees teach us what womanist leaders have always known:When we rise together, we thrive together.
The Spirit of Deborah: Honey and Holy Fire
As a judge in ancient Israel, Deborah, the original Queen Bee was a beacon of justice and strategic leadership, bravely orchestrating freedom and fostering peace. Her story exemplifies how powerful, inspired leadership can transform adversity into triumph.
The name "Deborah," echoing the industrious hum of a bee, carries profound significance. In Hebrew, Deborah means "bee," symbolizing diligent labor, unwavering community, and the sweet rewards of collective effort. Yet, her identity extends beyond this; as a revered prophetess, her pronouncements were considered the very "word" of divine wisdom, guiding her people with clarity and conviction.
Discover a sisterhood dedicated to nurturing your spirit and empowering you to lead with divine courage and clarity.
Join us for a sacred weekly Sabbath practice of prayer— Daughters of Deborah Devotions, Saturdays at 9:00 is a soul-stirring journey of prayer, spiritual formation, and collective wisdom. Here, you will engage with relevant scripture passages, allowing ancient truths to illuminate your modern path, fostering deep spiritual growth, inner peace, and renewed purpose.
Pollination Pathways
Each pollination pathway is a space where women and girls gather to pollinate womanist wisdom.


Just as bees pollinate flowers to sustain the planet’s food systems, the Womanist Freedom Project Pollination Pathways exist to sustain the soul of community life, spreading wisdom, love, and justice wherever they take root.
Like industrious bees, Black women have perpetually labored for the flourishing of their families and communities, producing sweet nectar even amidst challenging conditions. Our program framework draws direct inspiration from the intricate social structure of bees and the beehive—powerful symbols of unwavering community solidarity, resilient endurance, and mutual collective care.
Womanist Freedom School
Our freedom school empowers woman and girls with knowledge, critical thinking, and the spirit of liberation. Join us to ignite your journey towards intellectual freedom and social change.
Queen Bee Mentor Program
Become part of a powerful intergenerational network. This project pairs woman and girls with inspiring mentors and engages womanist wisdom ethnography, fosters leadership, development community connection, and cultural understanding.
The Beehive Project – Local Network of Hives
The Beehive Project is more than just beekeeping; it's a transformative initiative empowering women through environmental stewardship, cooperative economics, and collective leadership.

Queen Bee Hives
Step into the Queen Bee Hive, a sacred space where womanist wisdom flows freely through enriching online workshops and inspiring in-person retreats, guided by an esteemed circle of wise women.
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Daughters of Deborah
Join the Daughters of Deborah for time of prayer and spiritual formation.
Participants engage in prayer and reading of relevant scripture passages, creating a sacred practice that supports spiritual growth.
The Beehive Project:
Cultivating Community and Empowerment
The Beehive Project is more than just beekeeping; it's a transformative initiative empowering women through environmental stewardship, cooperative economics, and collective leadership.
Our vision extends to building vibrant community gardens, rich with beehives and diverse pollinator gardens. Participants will cultivate and harvest their labor's sweet rewards—from golden honey and fragrant beeswax candles to nourishing soaps and lotions—selling them at bustling local farmer's markets. This fosters entrepreneurial spirit, economic independence, and thriving community bonds.
Science & Spirituality
Each community hive becomes a living classroom, where young women learn from seasoned beekeepers about the intricate science of pollination, vital ecological balance, and the profound spiritual connection to creation care. We explore the sacred wisdom found in nature's cycles.
Shared Enterprise
Through hands-on experience, participants harvest honey and beeswax, craft artisan products, and develop entrepreneurial skills. By partnering with local markets, our collective enterprise sustains scholarships and funds vital community programs, creating a powerful cycle of support.
Creation Care & Cooperative Economics
This project is a dynamic fusion where environmental stewardship meets cooperative economics.
Care transforms into action, and dedicated work cultivates true freedom. Young women emerge as confident leaders, equipped to drive positive change in their communities.
When bees build hives and women build lives, communities thrive.
Pauli Murray Freedom School for for Girls Leadership Development|
Summer Leadership Summit Pilot
Program Overview
The Pauli Murray Freedom School for Girls Leadership Development, began as a partnership between Preserving Pauli Murray LLC, founded by Pauli Murray's niece Ms. Rosita Stevens Holsey, and the Womanist Freedom Project, founded by Reverend Dr. Terri Ofori, to honor the life and legacy of Pauli Murray.
The Pauli Murray Freedom School for Girls Leadership Development welcomed female-identifying students from the Baltimore area — the birthplace of Pauli Murray — for its inaugural week-long immersive Summer Leadership Summit in July 2025, designed to empower high school girls of color through leadership training, spiritual formation, academic support, and community engagement.
Summer Leadership Summit
At the heart of the program was the Summer Leadership Summit, a week-long immersive experience that brings together aspiring young leaders from across the region. Since its inaugural 2025 gathering, the program has evolved into an intergenerational Womanist Freedom School that will focus on a different pioneering woman of color each year. Through a dynamic blend of workshops, mentorship, and hands-on projects, participants develop essential skills in communication, problem-solving, and ethical decision-making.
Program Impact
The program was blessed to provide more than 5 scholarships to students pursuing undergraduate and graduate study, and each scholarship recipient was paired with a mentor to walk alongside them on their journey. We are deeply grateful for the partnership of Ms. Rosita Stevens Holsey and Preserving Pauli Murray for the privilege of honoring her aunt's legacy through this sacred work. While our paths have since diverged as each organization continues its own distinct journey forward, we remain forever grateful for the partnership and the meaningful work we shared together.
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www.womanistfreedomproject.org Rev. Dr. Terri Ofori Founder & President

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Reverend Dr. Terri Ofori
CEO & Founder

A scholar, chaplain, and ordained minister, Dr. Ofori leads with a vision for spiritual formation, womanist education, and vocational discernment with purpose an conviction.
Rev Ofori's academic and pastoral work includes 15+ years in higher education, DEIB strategy, and congregational and community-based spiritual leadership.
Email:tofori@womanistfreedomproject.org for inquiries, partnerships or more information.