Strategy Group

NTOSAKE is a leadership development program established in 2001 for affiliates of Gamaliel. Our purpose is to help women understand their own powerful histories, allies, relationships, obstacles, and motivations in order to become more powerful and more effective. We generally hold meetings on the 4th Saturday morning of every other month.

NTOSAKE means, “She who walks with lions and carries her own things”. It is a program conducted by women for women and is designed to acknowledge and respond to the fact that:
The process of learning for women is distinct from that of men. Women bring important qualities and attitudes to the public arena that must be appreciated and reflected in the organization’s work; and, Women desire and need a place where they can support each other and create responses to their own needs.

Our goal is to lead women from: Apathy to action. Follower to leader. Private to public. Observer to actor. Passive faith to faith-in-action; and,
Powerlessness to power.

BRIDGE MARYLAND NTOSAKE PRIDE was established in 2017 and our women are serving as leaders, creating on-going new opportunities in the difficult work of transforming faith communities and the world. The BMI Ntosake Pride led a Get Out The Vote Campaign as a justice action of BRIDGE Maryland, Inc. The campaign included:

Training 7 new Voter Registration Volunteers Developing voter fact information in both flier and PowerPoint formats. These were made available to the Religious Leaders Caucus and members of BMI to be used during church announcements or posted to keep people aware of the upcoming election, and steps for ensuring their vote is cast and counted. Mailing 500 postcards to encourage persons who are registered to vote but did not vote in the primary election, to make sure to cast their vote in the upcoming election. Partnering with the Education Workgroup for a voter registration and press conference event at Coppin State University. Leading a Voter phone banking event on October 22: 9 callers participated; 3,714 calls made; 96 conversations completed; 20 total calling hours.

Leader: Rev. Valerie A. Barnes If you are interested in learning more about Ntosake, contact our Organizer, Rev. Gayle Briscoe at bridgemdbc@gmail.com