Greetings:

On behalf of the members of the East Oakland-Hayward Section of NCNW, it gives me great pleasure to introduce you to our website.  With a current membership of more than sixty members, we work towards improving the lives of African American women, their families and their communities. The East Oakland-Hayward Section was chartered in October 1968–57 years ago.  Our proud history includes almost six decades of legacy driven, intelligent, and forward-thinking women.

Our Section’s programs are aligned with the mission of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW): to lead, advocate for, and empower women of African descent, their families, and communities. The programs also directly reflect our organization’s priorities. NCNW promotes education; encourages entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and economic stability; educates women about health and promotes healthcare access and promotes civic engagement and advocates for sound public policy and social justice.

The East Oakland-Hayward Section continues to make substantive donations to organizations that provide direct services, and give assistance to women, children, youth, and the elderly; to veterans; the homeless; and to those living with AIDS and HIV. Did you know about our Panty Pantry? It’s a signature project of the East Oakland-Hayward Section. We collect new panties and donate them to organizations that provide direct services to girls and women who have been victims of sexual assault, domestic abuse, sex-trafficking, or homeless.

In 2023 we created and published a coloring book, Queenie Gets Her Shots,  that addresses vaccine hesitancy by educating elementary school youth about the pivotal role of African Americans in developing vaccinations.

We are proud of our accomplishments; however, we are only able to do this through the combined efforts of our members. Consider this an invitation to join the East Oakland-Hayward Section, and become a member of NCNW. We were founded by Mary McLeod Bethune in 1935, and in the ensuing 90 years, NCNW is an “organization of organizations” (comprised of 300 campus and community-based sections and 32 national women’s organizations) with an outreach to more than 2 million women and men.

The East Oakland-Hayward Section invites you to join us. We welcome (and need) your experience, expertise, and creativity. More importantly, we welcome your willingness to work hand-in-hand with us as we further the NCNW Mission, and our on-going efforts to empower, inform, and uplift women, their families and communities.  

Yours in Sisterly affection,

Jennifer D. King, President