RISE 2024 Conference

Through networking, inspirational worship, dynamic panel discussions, and empowerment sessions, women of color ministers will be Renewed, Inspired, Supported, and Empowered to navigate difficult spaces, overcome barriers, and embrace the fullness of God’s call on their life.

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Renew | Inspire | Support | Empower

A National Mentorship Network
for Women of Color in Ministry

RISE Together Mentorship Network founded as an Initiative of Union Theological Seminary in collaboration with the WOCIM Project, is a female mentorship network that connects women of color seminary students and early to mid-career clergy to experienced women ministers, senior pastors, faculty, and community leaders.

Through mentoring relationships, intergenerational and peer support networks, RISE members experience safe spaces for Renewal, Inspiration, Support and Empowerment.

This initiative was made possible thanks to generous support from Lilly Endowment Inc, and we solicit your gifts to help us to continue our mission to empower Women of Color Ministry Leaders across this nation.

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About RISE Together Mentorship Network

As the multicultural and gender landscape of our nation rapidly changes, so does the racial/ethnic and gender make-up of theological education. Following these trends, there is a strong and steady call for female mentorship; as well as a need for local and national woman-centered networks of support to connect women of color in ministry. This signals more than just an increased need for professional development;  it speaks to larger issues of justice and equity in the arenas of practical ministry and academic theology.

In March 2018, RISE launched 10 mentorship cohorts in 9 cities. Members of each cohort committed to a 2-year cycle of 10 monthly 3-hour gatherings each year. In the regional cohorts, women of color journey together to learn from the wisdom of mentors, peers, an intergenerational female-centered community and a multidisciplinary network of national experts. Through the lens of race, gender, age and culture, RISE sister-only gatherings lay the foundation for reflection on women’s ways of knowing and thriving in ministry.

Mission

RISE Together provides a multicultural mentorship network for female ministers, scholars, and activists to foster interdisciplinary, ecumenical connections and leadership development opportunities designed to overcome the challenges of age, race, and gender inequalities.

Vision

RISE Together envisions a vibrant network of women of color in ministry who are committed to mutually advancing the professional and personal effectiveness of participating mentors and mentees so that they may be Renewed, Inspired, Supported, and Empowered.

“As a young woman in ministry, RISE has been the sacred community I’ve longed for and the protective incubator I never knew I needed.”
-Atlanta Rise Cohort Member, Class of 2020


The RISE Together Mentee and Mentor Applications are Now Open! 

RISE Together is seeking early and mid-career ministry leaders, pastors, scholars, and community activists to connect, as mentees, with one of ten (10) regional cohorts. Each regional cohort – Atlanta, GA, Charlotte, NC, Charleston, SC, Chicago, IL, Lancaster, PA, Nashville, TN, New York City, NY, Northern California (San Francisco, Contra Costa, Oakland), Richmond, VA, Washington, DC, – will include cross-cultural, ecumenical, and interdisciplinary mentors and 12-15 mentees.

This is a two-year commitment, beginning in September 2024, of female-centered community support, sisterhood, and empowerment. Accepted RISE applicants should plan to attend the National Gathering, The Power of Our Voices, in Atlanta Georgia, March 2024.

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To view photos from the RISE Together Inaugural Conference and Launch in 2018, click here.

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