Senators and Seamstresses: Building a New Kind of Sister Circle
Black Women Need Classism-free Circles
by Nwanne Onwuzu
When another invitation landed in my inbox for an "exclusive" Black women's support network, I had to pause at the membership fee: $10,000. Not a typo. Ten thousand dollars to join a sister circle. These invitations have been finding me for years - each one promising transformation, elevation, and the kind of soul-deep support that only Black women can provide for one another.
On paper, I fit their target demographic perfectly. I've checked all the expected boxes of what society calls a "professional Black woman." But something about these spaces has always felt misaligned with my spirit, even as I recognized my deep need for collective sisterhood.
Don't get me wrong - I celebrate every Black woman's success. I love seeing us wealthy, building empires, earning advanced degrees, and claiming our seats in corporate boardrooms. But I equally celebrate the Black women running vital daycares in our communities, the ones working frontline jobs with pride and purpose, and yes - the sisters who can't and shouldn't have to afford a $10,000 membership fee to access community.
I've come to realize that any space for Black women that doesn't intentionally cross-pollinate across class lines isn't just exclusive - it's incomplete. This realization is exactly why I founded IKONI Collective. We're not a country club for Black queens and we never will be.
If we went exclusive we would be missing:
The wisdom of our grandmothers who raised entire communities on modest incomes.
The ingenuity of single mothers who turn shoestring budgets into feasts that feed both body and soul.
The perspectives of educators in underfunded schools who shape our future leaders with limited resources but unlimited love.
We'd be missing the entrepreneurial spirit of the sister braiding hair in her kitchen to put herself through night school. The dedication of the home health aide who handles both medical care and emotional support with grace. The creativity of the administrative assistant who manages entire offices while building her side business.
When we create spaces that only welcome those who can afford five-figure membership fees, we perpetuate the very systems of exclusion that our ancestors fought against. True sisterhood doesn't come with a price tag. The strength of Black women's spaces has always been in our diversity - not just in skin tone or heritage, but in life experiences and economic realities.
I've watched these high-end coaching circles and mastermind groups multiply, each promising transformation and elevation. But I wonder: elevation above whom? And at what cost to our collective unity? When did we start believing that wisdom only flows from the top down?
The most powerful conversations I've had happened in church basements, on front porches, and in community center meetings where everyone was welcome. Where a lawyer sitting next to a lunch lady could both learn from each other's journeys. Where a corporate executive could be humbled by the financial literacy of a woman who's never owned a credit card but manages to send three kids to college.
Slicing Across Class Lines Costs
At IKONI Collective, we've seen the magic that happens when we remove financial barriers to sisterhood. When a woman can access coaching without choosing between growth and groceries. When support groups become truly supportive because they reflect the full spectrum of our experiences.
We need spaces that honor all forms of success - not just the ones that come with prestigious titles and six-figure salaries. Spaces that recognize that wealth isn't just measured in dollars, but in the richness of experience and the depth of community connections.
Because when we slice our sisterhood along class lines, we don't just exclude bodies - we exclude possibilities. We miss out on the magic that happens when Black women from all walks of life come together, each bringing their unique ingredients to the collective pot.
The future of Black women's spaces needs to get more inclusive, not exclusive. It must recognize that our strength lies in our ability to lift as we climb - not in climbing so high that we can no longer reach back. This is the foundation IKONI Collective is built on - where every sister's voice matters, regardless of her tax bracket.
Let's create circles where the price of admission is measured in commitment, not currency. Where the only membership requirement is the desire to grow and contribute to our collective elevation. Because true sister circles don't build walls - they build bridges.
Exclusive Communities Have a Place
And yes, we can keep the exclusive communities too - there's room for every kind of circle in our ecosystem. Instead of critiquing from the sidelines, we chose to build what we wanted to see. That's how IKONI Collective was born. Here, you'll find senators sharing wisdom alongside seamstresses sharing stories, corporate executives learning from community organizers, and tech founders being mentored by teachers. Because sometimes the most powerful business strategy comes from the sister who turned her grandmother's recipe into a catering empire.
If you're looking for a space where your title matters less than your testimony, where your bank balance doesn't determine your belonging, and where every Black woman's journey is honored as a masterclass - IKONI Collective is your home. Our doors are open and our circle is wide.
