The #Sistersliftingasweclimb Network

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The #Sistersliftingasweclimb Network

The Network is an inter-generational, personal, and professional support network for women of color.

Women gather to network and share resources—inspiring each other to celebrate their accomplishments.

04/11/2026

Sis, it’s time to put the weight down. 🖤💛

Stress is a silent killer, but sisterhood is a powerful healer.

This Stress Awareness Month, we are calling our sisters up to prioritize our mental and emotional health.

Setting boundaries isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.

Saying “no” without guilt is a necessity.

Resting is a necessity.

Come relax, release, and reclaim your joy with us on April 19th. 🥂✨

02/20/2026

You can now read our founders latest commentary on Public Source called "People Over Plows: A Call for Urgent Investment in Pittsburgh's Black Women

January snow revealed one of the city’s needs, but the region has had clear evidence, since 2019, of another: a vast gap in quality of life along racial and gender lines. We need to bring the same urgency to that challenge.

Read more of her commentary at https://www.publicsource.org/people-over-plows-investment-pittsburgh-black-women/

02/10/2026

A Message from Our Founder, Dr. Sharnay Hearn Davis

“I come as one, but I stand as ten thousand.” — Maya Angelou

As we celebrate 100 years of Black History Month, my heart is full of gratitude and reverence. At the Sisters Lifting As We Climb Network, we don’t just celebrate history—we live it, we breathe it, and we carry it forward.

We are our ancestors wildest dreams.

This year, we are purposefully “Honoring and Celebrating Those Whose Shoulders We Stand Upon!”

When I look at the faces of these incredible trailblazers, I see more than just icons. To some, they were mothers, sisters, and dear friends. To others, they were the colleagues who shared the load and the mentors who cleared the path. But to many, they were their champions.

They moved mountains that others said were immovable. They did what the world whispered was "impossible." While society may have tried to limit them, they proved that being a woman didn't stop them—in fact, being a strong Black woman was their superpower. They didn't just break glass ceilings; they built the ladders we use today. As I lead this network, I am constantly reminded that I never walk into a room alone. I walk with the wisdom, the prayers, and the unyielding strength of those who came before me.

We climb because they paved the way. We lift because they reached back for us.

With love and legacy,
Dr. Sharnay Hearn Davis

02/05/2026

“Invest in Black Women” wasn't a slogan for a season; it’s a requirement for progress. ✊🏾

True investment isn't a seasonal trend; it’s a long-term commitment to the economic and social stability of Black women.

Who would have thought when we launched our first Sisters Lifting as We Climb Network social media campaign—calling for institutions to invest in Black women—that we would still be here today, while the plight of Black women across the nation has only gotten worse?

While we have been blessed to see foundations during the George Floyd era intentionally start investing in Black and Brown-led institutions, we are now seeing those same corporate entities roll back their support due to the current political climate.

Let’s be clear: The work we do isn't a "project" to be defunded when it’s no longer convenient. The seats at the table weren’t just moved; departments are being dismantled and grants are being revoked to fund the work that others simply didn’t make a priority.

This season requires courageous leadership across all sectors. We are still here. We are still lifting. And we are still calling for the real, sustained investment our community deserves.

10/30/2025

When the groundbreaking City of Pittsburgh Gender Equity Report was released on September 17, 2019, naming Pittsburgh the worst place for a Black woman to live, our Founder and Advocacy Champion, Dr. Sharnay Hearn Davis, mobilized a movement. This moment, captured in this image, was a unified declaration from Black Women to say: We will no longer be overlooked.

As we reflect on a decade of Sisters Lifting as We Climb, we now face government leadership that is actively attempting to roll back every hard-fought equity effort we've achieved. This hostile environment is causing institutions—whose support we once secured—to lose their courage, as leaders for fear of losing their jobs and ability to feed their families.

The cost of this political regression is paid by our community: thousands of people are becoming unemployed, especially Black women, whose economic progress is now under direct threat.

We cannot back down now.

Dr. Sharnay's vision demands that we double down on our mission to and relentlessly:

Stand in the gap to protect the economic security of our sisters.

Speak truth to power when institutional silence reigns.

Remind everyone that checking their privilege means protecting the most vulnerable.

Thank you to every supporter, donor, and funder who continues to stand with us. Your investment is not just about progress; it is about survival.

10/21/2025

We are bringing back to our main page!

🌟 Today, we are Spotlighting Our Founder’s Journey!

From Frustration to Fulfillment. From Pain to Purpose. From Vision to Research.

This June, Dr. Sharnay Hearn Davis officially earned her doctorate — completing her research on the Sisters Lifting As We Climb Network, the movement she built from faith, purpose, and perseverance. 🎓

What began as a vision born from frustration has become a global model for transformation. Over her 20-year career, Dr. Davis has gained influence with elected officials, entrepreneurs, and community builders across the United States and worldwide. 🌍

Through the power of sisterhood and strategy, she has sustained The Sisters Lifting As We Climb Network for over a decade — proving that when Black women lead collectively, they don’t just build tables; they design rooms where equity, visibility, and faith coexist.

Her research findings affirm what she has always known in her spirit:

❤️Visibility is not vanity — it’s strategy.
🖤 Sisterhood and strategic networking amplify personal and collective power.
💚Legacy is built when women invest in themselves and each other.

She shared with us:
“God doesn’t waste pain — He turns it into purpose.”

From isolation to influence, setbacks to strategy, Dr. Sharnay’s journey inspires women to lift as they climb, stay visible, and build purposefully.

As we celebrate 10 years of Lifting as We Climb, we honor the faith, research, and resilience that turned one woman’s calling into a movement that spans generations.

💌 DM “SISTERHOOD” to stay connected and be the first to know about our 10th Anniversary Celebration, Power Circle openings, and our upcoming Sisterhood & Strategy Intensives.

10/16/2025

We are honored to celebrate and highlight a whose legacy is a guiding light for our organization: Yvonne Cook!

We're thrilled to see she's been named one of The Top 50 Women Leaders of Pittsburgh for 2025 by The Women We Admire!

Yvonne hasn't just climbed the corporate and civic ladder—she has molded the way for every Black woman in leadership. Her journey, from clerk typist to President of the Highmark Foundation, is the ultimate blueprint for how Black Women Make an Impact. She consistently leveraged her power to ensure others could rise, championing:

Health Equity for vulnerable communities.

Minority/Women Business Enterprise.

Crucial Arts and Culture institutions like the August Wilson Center.

This honor proves that the collective impact of women leaders is a force that reshapes cities. The Network thanks Yvonne for setting the standard and inspiring everyone to build a brighter future.

We see you, Sis! Keep leading.

10/14/2025

Did you know that October 14th was named Dr. Sharnay Hearn Davis Day in the City of Pittsburgh?

Today, we celebrate our visionary founder and Chief Empowerment Officer! We were honored that Dr. Elizabeth Carter of the Corporate Sisters Network presented the official proclamation in 2023.

This day marks 10 years of powerful impact across Southwestern PA, the nation, and the globe, all anchored in the mission of Sisters Lifting As We Climb: to ensure No Black Women are left behind.

Dr. Davis's work is driven by her life as a dedicated mother of three, her own lived experiences, and her academic research. She knows what it's like to be the only Black woman in the room, and she uses that access to relentlessly speak the names and share the experiences of those often unseen.

Her doctoral research in EMPOWERMENT THROUGH THE SISTERS LIFTING AS WE CLIMB NETWORK proves that the Network successfully builds sisterhood, enhances participants' self-efficacy, and improves their quality of life.

This conviction fuels her advocacy:

Volunteering her expertise on pivotal committees.

Advocating with elected officials for systemic policy changes and crucial philanthropic investments.

Collaborating with journalists to authentically amplify the realities of Black women and ensure their stories shape the narrative.

Join us in honoring Dr. Davis, a leader who embodies the spirit of lifting as we climb!

10/13/2025

Why does the Sisters Lifting as We Climb Network always insist on a group picture at every event?

8 years ago, we were profoundly inspired by a powerful image of Black women working in the White House. We knew they were celebrating their sisterhood, but they also inspired us on the outside, showing that working in Government at the highest level was possible, and that we can do it with style and grace.

Taking that group picture is our way of cementing our own legacy, celebrating our presence, and affirming that we are in this fight together.

This is more important now than ever.

When over 300,000 Black women have been laid off or pushed out of the workforce, we see this as a direct attack on our collective financial stability and future. When one of us is hit by life's curveballs—especially those aimed at our finances—it affects us all.

We will continue to relentlessly advocate for Black women. We will continue to rise, and we will do it together, stronger and better than ever before!

10/11/2025

It always warms our hearts when we see our sisters out in the world rocking their shirts or when they re-share the amazing photos from our original photoshoot! It’s a powerful visual reminder of the incredible work and community built on that day.

Back during the height of COVID-19, the Sisters Lifting As We Climb Network knew we needed to come together. More than just a photoshoot, that day was a testament to sisterhood, building genuine relationships, and focusing on the shared journey of mothers, visionaries, and entrepreneurs. We shared space, shared goals, and reinforced the idea that when one of us wins, we all win.

And the results? The sisters from that day have absolutely secured the bag! We've watched in awe as so many have seen significant investments in their business endeavors, all while embodying our core value of lifting others as they climb.

This is more than a shirt; it’s a movement. It’s proof that investing in Black women — their visions, their businesses, and their community — yields powerful, long-lasting success.

Address

Pittsburgh, PA

Telephone

+14124075232

Website

https://www.thesistersliftingasweclimbnetwork.org/

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