Legally Black was founded by Tisha Wosencroft. In the year 2016 she had a goal to end racial profiling and unlawful stops by police for “driving while black”. Tisha thought the first line of defense could be a bold, in-your-face bumper sticker that read “driving while Legally Black” to deter officers from stopping BIPOC drivers unlawfully. But racial injustices due to the historically ingrained oppression of this nation were happening in all areas of our society i.e. education, housing, health care, economics, and policing. The need for an organization to tackle each area was prevalent. It had to be done professionally, tastefully, and with the will of the people affected by these systems of racial oppression & discrimination. Tisha formulated a mission and strategies on how to bring LegallyBLACK to life and proposed the idea to some of the most respected and intelligent minds she knew -who would later become the founding board of directors.
Tisha understood and believed that in order to achieve this feat, her people (the BIPOC community) would need the open, notorious, and unapologetic support and action of people of all ethnicities, genders, identities and professions. This was the missing element in most other organizations and movements in our history. Having an all-inclusive organization to tackle racial injustice is a deliberate and tactful strategy. Non-Black folks are encouraged and expected to use their advantages and abilities to start conversations, implement new processes and/or policies to better protect people of color, share resources, create safe spaces, uplift the voices of the BIPOC community, and educate those who are not on the receiving end of this long-standing ingrained oppression.
The name “legally” identifies our board and members as law-abiding citizens and community fighting to close the gap of racial disparities in all governed areas of our society. The acronym for “BLACK” details how we go about evoking change. It requires Bravery, Lifting the oppressed, being Altruistic, Creative & Keen. Operating in Tacoma since early 2020, LegallyBLACK was officially established as a duly recognized Washington state Tax exempt 501(c)3 non profit organization in 2021.
We are Brave, Lifted, Altruistic, Creative, & Keen! We see you, we hear you, we love you and we need you.
things we can do for you:
Help Clarify Your Messaging
Co-create a specific message everyone understands
Leverage Speakers
Leverage influential speakers to help educate your audience
Get Real Solutions for Real Demands
Help clarify realistic demands and coordinate with city officials to create strategies for resolutions
Got video production skills?
LegallyBLACK. is looking for talented individuals willing to assist with a few exciting projects. If you have a passion for creating and/or editing video content and want to use those skills to positively impact our community we'd love to connect with you!
Interested? Fill out a brief application to let us know more about you and the work you create!