Operation Black Joy

Operation Black Joy is a fiscally sponsored incubator project of Springboard for the Arts.

We are an ongoing service project dedicated to making Black people smile. Through direct action - including service events, random acts of kindness, and free or sponsored arts education - we are committed to creating and supporting Black Joy.

Ongoing projects supported by your donations to Operation Black Joy:

Fireside Soul
Black Joy Forecast
OBJ Self Care Cafe
Reckless Comedy Night
Black Joy Gaming Network
Youth Improv Classes/ Workshops
Free Ice Cream for Black Foster Families
100 Black Improvisers Scholarship Initiative

OBJ History 
Operation Black Joy began as a hashtag and a dream from the mind of Stephanie Rae, founder of the Black Improv Alliance, and through the hearts and hands of her peers, founding members of BIA: Alex Taylor, Daryl Patrice, and David Hepburn.

The first #operationblackjoy event was delivering ice cream to foster families in 2018. The next was a self-care buffet set up for Black folx in Orlando, and then, of course, the most popular event was Will Smith Appreciation Day. A ton or two of Ben & Jerry's ice cream later, Operation Black Joy is now a fiscally sponsored nonprofit dedicated to the production, creation, assistance, and uplifting of Black joy.

Here are some highlights from our service:
-The Northside Youth Healing Team's incredible improvised performance (to a packed house) on "mental health in community" after taking only 2 2-hour workshops.

-The young sisters at Patrick Henry High who yelled "we're actors now" after taking after taking an 8 week course

-The kid who seemed somewhat appreciative of our affirmation that Black Lives Matter and he’s important and he can do anything - but started straight up dancing when he heard the words ‘Ice cream cake’ 😂

-The family that was celebrating their son’s high school graduation when we pulled up with the ‘Celebrate Black Joy’ cake. 

(Coincidence? Serendipity? You decide)

-The older lady who teared up when we brought her pints of Half-Baked because she had been just thinking about ice cream that morning and then, there we were. (AND she runs an organization to care for other people! So we got to help a helper!)

-Handing out some pints on the streets to people who were just really happy to get them.

We were even featured on John Krasinski's "Some Good News" in early 2020 - Black Joy is for EVERYONE!