Women in the NAACP (WIN)

A Welcome to Black Women and Our Allies 

It is with deep humility, pride, and resolve that I greet you as the Chair of Women in the NAACP (WIN). I am honored to serve alongside the powerful women and allies who have long been the backbone of this Association and the conscience of our movement. 

As the former President of the NAACP Brooklyn Branch and now Vice Chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors, I bring a deep commitment to partnership, accountability, and grassroots leadership. The future of WIN will not be built for women, it will be built with women. 

Read the Full Letter

History and Mission 

Women in the NAACP (WIN) was founded in 1980 in Memphis, Tennessee, by Mrs. Frances Louise Dancy Hooks, wife of NAACP Executive Director Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks, along with Ms. Earlene Bollin, a longtime NAACP staff leader.  WIN was formally approved as a national standing committee in 2004 through the NAACP's Implementation of Women in the NAACP (WIN) as a Standing Committee resolution.  

The mission of WIN is to enhance the leadership role of women within the NAACP and the broader community; to serve as an advocacy vehicle addressing social, economic, political, educational, and health issues affecting women and children; and to advocate for the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual development of children, while supporting the overall mission and vision of the NAACP.  

In 2017, the NAACP expanded WIN's organizational footprint by passing a resolution adding WIN as a standing committee within NAACP College Chapters, formally incorporating WIN into youth and college structures.  

Additionally, WIN's inclusion in the list of official standing committees was reaffirmed and strengthened through multiple NAACP structural resolutions: 

2005 – Bylaws amendment confirming WIN in the list of Standing Committees of Units (Article VIII).

2007 – Bylaws update , maintaining WIN among Branch Standing Committees as part of expanded committee structure.

2022 (CA/HI State Conference) – Resolution encouraging all branches to maintain an active WIN Committee.

Two Grinning Black Women Taking a Selfie Together Outside

Getting Your WIN Membership

WIN membership is available exclusively to active NAACP members. If you are not currently an NAACP member, you must join first before adding WIN. The guide below walks you step-by-step through the process for NAACP Membership and WIN Membership.

Add WIN To Your Membership

WIN's Impact

Dive into the impact of Women in the NAACP (WIN) over the years.

Among its major international achievements, WIN constructed two permanent school facilities in the Republic of Benin (West Africa), in the rural villages of Yawa and Hetin. These schools serve as centers of education and community hubs in regions historically connected to the TransAtlantic Slave Trade.  
The opening of the Yawa school was attended by NAACP National Director of Education John Jackson, highlighting the importance of this initiative for global human rights work and community development.  
WIN has played a significant role in national public health advocacy. In partnership with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), WIN developed and implemented a nationwide Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Program. Educational materials were culturally tailored to Black communities and disseminated through churches, schools, workplaces, and community organizations.  
This initiative was conducted with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Coalition of 100 Black Women, with evaluation provided by NIH.  
WIN was also among the early leaders in HIV/AIDS prevention and education, sponsoring community-based workshops that focused especially on Black women and families and supporting NAACP-wide advocacy for HIV/AIDS prevention and equity. 
WIN committees nationwide lead a wide range of community-centered efforts, including: 
- Leadership development and training for women 
- Financial literacy workshops for women and girls 
- Disaster relief and emergency response 
- Maternal and women's health advocacy 
- Support for women transitioning from incarceration 
WIN also organized Girls Circles, mentoring young girls in self-esteem, leadership, and positive decision-making. Additional initiatives include adopting women's shelters, mobilizing voter education and participation, and expanding women's leadership representation on boards, commissions, and in elected offices.  
WIN has responded to international humanitarian crises at the request of diplomatic leaders. During the Ebola outbreak in Liberia, WIN delivered non-perishable food supplies at the request of the Liberian Ambassador. Additionally, WIN supported environmental recovery and food sustainability in Haiti through tree planting initiatives that reduced erosion, restored land, and engaged youth in climate resilience.  
WIN operates fully within NAACP governance structures and under the authority of the Unit Executive Committee. WIN committees may not maintain separate treasuries and must ensure that all activities, fundraising, and expenditures comply with NAACP bylaws, financial controls, and national policies. This structure is reinforced through multiple NAACP governance resolutions (2004, 2005, 2007 )