Today we’d like to introduce you to Taja Morris.
Hi Taja, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Your journey as the founder of Sisters With An Agenda (SWA) reflects a deep commitment to youth and women’s empowerment, rooted in personal experience and community service. Since its inception in 2008, SWA has evolved from a youth program focused on self-awareness, community service, and sisterhood into a multifaceted organization supporting women in service fields and women entrepreneurs through personal and professional development.
## Background and Origins of Sisters With An Agenda
– Founded in 2008 after returning from college and graduating from Germantown High School.
– Initially created as a youth program to support students in self-awareness, community service, and fostering sisterhood.
– Extensive experience working with youth programs in Philadelphia, including high schools and summer camps.
– Served 13 years as a Dean of Students at Mastery Charter, working with high-need students.
## Challenges and Transformation
– In 2020, experienced the loss of over 30 students to gun violence and suicide, which deeply impacted your role and perspective.
– This tragedy prompted a shift away from traditional youth service roles but reinforced your dedication to working with youth and community support.
## Relaunch and Expansion of Sisters With An Agenda
– Relaunched SWA in 2021, focusing on women in service fields.
– Created monthly sister circles designed for women’s personal development, providing a safe space for release, reflection, celebration, and collective growth.
– In 2024, expanded to include the SWA Collective, a professional development platform for women entrepreneurs.
## SWA Collective: Supporting Women Entrepreneurs
– The collective aims to foster growth by connecting women entrepreneurs with essential resources and expertise.
– Services include access to accountants, business coaches, workshops on permits and licenses, finding business locations, pitch development, and networking opportunities.
– Facilitates partnerships and collaborations to support business growth.
– Provides content creation support and resource connections tailored to women-led businesses.
Your work with Sisters With An Agenda exemplifies a holistic approach to empowerment, addressing both personal and professional needs of women and youth in your community. The organization’s evolution from youth-focused to a broader platform for women’s development highlights your adaptability and commitment to creating impactful support systems.
Taja Morris is the winner of the Made Herself a Boss Award, Know Her Worth Community Impact Award, FlowHer Impact Award, and Win Empower Women Award along with several citations from PA state representatives and city council members. She is the founder of Sisters With Their Agenda, a program she started in 2008 at Germantown High School in Philadelphia to support high students. Sisters With Their Agenda was created as a safe space for young people to build self-awareness, foster sisterhood, and understand the importance of community service. Over the years, Taja continued serving Philadelphia’s youth, an experience that deeply impacted her mental health, leading to depression and burnout, especially after the loss of over 30 students to gun violence and suicide.
During the pandemic, Taja re-launched Sisters With Their Agenda to focus on women leaders and women in service. The organization now provides spaces for women to release, reflect, and celebrate while developing their mental and emotional skills. This empowers them to serve others with love and compassion without feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or unhealthy.
Sisters With Their Agenda mission centers on community, capacity development, education, and resources to nurture and care for one another.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Sisters With An Agenda faces the complex challenge of balancing its identity as both a community-serving nonprofit and a growing business. Rooted in personal experiences and trauma from youth in Philadelphia, the organization strives to support women while scaling sustainably. Key struggles include securing consistent program spaces, identifying and reaching the right target audience, and overcoming marketing and social media barriers that limit visibility and engagement. Additionally, navigating the demands of motherhood alongside entrepreneurship adds emotional and logistical challenges. Building strong networks and partnerships remains difficult, yet essential for expanding impact. To move forward, Sisters With An Agenda must clarify its mission and business model, strengthen marketing efforts through authentic storytelling, and develop strategic collaborations that align with its dual goals of service and growth.
We’ve been impressed with Sisters With An Agenda, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our mission is to help individuals design a professional blueprint by uncovering core values and personality traits. In this workshop, we will identify companies that match participants and research their missions and values. This approach will help you create a decision-making framework that aligns with who you are and the organizations you want to join.
What does success mean to you?
Success for Sisters With An Agenda means empowering women leaders and business owners to maintain the capacity to navigate their personal lives while consistently showing up professionally for their businesses. In Philadelphia and beyond, many women face significant challenges and trauma that can make it difficult to serve at their highest potential. The goal is to overcome these barriers so that these women can become strong role models for the next generation. Success also looks like building a thriving business that not only helps women understand and navigate the world of entrepreneurship but also supports them in thriving personally and professionally, ultimately touching as many lives and creating as much positive impact as possible.
Pricing:
- SWA Collective Membership 3month $1500 per Quarter
- SWA Collective Hub rental workshop and small event alignment with the SWA Mission $250 6hrs
- 1 on 1 Coach $200 90mins
- Personal Mission Statement workshop $300 2hrs
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sisterswithanagendavillage.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sisterswithanagenda_newpage/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taja-morris-b286352a0
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXUHKI1xcxr09Woaq3cC8MA
