'Women Inspiring Kindness' group in Simi Valley turns hate crime victim into victor

When Asia Brown, 12, became a victim of a hate crime last year, her world shattered but a community came together to bring support and change.

That evening in September, Asia and her friends from Camarillo, ages 7 to 11, were harassed by a group of teens at a trampoline park at Janss Marketplace in Thousand Oaks. The victims were Black; the perpetrators Hispanic and white, Thousand Oaks Police Chief Jeremy Paris said.

Ultimately, the girls accused of harassing were cited and released for suspicion of theft, vandalism, tampering with fire protection equipment, violation of civil rights and resisting arrest.

Paris said he was grateful that the responding deputy recognized that it was a hate crime.

"That's the thing about hate crimes. They affect a whole community of people," he said.

After the incident, Asia Brown was distraught. "The girls called her a monkey, (the N-word)," said her mom, Lovie Brown.

The accused girls, from Thousand Oaks and Pacoima, ultimately appeared in court where a judge permitted Asia to read them a letter. The courts seal juvenile records so the outcome of their case is not known, but Paris said that the focus is on redirection through education, not punishment.

'This group is going to heal nations'

That could have been the end. But after the incident, Jessica Bishop, founder of Women Inspiring Kindness, reached out to Lovie and Asia Brown, took them to lunch and asked what the community could do for them.

Women Inspiring Kindness is a loose-knit group of women who share what they have with those in need.

The organization started in 2020 during the pandemic as a Facebook group in Simi Valley with less than a dozen women who exchanged basic necessities like toilet paper and diapers. The group has grown to over 5,000 members, spreading beyond the city limits and offering assistance and support for women and families in need.

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Every year or two, Lovie Brown makes a missionary trip to Africa through Light Africa Ministries in Uganda to help with well water, schools and medicine and to help set up micro-economies for women.

At the lunch with Bishop, Asia said, "I want to be a world-changer, like my mom. I want to start in Africa," her mother recounted.

To get there with her mom, Asia needed to raise the money. Bishop held a fundraiser Aug. 20 with her group and raised $8,000 in one night. She only needed $5,000.

"It is one woman to another," said Lovie Brown, who is a member. "This group is going to heal nations."

Bishop has adopted the symbol of the elephant for the group. A herd of female elephants will circle around a threatened member, or a member that is birthing, to send a message to predators.

"A community is more powerful than a single individual who is fragile or defeated. We offer love, a safe place and hope," said Lovie Brown.

During the pandemic shutdowns, Bishop said the group set up a meal train for those in need. They had social gatherings outside to combat the isolation and loneliness of the pandemic. A yoga teacher offered members outdoor yoga classes for free. They started a Big Sister program for youths, among other things.

Bishop, whose background is in social work, has taken the organization to the next level. In August, Women Inspiring Kindness received its federal nonprofit status. The organization remains a Facebook group for now, but members in other cities and states are interested in starting new branches, Bishop said.

Sometimes, members just offer daily quotes or positive affirmations on their group page to help another member hang on for one more day.

On a bigger scale, Bishop said she wants to help with homelessness, mental illness, suicide and support groups for those without insurance.

"Women have gotten into formation for me more than once," she said. "Loving others through acts of kindness saved my life and has given me purpose and restored my faith in humanity.

"How did I end up here?" Bishop said. "A powerful community of women refused to let me fail. When women gather, the world heals."

Victoria Talbot is a courts and breaking news reporter with The Star. Reach her at victoria.talbot@vcstar.com or 805-437-0258. 

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Simi Valley's Women Inspiring Kindness nonprofit brings hope