BLACK NURSES WEEK

The idea of Black Nurses Week® was a result of a painful and race-based traumatic experience during a travel nurse assignment in 2017 in Silicon Valley, CA when I was told that my natural hairstyle was “unprofessional”. Sound familiar? I was confused, shocked, and heart broken. It took me six months to come to terms with what I actually experienced in an environment and profession that I loved to serve. I eventually decided to turn my pain into purpose. 

I created Black Nurses Week to empower and celebrate the Black nursing community and the excellence we bring to the profession. I know that Black nurses have a powerful impact in reducing healthcare disparities and effectively advocating for patients of color in the healthcare organizations that we choose to serve. We are creative, innovative, and compassionate individuals that have a vital voice in contributing to the future of nursing. The challenges come when we feel as if we cannot thrive or be our authentic selves in our profession because of how we look or the color of our skin. 

The goal is to inspire and impact the lives of Black nurses through personal and professional development. I am building a supportive community by curating events that provide education, resources, and guidance to allow us to excel in healthcare and overcome the challenges and barriers that is holding us back. 

Tauqilla Manning-CEO/Founder of Black Nurses Week

Tauqilla Manning is a status quo disruptor and a force of nature in nursing—relentlessly shaking up healthcare with integrity, grit, and a fierce commitment to Black nurse excellence and patient advocacy. With 19 years in nursing (11 of them leading travel and interim teams), she doesn’t just manage patient care—she transforms it. From uniting fractured teams to amplifying nurse diversity, Tauqilla pumps energy into every corner of the clinical world, demanding quality outcomes, equity, and a true voice for every patient.

Her rise was anything but ordinary. She began her career as a CNA, quickly advanced to LPN, then became an RN with a BSN—and she’s since rocked C-suite spots across multiple states. When the COVID-19 crisis hit, she became a frontline commander—directing Maryland’s Alternative Care Site hospital, spearheading statewide testing initiatives, earned the nickname “Powerhouse” for her relentless pandemic leadership, and receiving an Excellence Award from the Maryland Army National Guard. Yet her proudest achievement? Launching Black Nurses Week®—a movement dedicated to celebrating Black nursing excellence, helping Black nurses thrive, and building an unbreakable community.

Today, Tauqilla leads on the West Coast as an interim Nurse Leader, but her vision stretches far beyond one hospital. As Founder & CEO of Black Nurses Week, she’s on a mission to rewrite healthcare’s story—lifting up Black nurses, smashing systemic barriers, and setting a new standard for patient care, professional respect, and advocacy. If you want healthcare to evolve, follow Tauqilla’s trail.