MEET FATIMA
Speaker. Consultant. Trainer.
Fatima M. Smith is a survivor, relentless advocate, “social mom-trepreneur,” and founder of FMS Speaks. She established FMS Speaks as a way to share her passion for anti-violence work, racial justice, and engage folks in dialogue that ignites action for progress. She has developed a reputation as a highly sought after speaker and facilitator for engaging professionals in dialogue about power, privilege, and oppression in organizational and institutional settings.
Fatima has over ten years of experience leading professional development experiences for individuals in state and local government, higher education, and nonprofit agencies. She has built a career on providing advocacy and education of interpersonal violence prevention. As a social worker, she has spent her career establishing inter and intra agency partnerships instrumental in transforming programming and service delivery models on the needs of clients in service provision. Her experience has largely centered on the paradigm shift within the community, first responders, Title IX, and law enforcement to "Start by Believing" and utilizing a solution focused, trauma-informed response.
Fatima is a graduate of George Mason University (GMU) where she received a Bachelor of Science in Administration of Justice, and founded the Mr. & Miss Black GMU Scholarship Pageant. Fatima received her Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and was an adjunct faculty member of the Sociology Department and a School of Social Work internship supervisor. She was recognized as a 2016 Richmond Times Dispatch Person of the Year honoree; VCU's Top 10 Under 10; GMU’s Top 50 Exemplar Alumni; GMU Black Alumni Chapter 40 Under Forty; and Style Weekly's Top 40 under 40. Fatima is the founder of Collective 365, a network of community conscious individuals who want to invest in Black & Brown communities in the DC, MD, VA area through unrestricted grant funding.
She is a board member of Children's Advocacy Centers of Virginia as well as a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Fatima's greatest honor is being a mother. She attributes her success to the example and support her mother provides.
