When Solange dropped her fourth studio album ‘When I Get Home’ at the cusp of a complicated Black History Month, fans and followers felt relived to know the Houston singer saved us with a artistic project for the people. Since it’s release, net proceeds from the joint vinyl and digital download sales have gone to several charities centered towards the advancement of young Black Girls around the country as well as in her hometown of Houston, TX. Those organizations— S.H.A.P.E. Community Center, Black Girls Code, and Project Butterfly, all bring a sense of “home” to those future young women throughout their programs.

Solange, who has a history of giving back to communities in Houston and New Orleans, chose three organizations through her upbringing and throughout her time in New Orleans, resonated with the singer. With S.H.A.P.E. Community Center being one of the “safe spaces” of her Third Ward neighborhood, the singer recently used the center to promote her latest project. This place, was a grounding moment in her youth that her mother, Tina Knowles used to shape her and sister’s outlook on art.

“I had actually found a space in Houston, TX where I retired,” she told ESSENCE. “It’s always been a dream of mine to open a place like this. When my kids were young, we used to go to a place called The Shrine of the Black Madonna in Houston. It was an African-American bookstore where they sold paintings, but they also had a room that was an all-purpose center. If you wanted to have a dance recital or anything that was related to the community activities, you could have it there. We were middle class but, we lived in The Third Ward, which is a mixed-class African-American area. There was also a place called The Shape Center that became such an important part of my children’s growth and their creativity. They could go there and see art; they had Black books by Black authors and the Black authors would come in and read the books. It was just so important to the community and how it affected the youth in the community.

So, I always said, if I ever had the chance, I would open a center like this.”

The center’s agenda for their community has always been to improve the quality of life of African Americans through activities and programs.

Project Butterfly, which has branches nationwide as well as Houston and New Orleans, Solange’s most recent home, is a nationwide rites of passage program to prepare Black girls from adolescence to adulthood, while promotin self- awareness, financial literacy, increase self-esteem, create a positive self-image, build character and develop leadership skills. Black Girls Code is an organization that provide  young and pre-teen girls of color opportunities to learn in-demand skills in technology and computer programming early in life. 

With proceeds going to all three organizations, the meaning of When I Get Home has a deeper meaning for those being able to feel “at home” in these various safe spaces.