R.E.A.L. Women

Reaching out to Elevate and Advocate for Love of self among African American Girls!
REAL Women is a supportive arm of Black Girl Rising Inc. We provide annual financial contributions so that the Black Girl Rising Inc Committee can continue to provide free programming and events for African American girls in our community. As a REAL Woman, we are invited to programs, seminars, and events sponsored by Black Girl Rising Inc throughout the year. As REAL Women, we are making a statement about our priorities, interests, and how we spend our dollars to support efforts we believe in, such as Placing Black Girls at Promise!

As a Black Girl Rising Inc. REAL Woman you can inspire, support, and share your wisdom with the girls. Become a REAL Woman of Columbus and make a contribution on behalf of African American girls in our city!

Please make an annual contribution to support the work of Black Girl Rising Inc. and become a REAL Woman

Make Your Contribution to Black Girl Rising Inc.

Mail Your Contribution to Black Girl Rising Inc. REAL Women,
PO BOX 09110, Columbus, Ohio 43209

    I give permission for my name to be listed as a REAL Woman on Black Girl Rising Inc materials

    For more information, contact Alice Porter, Co-Chair, Black Girl Rising Inc. Committee, at Bailey6170@yahoo.com

    Black Girl Rising Inc. is a network. It is a collaboration of concerned women and women’s organizations who are addressing chronic stress and trauma experienced by Black girls and are finding ways to build their resiliency. The work of Black Girl Rising Inc. is based on a groundbreaking research study of the same name of 411 African American girls in four Ohio cities. The study examined the lived experiences of Black girls in urban and rural communities.

    Real Women Speak!

    Shaping the Future One Girl at a Time

     

          

    Why I Give
    R.E.A.L. WOMAN JANET GEORGE 

    SHARES WHY SHE GIVES TO BLACK GIRL RISING INC.

    Over 20 years ago I joined AmeriCorps National Service with a deep desire to make a difference in the lives of children and youth. As I began my term of service, AmeriCorps members frequently had the opportunity to inspire and recruit others by sharing why they serve. More times than I can count, I heard those who had committed themselves to giving back say they were inspired by a special person, Aunt Suzie, or Uncle Jim. A special teacher, Ms. Miller, my neighbor-lady Miss Sally, Mother Joyce at church. This was a person who believed in them, who accepted them, who listened, who encouraged them, who let them know that they mattered. This was, maybe, the one person who truly saw them as who they really were, and not some narrative of who they ought to be. The more I heard these stories the more I realized that my answer to why I serve was that I did not have that person who valued me and was there to cheer me on no matter what. Fast forward to the founding of Black Girl Rising Inc., Sister Fran sharing her work, over lunch at the conservatory. Telling me her dream for supporting Black girls – for building resiliency in Black girls. My response was “What can I do to help?” Since that day, no matter what my personal life challenges have been, during times when my physical, emotional, or time resources have had little extra to spare, I can and did support the ‘work’ however I could.

    Today the question is Why I Give. Time. Talent. Money. I give because I know personally what it means to grow into womanhood and not have a sense of your own Black woman self or know the power in being who you are. I give to be part of a community – a village if you will – of women who work to place Black girls at promise. I give because I was a Black girl, growing up believing that she was not good enough. I want our girls to KNOW that they are good enough; I want our girls to know that we SEE them, accept them as they are, and want the best for them. I want our girls to know that we love them. The black girl in me demands it.

    Sister Janet George is a former co-chair of the Black Girl Rising Inc. Committee. As a member of Creative Women of Color, she continues to share her artistic and creative skills with the girls of the BGTT.