Hear our voices
Over the past six weeks, Girls Inc. of Memphis has been sharing the voices or our girls and alumni in an effort to raise awareness and funds for Girls Inc. of Memphis. And, we are proud to say – you heard us! To date, the “Hear Our Voices!” campaign has raised over $66,000 all of which will go directly to Girls Inc. of Memphis programming.
That means, girls in our community will continue to participate in the Girls Inc. experience, engage in our programming efforts throughout the year and be the example of a strong, smart and bold girl in Memphis! Thanks to all of you who joined in and expressed your voice of support by donating to Girls Inc. of Memphis.
Didn’t get a chance to give to this campaign? There’s still time! Read more about the campaign below and click here to make a Hear Our Voices gift!
Autumn, six-year-old Girls Inc. participant, in her own words…
When Autumn was asked what she wanted the world to hear, she said, “Hi my name is Autumn. If you didn’t know, I am 
just as important as anyone else in this world even though I am Black. I matter too, because I said so.”
Black girls make up 76% of the Memphis population of girls between the ages of 6-18. At Girls Inc., 96% of the girls we serve are Black. Data shows that black girls face a disproportionate rate of harm in our nation and community.
When a six-year-old girl wants the world to know she matters, the data becomes more human:
- As early as preschool, Black girls experience harmful discipline practices, often for minor infractions resulting in Black girls being 6 times more likely to be suspended than their White peers.
- Homicide rates among Black girls and women ages 10-24 is higher than for any other group of females, and higher than White and Asian men.
- A national survey found that 67% of Black girls indicated that they felt sad or hopeless for two or more weeks straight, compared to 31% of White girls.
The late Dr. Peter Benson of the Search Institute said, “It is not enough to prepare our children for this world, we must prepare the world for our children.” The Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets research proved that families and organizations alone cannot successfully build developmental assets within children. The entire community must participate and the role they play vital. We must ALL be involved.
Girls and Girls Inc. of Memphis need YOU.
The Girls Inc. outcomes are powerful:
- 96% of Girls Inc. girls say they know how to solve “real-life” problems in their community.
- 93% of Girls Inc. girls say the leadership opportunities provided by Girls Inc. gives them a chance to make a difference in the world.
- 100% of our seniors graduate from high school and register in post-secondary education.
- Girls Inc. girls have higher school attendance, standardized math test scores, sports engagement and leadership skills than their non-Girls Inc. peers.
Yet, despite their skills and abilities, girls like Autumn continue to face community barriers. For that reason, Girls Inc. decided to launch “Hear Our Voices” to increase awareness, mobilize action and raise much needed funds for programming that equips girls to advocate for themselves, their communities and the world. Since June 10th, we have raised nearly $50,000. But our goal is $75,000, every dime of which goes directly to programming with more than 1,600 girls.
This goal is ambitious and necessary. We know how important Girls Inc. programming is and we have the data to prove its impact. The campaign ends on Friday, July 31st! So, in the next few days, we are asking you to learn, act and dig deep to ensure Girls Inc. raises the awareness and financial support to equip girls with strong, smart and bold programming. If you have already made a contribution to this important campaign, we THANK YOU. If you have not yet had a chance to contribute, it’s not too late – but Friday at midnight is rapidly approaching so I urge you to give TODAY. We will only reach our goal thanks to YOU!
This is it. The time is now. Make a donation and share this message with your friends and family. Your investment in Girls Inc. pays powerful dividends by helping young women like Autumn become leaders, intent on making the world a better place.
Help the world Hear Our Voices! Join me in inspiring this generation of young women leaders. Please click Lisa Moore to reach out to me directly. Christy Valentine is also happy to help you get involved and invite your network to support our work. We are grateful to have you in our corner! Check out the video below for a powerful statement from our alumnae Jada and Maya! And don’t forget to give now!
