Found in 2010, Pretty Brown Girl’s purpose is to provide a safe environment for mentorship where we encourage and support self-acceptance in young girls of color by cultivating social, emotional and intellectual well being. We are still living in a time filled with many racial inequality and racial tension. Many minority groups are still and very much so targets of racial and derogatory injustices. So many black girls learn from a very age that who they are and what are is not beautiful due to many factors, but most importantly because of the underrepresentation of strong black women in the media and the “whitewashing” of the few black women we see in media. It is because of this and the socially constructed concept of what is means to be …show more content…
Our organization is needed to help counteract the stigma placed upon black girls and help support them and guide them through the world through mentorship teaching them along the way the beauty of being a black girl. Our organization works closely with young girls ages 4-16 in the Washtenaw and Wayne county community where we hold bi-weekly meetings with our young girls and well as weekend activities. Our meeting consist of homework time in the first hour where we help the little girls with their school work whether that be math, literature, science and etc. This time also gives us one on one time with our mentees where we discuss with them about what has been happening in their life and catch up on everything since our last meeting time. For the rest of our meeting time we would dialogue discussion about things we see on the media, about what it means to be a women of color, share our experience and methods to combat racial discrimination and etc. We also use this time to have a moment of silence and write and reflect in our dream
The mission of Girls Inc, as stated on their website is, “to inspire all girls to be strong, smart and bold” (girlsinc.org, 2014). This mission statement can be seen on nearly every publication and public image, it has remained central to the organization, and it continues to be a driving force in the future of the organization. The vision of Girls Inc is “empowered girls and an equitable society,” (girlsinc.org). Girls Inc. has also developed a Girls Bill of Rights, which states that the girls have the right to: “1) be themselves and resist gender-stereotypes, 2) express themselves with originality and enthusiasm, 3) take risks, to strive freely, and to take pride in success, 4) accept and appreciate their bodies, 5) have confidence in themselves and to be safe in the world, and 6) prepare for interesting work and economic independence” (girlsinc.org).
Sapphire, more commonly viewed as the angry black woman, is viewed as, the bad black woman, the black “bitch,” and the emasculating matriarch (88). The reason there may not be much research on this myth is because many researchers themselves acknowledge the stereotype (89). The stereotype is seen not as black women’s anger towards the unequal treatment and circumstances they endure, but an irrational desire to control black males, families, and communities around them (95). This stereotype bestows yet another double standard on black women in America today. While a white woman’s passion and drive may be seen as ambitious and exceptional, a black woman displaying the same perseverance would be seen in a negative rather than glorified light.
Oklahoma Girls State was the experience of a lifetime. I made lifelong friends, I abandoned my comfort zone, I learned so much about our great nation, and I was pleasantly surprised by what the program did for me personally. However, the one thing I noticed was that some girls didn’t have as enjoyable of an experience as I did due to the fact that they are exceptional leaders in a way that wasn’t appreciated at Girls State as much as it could have been. I believe that finding a way to help the girls who weren’t as bold have a better experience could enhance the program by a landslide.
Educates people about the impacts of discrimination and bullying by holding online/ lunchtime forums, screening rainbow community’s films, and organizing social media campaign through Youth Action Council.
In mainstream America, black women are often stereotypically portrayed as sex workers, welfare queens, blue-collar service workers, video vixens, and entertainers (Collins 2004). Within these stereotypical depictions, black women are viewed as loud, angry, ghetto, hypersexual, and sometimes violent (Chavous et al. 2004; Childs 2005; Collins 2004; Nguyen & Anthony 2014; Wilkins 2012). In contrast, positive stereotypes of black women showcase them as strong, independent, resilient, loyal to their families and romantic partners, and responsible for sustaining the African American family. These images promote constructive illustrations of black women, even though popularized images negatively portray black women (Chavous et al. 2004;
Cox’s work is exactly the type of discussion that is needed to move the discourse on black women’s bodies from being regarded as part of a stereotype to being regarded as individuals with beautiful differences. This is not a ‘re-mirroring’ of the ‘un-mirrored,’ but rather a creation of a new image, void of previous misconceptions but filled with individuality. The stereotypes concerning black women’s bodies needs to be abolished, not reinvented like Hobson suggests in “Venus in the Dark: Blackness and Beauty in Popular Culture.”
It is sad to know that we cohabit a nation where you are frowned upon because of the content of your skin. This documentary depicts adolescent Black/ African American girl and boys, and women talking about their melanin. Society imposed on us that to be beautiful you must be of a fairly light complexion, have a sculpted body, perfect bone structure, and have nice non-kinky hair. This image has been imbedded in our society, and resulted in those in the Black/ African American community feeling as is they are ugly, non lovable, unwanted, not smart, less than, lacking self confidence, and wishing that they can change their skin tone (by bleaching) to be accepted and to be considered beautiful.
A girl who is considered a racial minority face many challenges in her lifetime that can impede on her well-being. Racism and discrimination are two obstacles minorities have to face. Racism is the “belief in the inherent superiority of one race over all other and thereby the right to dominance” (Lorde 19). Due to racism, minorities have a lack of support from other individuals in the society. Audre Lorde explains her understanding on this issue in her article called “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Refining Difference”. Lorde specifically discusses the discrimination against the African American minority population and gives many examples to support her claims. She stated that one example of Black female discrimination is in literature. Black
Brown stresses the importance of recognizing that being a woman is not extractable from the context in which one is a woman. She examines how both black and white women’s lives are shaped by race and gender, and how these affect life choices. Historically, women of color have filled roles previously attributed to white women
At this time, I became a group leader in an after-school program for a 3rd-grade class. This was my first time working with children and as imagined, it was a tough transition. The students were Latino and African American, living in poverty stricken neighborhoods with a dysfunctional home life. The program focused on students who were at risk of retention. A large number of students were below average and had been recommended to receive extra academic support. As a result of my time spent working and learning with the students, I choose an educational path.
I began by tutoring at the Boys and Girls Club (BGC) and eventually became a teacher at the boys and girls club. The focus of my continued volunteer work was to enrich the children’s after school experience whether they needed help with homework or busy work. During my volunteer work the issue that stuck out in my mid continuously was social class or classism. The BGC emphasizes many different issues and points such as “creating aspirations for the future,” “Helping youth become responsible, caring citizens and acquire skills for participating in the democratic process is the main thrust of these programs and also to develop leadership skills and provide opportunities for planning, decision-making.” BGC encourages kids to engage in healthy and positive behavior as well as to help the youth build and discover creativity in the arts “Club programs help develop fitness, a positive use of leisure time, reduction of stress, appreciation for the environment and social and interpersonal skills.” (bgca.org)
Although it often goes unknown, Allison wrote Two or Three Things I Know For Sure and it shares experiences that reveal intersectionality and it addresses how her life experiences and environment shaped her into who she is now. This book also reveals the juxtaposition between how people identify themselves with intersectionality and how society or others view and hold them to specific standards. This book reveals how history can repeat itself, how others can be impacted by the intersectionality surrounding them and how they feel pressured to stick to a standard placed upon them such as the reoccurring idea of being “pretty”. The book ends with Allison and her sister addressing Allison’s niece as being “pretty” and Allison breaks down the walls surrounding her allowing herself to see the battles she’s faced in the
In Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, published in 1970, the struggle begins in childhood. Two young black girls -- Claudia and Pecola -- illuminate the combined power of externally imposed gender and racial definitions where the black female must not only deal with the black male's female but must contend with the white male's and the white female's black female, a double gender and racial bind. All the male definitions that applied to the white male's female apply, in intensified form, to the black male's, white male's and white female's black female. In addition, where the white male and female are represented as beautiful, the black female is the inverse -- ugly.
EBSCO HOST. Web. The Web. The Web. 17 Feb. 2014. Madison, D. - Soyini, S. "Pretty Woman Through the Triple Lens of Black Feminist Spectatorship."
"Girl Scouts: Year of the Girl - The Day to Get Involved." Girl Scouts of the United