26th Floor
Pittsburgh
PA 15222
Girls of Color experience discrimination at the intersection of race, gender, ability, and sexual orientation. Their experience can be very different from white girls or boys of color, and unless we specifically seek out their perspectives it can be easy for programs and services to miss the barriers they face and the opportunities to build on their strengths and resilience.
“…adults view Black girls as less innocent and more adult-like than their white peers, especially in the age range of 5–14. Compared to white girls of the same age, survey participants perceive that Black girls need less nurturing, less protection, less support or comfort than their white peers. Survey participants also perceived Black girls to be more independent and know more about adult topics – particularly sex. These results are profound, with far-reaching implications.” (Girlhood Interrupted )
Over the last couple of years, conversations about girls of color have gained momentum and advocates and funders are beginning to work together to close the disparities that young women of color experience and ensure equal opportunities for their future.
Join GWP for a funders' briefing with Jamilia Blake, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University and co-author of Girlhood Interrupted: The Erasure of Black Girls’ Childhood (published by Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality).
Kathi Elliott, Executive Director of Gwen’s Girls will also be on hand to provide a brief overview of the Black Girls Equity Alliance, a community-wide cross-systems initiative she has been leading, including current priorities for local action.
Note: Breakfast and coffee will be provided.