Not JUST Black Girl Magic: What it takes to inspire and support ALL our girls

By: MENTOR

News

Throughout March we are celebrating Women’s History Month! We will be highlighting the important contributions women have made to the mentoring field, as well as featuring stories from female mentors and mentees.

A couple of years ago, when I first heard the term “Black Girl Magic,” I was like…yep, that’s me!  I didn’t really know what the term meant, or its origins, but I was confident it included me.  The more I learned about the concept, saw the t-shirts and memes on social media, I began to wonder, “What do all the other non-black girls think?  Aren’t they magical, too?”  The answer is simple: YES, they are magical as well, and I hope they know it. 

For me, the journey began when I was just five or six years old, when I told my grandmother that I was going to be a secretary when I grew up.  She looked at me and said, “Why wouldn’t you be the boss? And then you could have a secretary.” And so, it began.

The support and encouragement I have received from family, teachers, and in my professional life from colleagues and supervisors have been instrumental in helping me become the person I am today.  Wouldn’t it be transformative if ALL girls had that kind of underpinning?  What if ALL girls had their own personal cheering sections?  Girls need to see and believe that they are strong, capable and have the tools to achieve their dreams. They need examples and roadmaps to help them navigate the often-bumpy terrain to adulthood and beyond. How do we get there?  Mentors!

Mentors are the link between what is and what could be.  They see your potential.  They have been down the road (or a similar road) you are currently on and can warn you to look-out for the potholes.  Mentors have the benefit of life experience they can share.  They can also provide exposure and a different lens through which to see the world.

When girls look up and see that Indra K. Nooyi can be the CEO of PepsiCo, Gisel Ruiz is the COO at Sam’s Club, Kamala Harris is a United States Senator from California and that Misty Copeland is the first African American Female Principal Dancer of the American Ballet Theatre, we gain traction.

The world is a big place and girls need to know that they belong.  Mentors help to set the stage and prepare our girls for greatness.  No need to acquire special powers, our girls already have all the magic they need. 

Check out this webinar that Cheryl hosted last February on
“Girls of Color Rock: How Programs Empower, Encourage and  Energize our Girls”

 

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  • MENTOR National and Affiliates will use the information you provide to better inform future publications and keep you up to date with advancements in the mentoring field. For more information, check out our privacy policy.