“Girls Inc. of NYC provides resources while giving girls and young women a sense of community, mentorship, and guidance.”
Leila, Girls Inc. of NYC Alumna
I am a Brooklyn native—born and raised in Bedford Stuyvesant. At 16, I joined Girls Inc. of NYC and stayed through college, and now I’m a working professional and proud GINYC alumna.
How Girls Inc. of NYC impacted me
Girls Inc. of NYC provided me with amazing support as I attended and graduated high school and college, bringing incredible young women from across the city into my network. As a peer leader in Teen Leadership Circles, I was able to create a curriculum that would best impact the students in our schools, building my identity as a leader. I then joined Project REACH, the college retention program, eventually interning for Project REACH by providing professional development workshops and sharing resources and encouragement. Although I have graduated, I still receive recommendation letters from Girls Inc. of NYC and they check in every couple of months to see how I am doing.
Where I am headed
When I graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 2022, I became a New York City Urban Fellow at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice. I have always been dedicated to equity and wanted to be a driving force for tangible change in my community—specifically I am interested in the reproductive justice space and providing resources and protections to Black and Brown pregnant people. My time as an Urban Fellow solidified my love for public service. Currently, I am a paralegal at the NY County District Attorney’s Office, developing hard skills and learning about the legal field. Also, I am seeking to expand my professional network abroad by applying for master’s degrees in London.
Why is Girls Inc. of NYC important?
Systematic racism, misogyny, and classism are prevalent in New York City’s history and present. Many BIPOC and low-income communities experience sharp governmental distrust, healthy food inaccessibility, and in my case, extreme gentrification, leaving many feeling left out in the buzzing city. Girls and young women of NYC are particularly affected by these systemic consequences. It takes nonprofits like Girls Inc of NYC to step in and bridge resource gaps. What makes Girls Inc. of NYC special is how it provides resources while giving girls and young women a sense of community, mentorship, and guidance.
