About New Era Creative Space

New Era Creative Space's (NECS) Girls EmpowerED program addresses the negative messaging that young women and girls face in our society at large. We seek to help girls build resilience and learn tools to help them live safe, thriving lives. The program meets weekly over the course of the school year. NECS trains 3 - 5 mentors from Peekskill high school to be the facilitators of the middle school program. Training covers leadership and facilitation skills, rights of girls and women, culturally responsive teaching, and using virtues to guide throughout the sessions. The mentors then meet regularly with our adult supervisor to create and develop each lesson and reflect on how the sessions are going.

The Challenge

The city of Peekskill, New York has historically been subjected to the disparities of systemic racism and segregated housing policies which have  negatively impacted the people in the community. Data for the United States shows that: 1 in 3 teenage girls is a victim of physical, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner; nearly half of students grades 7-12 reported experiencing sexual harassment; and 11.8% of females have been forced to have unwanted sexual activity. Locally, girls have told NECS of bullying and intimidation through social media, fierce pressure to “look good” and “fit in,” and additional scrutiny for Black girls – from their hair which is often deemed unruly or unprofessional, to skin color – the darker they are, the less respect they receive and the worse they are treated.

EmpowerED Girls Leadership Program

This program serves middle and high school girls and helps them develop the knowledge, skills, and capacities to develop strong and healthy identities. It helps girls and young women navigate the pressures of social media, bullying and the pressure to look or act a certain way. It provides a safe place to talk about issues that concern them, like sexual violence and racism. Ultimately, it helps girls learn to champion their worth and demand gender equality.

NECS trains 3 – 5 mentors from the Peekskill high school to be the facilitators of the middle school program. Training covers leadership and facilitation skills, rights of girls and women, culturally responsive teaching, and using virtues to guide throughout the sessions. The mentors then meet regularly with our adult supervisor to create and develop each lesson and reflect on how the sessions are going.

How we help

Mona Foundation began supporting the EmpowerED Girls Leadership Program in 2021. The program is especially valuable at present given the added stress -- beyond the normal challenges of adolescence -- from the pandemic and heightened awareness of racial injustice.

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