The Lower Eastside Girls Club
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25 Years of Joy Power & Possibility
Founded in 1996 by neighborhood mothers and community activists, the Lower Eastside Girls Club is an independent, community-based organization allied in the struggle for racial, gender, and climate justice. Through our free, year-round programs in STEM, Arts, Digital Media, Sound, Wellness, Civic Engagement and Leadership; we amplify the inner power of young women and gender-expansive youth in New York City. For 25 years, we have been championing young people’s power to shape their future, the future of their community, and the world beyond. Our rich and radical history makes us who we are today: an innovative and responsive community hub, working towards a more just and equitable future. Everyday, we are reimagining what equips young people and their community to thrive. In this annual report, we are celebrating our successes and sharing our story. We invite you all to follow along, see our vision, and get inspired. Together, we will ignite the next 25 years!
Contents . . . . . . . A Note from Our 6.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Co-Executive Directors
7.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2021 Highlights 9.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Our Values 10.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Our History 13.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Our Community Wellbeing 14.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Center for & Happiness 18.. . . . . . . . . . . . . Pandemic & Food Justice 19.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Girls Club Programs 20.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Center for Community 23.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Girls Club Programs 24.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . STEM 25.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sustainability 26.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Music Technology
27.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Digital Media 28.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wellness & Movement 29.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Art & Design 30.. . . . . Leadership & Civic Engagement . . . . . . . . . . . Entrepreneurship + 32.. . . . . . . . College and Career Pathways 34.. . . . . . . . . . Alumnae: Jayola & Angelina 36.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Staff 38.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Financial Snapshot 39.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Funders 40.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Board of Directors 40.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Girls Club Alliance 40.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CWBH Advisory Board 41.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Girls Club Partners
A Note from Our Co-Executive Directors Dear Friends, As we celebrate 25 years of The Lower Eastside Girls Club, we reflect on our past and look towards the future — which is oh so bright. Throughout this report, we present our accomplishments and introduce our exciting new initiatives for 2022 and beyond. In 1996, we came together to address the appalling lack of services for girls and young women. From an idea, to a shopping cart, to over two dozen locations, to a 35,000 ft2 state-of-the-art facility, to expanding our mission and service population: we are growing and thriving. Today, we have become the global model for a community space, with partners in all 5 boroughs, across the country, and around the world. During these unprecedented times, we never wavered in our commitment to the community. As we enter a new year, we start a new journey by opening our doors to the 5,000 ft2 Center for Wellbeing & Happiness (CWBH). The CWBH will provide holistic wellness programming focusing on mental, physical, and financial wellbeing for all generations and all genders. This is what community care and resilience looks like. Thank you for being part of the movement. We could not do it without you, so let’s ignite the next 25 years of Joy, Power and Possibility together!
Ebonie Simpson & Jenny Dembrow
Lower Eastside Girls Club, Co-Executive Directors
2021 Highlights 321
Youth enrolled in 2021 Girls Club programs
16
Courses offered through our Center for Wellbeing and Happiness Virtual Hub
133
Paid internship opportunities for teens and alumnae
171
Courses offered in STEM, Arts, Digital Media, Music Technology, Wellness, Movement, Leadership and Civic Engagement, College and Career Pathways, and Entrepreneurship
Stacey Abrams
215,600 lbs
Honored at our 25th Anniversary Gala
of food distributed through our Community Food Pantry
79,440
340
Registered members (of all generations Meals distributed through our and genders) at the Center for Community Food Pantry. Wellbeing & Happiness Virtual Hub (130,000 meals throughout the pandemic)
350 lbs
of produce grown and harvested on the Girls Club rooftop farm
25 Years
of the Lower Eastside Girls Club
Mission The Lower Eastside Girls Club (LESGC) supports young women and gender-expansive youth of color throughout New York City in leveraging their inner power to shape a better future for themselves, their community, and the world. Through free, year-round, innovative programming we connect young people with their passions, celebrate their curiosity, and channel their creative energy. Together, we are building a just and equitable future filled with “Joy. Power. Possibility.”
Manifesto They dream. They radically imagine the world and community they want to live in. One that is limitless, just, and full of joy. Together, we do. We boldly take action to make their dreams a reality. Step by step. Day by day. We never back down. Everything we do is with them in mind. We guide them, and fight alongside them, personally supporting them as they discover their own future of possibilities. A future where they hold more power. Together, we’re unstoppable.
Intention Community Radical Imagination Social Justice Sustainability Innovation
space for meaningful discoveries, healing, growth, and evolution. We build in partnership with our Community. We recognize that we need solidarity and collaboration to build a just world.
Our Values
We act with Intention. With care and purposeful action, we create
We embrace Radical Imagination. We facilitate learning as a joyful, playful, and emancipatory act that allows our members to envision a present and future that breaks the boundaries and barriers of the status quo. We are rooted in Social Justice. We believe a more equitable and just future is possible and commit to both acting upon and embodying the values of anti-racism, gender- and sexuality-based equality, and socioeconomic justice. We commit to Sustainability and environmental justice for ourselves, our community, our city, and our world. We foster Innovation through dynamic and proactive youth and community programming. We are trailblazers, building new, intergenerational pathways for our members and community to thrive and to create their own transformative change.
Our History 1996 In a neighborhood with three Boys Clubs, the Girls Club launched with a community celebration at Theater for the New City
2002 Started our first Farmers Market on Avenue D at the future site of the Girls Club’s Center for Community facility
1998
2003
Rented our first space in the back of a 99cent store on Avenue D. Programs soon expanded to over two dozen locations
Launched a capital campaign to construct our own Center for Community facility
2000 Joined the Million Mom March for Gun Control in Washington D.C. Started our first Girls Club Worldwide partnership a young women’s activism and photography collective in Chiapas, Mexico (subsequently known as Stsebetik Bolom) Established the Girls Congress: a collective of community organizations in the Lower East Side Rented a commercial kitchen and launched our first entrepreneurial venture: the Sweet Things Baking Company
2001 Established Girls as Activists, Leaders and Advocates (GALA) Program
Opened our first art gallery, digital photography lab, and podcasting studio at our storefront office on E. 1st Street Marched against the Iraq War in NYC and DC and visited the Coalition of Immokalee Farm Workers in Florida
2010 Broke ground for our Center for Community on Avenue D Launched the Quinceañera Mentoring program which provided college scholarships
2013 Opened our 35,000 sq. ft. Center for Community facility Awarded funding from New York State to create two green roofs and install solar panels
In 1996, the mothers of the Lower East Side looked at our young girls and realized that there wasn’t a place to nurture their power. So we got to work. We hustled and created programs in schools, community rooms, basements, and just about any donated space we could get our hands on. By always keeping the girls and our community at the forefront of our vision, we grew from a small volunteer-led organization to one with global reach and impact.
2014
2019
Participated in the People’s Climate March and the Bride’s March Against Domestic Violence
Acquired an adjacent 5,000 sq. ft. for our Center for Wellbeing & Happiness
Girls Club choir sang with Joan Baez at the Standing with Ferguson concert
Hosted Stacey Abrams and Fair Fight Action; an organization founded by Abrams to combat voter suppression
2016
2020
Justice Sonia Sotomayor visited the Girls Club
Provided critical COVID-19 Relief to our community, distributed over 50,000 meals to LES Residentsand virtual programming
2017 Participated in the Women’s March in Washington D.C. Partnered with Colin Kaepernick and the Know Your Rights Camp, a program to educate and empower black and brown youth, where our members serve as youth ambassadors
2018 Launched New Girl City: Agents of Change, a citywide civic engagement and leadership initiative Became an election polling site Michelle Obama visited the Girls Club for an intimate lunch and conversation with members WGRL partners with Hot97 and The Nessa Show for a weekly internship program
Provided in-person and virtual programming Launched our Center for Wellbeing & Happiness Virtual Hub Welcomed in new Executive Leadership with Ebonie Simpson and Jenny Dembrow
2021 Celebrated our 25th Anniversary Gala, honoring Stacey Abrams Distributed 79,440 Meals through our Community Food Pantry Began renovations on our Center for Wellbeing & Happiness, adjacent to our existing facility. Opening early 2022. Campaign celebrating our rich and radical history at the Oculus Transit Hub, generously donated by The Wing.
Our Community The Lower Eastside Girls Club is a grassroots
The population living within the census tracts
organization founded in 1996 by neighborhood
surrounding the Girls Club — within the Lower East
mothers and community activists to address the
Side and East Village neighborhoods — identify
lack of services and facilities for girls in the Lower
as 44% Latinx, 13% Black / African American, 17%
East Side of Manhattan. For 25 years, we have served
Asian, 23% White, and 3% Multiracial. Among
young women and gender-expansive youth in this
Latinx residents, 70% identify as Puerto Rican
community. Over the past decade we have attracted
and 17% Dominican.[2] 36% of LES residents are
young people from across NYC through our innovative
foreign-born.[3] The median household income
youth development initiatives, such as New Girl City.
in the LES is $42,010.[4] 39% of families report an income below $25,000, and 69% of families report
Now, with the launch of the Center for Wellbeing &
an income of less than $50,000.[5] 36% of youth
Happiness, we are expanding our service population
below the age of 18 are living below poverty.[6]
further with the belief that the wellbeing of our youth members is intimately connected to the
The 321 youth (ages 10–23) who attended the Girls
wellbeing of their family, their community, and
Club in 2021, including our New Girl City initiative,
their world. CWBH extends our wrap-around wellness
reflect the diverse demographics of New York City.
services to all genders and all generations on the
Our membership is 43% Black/African American, 26%
Lower East Side; currently serving 340 registered
Latinx, 23% Multiracial, 5% White, 2% Asian, and 1%
members. CWBH members identify as 32% Latinx,
Native American. 100% qualify for the Federal Free
25% Black/African American, 14% Asian, 14% White,
Lunch Program. Most of our members live at, or below,
8% other, 6% unknown and 1% Native American.
the poverty line;[7] reside in NYCHA public housing,[8] and live in intergenerational households. Many of
The Lower East Side is one of the most densely
our members come from immigrant backgrounds
populated and ethnically-diverse neighborhoods in New York City, with approximately 167,128 residents.
with over 10 languages and dialects spoken. [1]
[1]
Furman Center (2021). State of New York City’s Housing and Neighborhoods in 2019/2020.
[2]
2015-2019-American Community Survey. (2021). NYC Population Fact Finder Census Tracts: 22.01, 22.02, 10.02, 20,24, 26.01, 26.02, 28
[3]
ibid.
[4]
Furman Center (2021). State of New York City’s Housing and Neighborhoods in 2019/2020.
[5]
2015-2019-American Community Survey. (2021). NYC Population Fact Finder. Census Tracts: 22.01, 22.02, 10.02, 20,24, 26.01, 26.02, 28
[6]
Poverty status is determined by the U.S. Census Bureau based on household size, composition, the number of children under 18 years of age,
and individual or family income. See: Furman Center (2021). State of New York City’s Housing and Neighborhoods in 2019/2020.
[7]
2021 poverty line was $26,500 for a family of 4 see: <https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines>
[8]
The Lower East Side community has some of the most historic and extensive public housing tracts in the city. New York City Housing Authority
(NYCHA) owns and manages over 14,900 units of low-income housing in the LES. See: Community District 3 FY23 District Needs Statement.
Center for Wellbeing & Happiness
Rooted in the belief that the wellbeing of our young members is intimately connected to the wellbeing of their family, their community, and their world, we expanded our mission and service population with the launch of our Center for Wellbeing & Happiness (CWBH) in 2020. The mission of the CWBH is to strategically address the wellbeing and health disparities faced by our community, utilizing intentional, healing-centered
programming
rooted
in
community resilience and self-reliance. The CWBH serves as a wellness hub providing the space and opportunity for local organizations, expert practitioners, health-based city agencies and institutions, and our talented community members, to connect, collaborate, and serve.
Create We are committed to providing free wellness programming for and by Lower East Side community residents
Celebrate To promote self-care strategies that directly sustain, support and revitalize our community
Care To promote self-care strategies that directly sustain, support and revitalize our community
Nurture To provide space, tools, and resources for skills, talents, and passions to flourish
2021 CWBH Program Partners Mama Glow Foundation Fierce Grace Yoga NEXT YE Development Good Old Lower East Side, Inc. Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners Grand Street Settlement Henry Street Settlement National Council for Behavioral Health New York City Health + Hospitals — Gouverneur Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing La Lune Foundation Children’s Village / Inwood House THUGG JUICE (Transcending Health and Universally Growing Greater)
Center for Wellbe In Fall 2020, we launched the Center for Wellbeing
In July 2021, in partnership with Good Old Lower
& Happiness Virtual Hub to meet the critical
East Side, Inc. (GOLES), CWBH provided in-
needs of our community as the COVID-19 pandemic
person wellness offerings in community gardens
exacerbated long-standing health disparities.
and New York City Housing Authority open
Although COVID-19 delayed the construction
spaces across the Lower East Side. These well-
of our new CWBH location, we look forward to
attended community classes included: Zumba
officially opening our doors in early 2022.
for EVERYbody, Tai Chi for Mobility, Yoga for Beginners, Creative Movement for Children, Planting
In 2021, the CWBH Virtual Hub provided virtual
Seeds of Intention (Meditative Techniques).
programming which centered the mental and physical wellbeing of our community, as well as
In Summer 2021, Girls Club led a Youth Participatory
offered resources for guidance and support in
Action Research project to engage youth as
light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the year, we
community advocates for the CWBH. As community
offered 16 courses and 59 individual classes.
liaisons, young people conducted interviews, volunteered with the food pantry, collected data,
Our offerings included: Pandemic Parenting •
documented community events, and explored
Ask a Nurse: How Women Can Identify, Prevent
existing health resources in the Lower East Side. They
& Manage Heart Disease • Navigating Your Local
presented their findings to the CWBH Advisory Board.
Hospital (with NYC Health+Hospitals) • REDucation: Periods, Puberty and Everything in Between
In Fall 2021, the CWBH kicked off our first-
Zumba for EVERYBody • Opening Your Heart Through
ever entrepreneurial training and certification
Yoga “Hard Times Require Furious Dancing”: A
opportunities. These virtual courses included: So
Culturally Relevant Storytelling Session • Planting
You Want to be an Entrepreneur? with Michelle
Seeds of Intention • Things Everyone Should Know
Blue, a seasoned entrepreneurship educator;
About Credit and Show Me the Money: Creating
and Mama Glow Doula Homeschool: Level 1
a Spending Plan that Works (with Neighborhood
with the Mama Glow Foundation, founded by our
Trust Financial Partners) • Fathers United Parenting
long-time partner, Latham Thomas. Through our
Support Group (with Children’s Village/Inwood House)
Mama Glow partnership, we facilitate women of color entering into supportive birthing roles which can help address maternal mortality in NYC. In October 2021, we hosted our annual Walk-AThon fundraiser to support Girls Club’s wellness programming. We marched to the beat of Batalá, an all-woman Afro-Brazilian percussion band, alongside our Girls Club members for a lively parade winding through the streets and parks of the East Village; ending in an “old school” block party.
eing & Happiness THE HEART
WCRL: WHERE COMMUNITY RADIO LIVES SOUND STUDIO
Wellbeing Lounge: a communal space for
The Food Farmacy: where we will host community
our community to come together in deep
dinners and talks, nutrition classes, cooking demos,
conversation, knowledge sharing, and collective
and offer free, healthy grab-and-go snacks, produce
healing. We will host an array of parenting,
packages and non-toxic products for members.
maternity, LGBTQ+, and teen support groups. Mind & Body Center: a warm, welcoming safe Happiness Hall: a space for social connectedness
space featuring state-of-the-art immersion
and civic engagement where we will host
for classes in movement, music, meditation,
community and intergenerational events such
mindfulness and other healing modalities. Courses
as art exhibits, film festivals, book talks, career
will be offered to all ages and at all ability levels
panels, dance and movement workshops;
at no cost: from babies to great grandparents.
as well as musical and dance performances. Community groups will also hold meetings here.
Soul Space: a space for soul care and workforce development. We will host classes,
WCRL (Where Community Radio Lives) Sound
discussions, certification programs, trainings,
Studio: where members will host and stream live
and workforce development opportunities for
interviews and community conversations from our
careers in health, civil, and green industries.
front window sound booth on Avenue D. We will also
We will also provide individual and family
host DJ gatherings and events for all generations here.
counseling, social service referrals, and more.
Pandemic & Food Justice
In 2021, the Girls Club Food Justice Program served over 79,440 meals to our community, an estimated 215,600 lbs total. This included fresh produce, shelf stable items, and in-house grown mushrooms. We also provided eight months of delivery service to
Girls Club believes that access to healthy, hearty, immune-supporting food is vital to the health and wellbeing of our community. We explore culturally-appropriate, healthy cooking in our culinary classes, grow produce on our rooftop garden, and support the rights of migrant farmworkers. During the pandemic, this mission deepened as we sought to improve access to healthy food to our community, including many of our elders and home-bound residents.
the residents of nearby Lillian Wald Housing. We are grateful for the recognition that we received from our Assemblyperson Harvey Epstein, who honored the Girls Club with a “COVID Warrior” award. We’ve accomplished this with help from our partners World Central Kitchen, Impossible Burgers, the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy’s Pandemic Food Reserve Emergency Distribution (P-FRED) program, KYRC, Technico, Smallhold Farms. We are now an official Food Bank of NY partner. Many thanks
• 79,440 Meals distributed through our Community Food Pantry (130,000 meals total, throughout the pandemic)
to our Junior Board, The Alliance, who rallied
• 215,600 lbs of food staples and fresh produce distributed
together, alongside our 25+ community volunteers,
behind us to raise holiday meal funds and to help deliver boxes of food to our neighbors. Working we created a strong and vibrant network.
• 350 lbs of produce grown and harvested on Girls Club rooftop farm
In 2022, we will open a Vegan Community Fridge and
• Weekly food distribution to 75 Girls Club families
and good nutrition in our community. Additionally,
• Engaged 25 Community Volunteers and 2 Paid Interns
a Food Farmacy to provide nutrition and wellness
continue to encourage and support health, happiness, our Center for Wellbeing & Happiness will feature programs and resources to all community members.
Girls Club Programs
Center for Community The Lower Eastside Girls Club Center for
This expansive space is also where we host our
Community, New York City’s first Girls Club facility, is
community programming and events in addition
located on Avenue D between East 7th and 8th Streets
to serving as a polling site on election days.
in Manhattan. Each day, our members enter a world filled with joy, power and possibility. Our space is an
Our STEM Labs are the epicenter of all technology-
oasis where they can stretch out, spread out, and
related programs and equipment. The Labs
grow into the powerful people they will become.
are home to our Maker Shop, a site for handson engineering projects; and The East Village
From top to bottom, our facility is designed to stoke
Planetarium, a 64-seat, 30 ft2 dome that teaches
curiosity and house myriad activities that empower,
earth and sky science, astro-visualization, and
educate, and engage. Inside our doors members have
digital design to schools and small group classes.
access to Art, Design, Digital Media and Sound Studios, a STEM lab, Maker Shop, the East Village Planetarium,
Our Environmental Education Lab opens onto
a Culinary Education Center, Movement space, Rooftop
a productive Rooftop Farm where our members
Garden, and all of the programming to go along with it.
grow and harvest hundreds of pounds of produce each year to be used in our Culinary Education
Members and families enjoy programming free of
Center. We also have a Mushroom Cabinet to grow,
charge, year-round. Our Center for Community is
harvest, and share immune boosting mushrooms.
a model for educators from across the globe who visit, learn from, and replicate our unique program
The Digital Media Lab offers computer
design and approach to community engagement.
workstations for our classes in graphic design, web design, digital photography, animation,
Baker Hall, a multi-purpose space for health and wellness activities, offers dance, movement, yoga, meditation, stress reduction programs, and more.
digital storytelling, and documentary film.
EAST VILLAGE PLANETARIUM
The Center for Media and Social Justice
The Voice Identity Power conference and training
offers a collaborative space for workshops, film
room shares space with the Counseling, Career,
screenings, and photography classes to meet.
and Leadership Center, where participants can meet with nurse educators, social workers,
The Sound Studio is the home of the WGRL: Where
counselors, and college advisors. Ongoing
Girl Radio Lives podcast studio, Avenue D-Js, Beatz
mentoring, academic support, college and
by Girls, audio engineering classes, and our very own
career prep, leadership development, and civic
late night-inspired production, The Afternoon Show.
engagement programs take place here.
Alphabet City Art School houses large light-filled
Our Culinary Education Center is where we offer job
art studios used for painting, drawing, screen-
training and opportunities for teenage participants
printing, comics, mixed-media, and other creative
and neighborhood women. The kitchen also serves
classes. The Art + Community Gallery serves as a
as a classroom for culinary, baking, nutritional
venue for a wide range of rotating art exhibitions.
education, and a hub for preparing daily meals for our members and their families as well as regular
Our Design Studio for Material Arts is home to our
community food distributions throughout the
entrepreneurial training, textile, and fashion design
pandemic. This space also incubates businesses
classes where sewing and pattern-making skills
such as THUGG JUICE, a raw juice company founded
are taught. In addition, members learn the art of
by Latinx veteran entrepreneur, Tiffany Padilla.
quilting, natural dyeing techniques, screenprinting, and more. Member-made items are available for
A planted courtyard with a fountain, designed
purchase in our store, La Tiendita at Essex Crossing.
by artist Kiki Smith, and café tables provides a welcome oasis for outdoor, socially distanced dining.
Girls Club Programs In 2021, Girls Club doubled down on our
Our Guiding Programmatic Goals
efforts to meet our members where they are, creating inviting opportunities for a safe return to the building, and providing opportunities for new members to join the club.
Health and Wellbeing Members practice self-care and develop habits for lifelong health
Passion and Joy Members thrive as they explore interests, discover and pursue their creative passions, take risks, collaborate, communicate their ideas, and fulfill their potential
Meaningful Access to Resources Members connect with the resources, opportunities social support they need to heal, envision a future, and set a path forward to achieve their dreams
Social Connectedness Members experience solidarity, strengthen social skills, build supportive peer groups, and bond with staff and mentors who
Key programmatic action steps in 2021: • Experimented with new program compositions, a new streamlined quarterly schedule, and invited our instructors to collaborate and cross-pollinate. • Bolstered our departments and re-energized our classrooms to support members as they recover from academic learning losses and the prolonged isolation of the pandemic. • Expanded our post-secondary programming by hiring our first cohort of alumnae program assistants and by offering entrepreneurial training to more youth ages 18–25. • Reconnected with families through personal check-ins and outdoor community events. • Infused wellness and healing-engagement into all of our programming with a focus on building a culture of mental health and fostering a sense of safety, support, and care.
encourage, challenge, and care
Empowerment Members strengthen social emotional capacities, demonstrating confidence, purpose, perseverance, and a solid sense of self. They can navigate the world and take action to change it
• Celebrated a spectacular summer camp with a full-menu of in-person programming and paid internships for our teens and alumnae, including opportunities to work with Anomaly (creative agency), clarkmcdowall (brand strategy), Growing Abolition with MoMA PS1, and Solitary Gardens, among others.
STEM Celebrating curiosity and connecting passions with employable skills We address the gender gap in STEM not just through
photography. Participants utilized digital technology,
education, but by creating a fun, creative space where
practiced design techniques, and created videos to
participants can imagine a career in STEM and identify
showcase their filming and editing skills. They created
a path to get there. With hands-on, project-based, and
public art pieces with Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya,
experiential programming, Girls Club members are
artist-in-residence of the NYC Commission on
introduced to multiple entry points in STEM careers.
Human Rights. Participants left the program with
Our STEM programming helps our members discover
digital portfolios hosted on Adobe Behance. This
the fascinating universe of science and technology
STEM-Arts intensive strengthened participants’
and develop an appreciation and love of STEM
communication skills, boosted their confidence in
subjects with the realization that they too can thrive
creative self-expression, and set them up for future
in male-dominated fields. Ultimately our goal is to
opportunities in technology, art, media, and design.
contribute to the growing pipeline of women in STEM —pioneering ethical solutions to real world problems,
Today at Apple Participant Impact
and serving as role models for the next generation.
• 100% learned new software and technology
In 2021, our in-house partner, Stacks+Joules (a
• 90% feel confident presenting their work in front of peers and professional mentors
nonprofit technology training program) returned
• 80% feel confident expressing their creative ideas
with City-As-School (a public transition high school) to provide a group of 12 female students with STEM instruction. Stacks + Joules bridges the tech opportunity gap with a specialized curriculum in computer programming for building automation controls. Students learned and applied some of
• 75% feel equipped to ask/receive critique and implement feedback • 75% engaged in collaborative problem solving
Today at Apple Testimonials
are essential for addressing the climate crisis.
• “It was great to meet BIPOC and queer professional artists in the industry and hear their experiences. Their journeys were relatable and inspiring!”
Girls Club participated in the STEM-Arts Today
• “I learned video and photo editing skills as well as virtual communication skills.”
the most technologically advanced tools that
at Youth Program NYC, alongside Ghetto Film School and Youth Design Center. 13 Girls Club members, ages 15–18, completed the 3-month intensive program led by creative industry
• “I learned how to present my ideas in a succinct and clear way.” • “I learned how to ask for what I need and not feel embarrassed to speak up.”
professionals including: Holley M. Kholi-Murchison, Ali Santana, Dondre Green, Lelanie Foster, Kia
2021 STEM Programming included:
LeBejia, and Ana Veselic. Projects included
Mycelium Science • Food Science
soundscape creations inspired by the sounds of
Stacks+Joules Green Building Automation
the city, along with landscape and portraiture
Today at Apple Youth Program NYC
Sustainability Committing to sustainability and environmental justice for ourselves, our community, our city and our world
Today’s youth are facing an unprecedented
Our food justice work has also been a key part of
climate crisis that they did not create. We believe
our sustainability programming. Over the years we
that — with the right education, opportunity, and
have run a farmer’s market, CSA program, culinary
experience — the next generation can tackle this
training programs, an in-house healthy juice bar, and
emergency. Our commitment to sustainability
hosted plant-based family-style dinners. Today, our
encompasses a wide range of engaging environmental
Rooftop Farm is productive nine months of the year,
education classes, advocacy work, hands-on
supplying our Culinary Center and food distribution
farming, and food justice initiatives. We explore
efforts. Members learn farming techniques including:
the meaning of sustainability as it pertains to our
planting, harvesting, and processing our rooftop
personal well-being in relation to the world.
vegetables and mushrooms from our Mushroom Cabinet. In 2021, we harvested, bundled, and
Dating back to our earlier programs, “Girls Gone
shared 250 lbs of produce and 100lbs of mushrooms
Green” and “GALA: Girls as Advocates, Leaders and
for our food pantry and community fridge. The
Activists”, the Girls Club has been advocating for
programmatic focus of 2021 explored ways of building
climate justice for decades. We have participated in
a harmonious relationship with ourselves, each other,
many Climate Marches, in both NYC and Washington
and with nature, during these tumultuous times.
D.C. and created mixed-media art exhibits to project, “Water is a Woman’s Issue” was exhibited at
2021 Sustainability Programming included:
the United Nations in NYC, as well as in Los Angeles,
Urban Farming I and II • Magic of Gardening
Chiapas, Mexico, and Flathead Nation, MT.
Mycelium Science • Moving in Nature • Your Food
advocate for change. Our 2019 eco-photography
and You • Food Science and Fermentation
Music Technology Where learning is a joyful, playful, and emancipatory act In a world where young women and gender-expansive
Avenue D-Js had their hands on vinyl records
youth of color have a limited platform, the Girls Club is
again! Young DJs explored the art of turntablism,
providing a safe environment and the digital tools to
discovering new music and learning to master
amplify members’ voices. Participants use state-of-the-
technology. Community partner Heavy Hits
art equipment and learn technical skills in a hands-on
donated a membership to their digital record
sound studio setting. We hope to inspire teens to speak-
collection, keeping us stocked up on the latest
up, ask questions, make some noise, and gain valuable
hits for our mixes. More gigs to come in 2022!
insight into themselves and others along the way. Beatz by Girlz, brought to us by the worldwide WGRL (Where Girl Radio Lives) is our podcast
nonprofit organization founded by Erin Barra,
series based out of our Sound Studio. In 2021, WGRL
a former Girls Club instructor, addresses the
focused on building trust for honest conversations
gender gap in music technology. This year,
while we unpacked the difficult emotions of this past
participants recorded tracks in styles ranging
year. We discussed what the pandemic meant to us
from electronic dance to dreamy soundscapes.
and our families and explored themes ranging from
They also made EPs to showcase their best work.
identity and race to mental health and self-care.
Check out our Soundcloud page to listen.
Look for WGRL on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify.
2021 Music Technology Programming included: Beatz By Girls • Avenue D-Js • WGRL / Podcasting • Sight Singing • Electronic Music Factory Music Listening / Appreciation
Digital Media Storytelling for World Building
Our Digital Media programs celebrate the power of storytelling and offer a lens through which members can view and experience their world. For decades Girls Club supports our members in developing technological skills while creatively expressing themselves. Beyond documenting their everyday lives, members learn about how film, photography, and media affect us emotionally, psychologically and
In Multimedia Portfolios, members explored digital
politically. Students utilize a broad range of digital
media while developing personal portfolios. Members
media techniques and technologies to create projects
also created websites to showcase photography
that tell personal stories, highlight community issues,
and video projects, cultivated their artistic identity,
and speak to the global challenges of our times.
and presented their work in a professional setting.
In The Afternoon Show, our video production series
In Documentary Media, our members created
inspired by late night TV, members researched
their very own documentaries and honed their
and wrote scripts, honed their production skills
camera, lighting and editing skills using Adobe
and interviewed entertainers, including Grace
Premiere They also served as “crew members” and
Edwards, the showrunner for HBO’s Insecure,
worked collaboratively on each others’ projects.
chef prodigy Rahanna Bisseret Martinez, and London-based dance superstar Princess K.
In Photography, participants learn the digital vocabulary and become familiar with the various
In Animation, students use hands-on puppet building
hardware and software components necessary to
and stop-motion animation techniques to create a
shoot, download, edit, and print digital photographs.
short animated film. This year, we focused on the
They select and curate their photographic output.
aquatic environments of New York City. Members
In 2021, students created photo zines to share their
designed characters inspired by the underwater
stories of life as a teenager during the pandemic
ecosystem of the East River and brought them
and racial reckoning of our times. View our High
to life with animation, voice, and movement.
School and Middle School zines on our Issuu!
2021 Digital Media Programming included:
Community Screenings and Events:
Aquatic Animation • Multimedia Portfolios
We Will Not Be Tamed with director and Girls
The Afternoon Show / Video Production
Club member Jibeh • Planetarium Shows
Photography • Documentary Media • Documentary Storytelling • The Art of Storytelling
Neutral Ground with director CJ Hunt
Wellness & Movement Creating space for self-discovery, healing, growth and evolution
Our Wellness and Movement programming offers a safe, fun, fortifying, and creative experience where members challenge their own learning, as well as explore and honor their own boundaries. We incorporate nutrition education, on-site nurses, yoga, dance, choreography, step dance classes, a running club, meditation, culinary classes, and access to counselors. Voice Identity Power (VIP) and Teen Restorative Circle are our capstone courses in
Members are learning….
Wellness and Movement programming. Participants
• “How to reach out for help and ask for it when you need it”
increase physical activity, learn stress reduction
• “The importance of having a community around you to support you”
develop interpersonal skills in a supportive setting.
• “To give myself some love and patience”
In 2021, our movement-centered experiences
techniques, access healthy eating options, and
provided members with an opportunity to reconnect
2021 Wellness and Movement Programming included:
with their bodies, revel in the joy of moving,
Culinary Arts • Choreography Jam • Dancing Stories
catalyst for self-care. Members celebrated their
VIP: Voice Identity Power • Yoga • Meditation
bodies as powerful agents of change, power, and
Dance Movement Hip Hop and the Chakras •
joy. They engaged in dance and movement from
Breathe, Stretch, Create • Run Club • Dance Fusion
the African Diaspora, theatre games, meditation,
Moving with Nature • Careers in Health • Healthy
and journaling. Participants also learned how to
Living at Home • Nutrition Education • Brianna’s
give voice to their life stories through dance, and
Botanics • Restorative Circle • Self-Care Spa Time
how to use dance as a catalyst for social change.
develop their creative voice, and use dance as a
Art & Design Channeling creative energy
For 25 years, Art and Design have been the heart of the Girls Club’s innovative programming. We infuse the Arts into everything we do, from STEM to Leadership to Civic Engagement. Our Alphabet City Art School studios are the cornerstone of our facilities. Members tap into their
waste policy. We redesigned and painted donated
creative passions, explore a variety of mediums and
items of clothing and created reactive wearables
connect with the thriving art scene in New York City.
using LED lighting. All of our creations were showcased at our Summer Fashion Show.
In our Fashion and Material Arts courses members receive hands-on training in basic sewing
The Memory Garden project bridges Art and
techniques, machine skills and mechanics
Sustainability with the aim of planting seeds of
including: threading, cutting, ironing, as well as
liberation and joy. Members built the garden beds,
hand sewing, and embroidery. They develop motor
planted them, and creatively adorned them. Only
skills and hand-eye coordination as they learn
perennials were planted; like the memories of our
the proper use of tools, equipment; and explore
loved ones, these flowers continue to bloom year
color and creative options for designing clothing.
after year and bring us joy. The Memory Garden,
Techniques such as applique and quilting are also
located on our rooftop, offers a space of reflection
taught and used as tools for creative expression
and remembrance, for those we have lost in the
Our “little store”, La Tiendita at Essex Crossing,
pandemic, as well as those we have lost to police
is where students showcase and sell their work.
brutality. It is a space to remember the many families who are separated by unjust immigration policies,
In 2021, members engaged in painting, crafting,
those impacted by destruction and dislocation
and illustration as a therapeutic means of self-
related to the climate emergency, as well as those
expression, stress relief, and social connection. We
struggling for justice the world over. On a more
also drew upon social and environmental issues
intimate level the garden offers quiet space where
as themes in our work, with students learning to
members can connect with and honor the loss
make creative choices while applying our zero-
of a family member, a friend, or even a pet.
2021 Art and Design Programming included: Home Goods/Crafting • Mosaic Art • Sewing and Material Arts • Drawing • Painting • Embroidery • Art & Activism Shibori • Visual Journaling • Art Objects • Fashion Arts During COVID • Creative Sewing • Upcycled Fashions Mixed Media Arts • Memory Garden • Screenprinting • Chess & Art • Poetry Electric • Self-Care Spa Time • Comics
Leadership & Civic Engagement Where passion meets advocacy Leadership and Civic Engagement programming
2021 New Girl City Participant Impact
has been foundational to Girls Club’s rich and
• 83% consider themselves to be a leader
radical history. Throughout the pandemic, young people have found hope by coming
• 77% want to be involved in political campaigns in the future
together, finding their voice, and advocating
• 40% pledge to run for political office
for meaningful change. Our Leadership
• 97% believe they can create positive change in the world
programming strengthens participants’ capacity for ethical decision-making, stokes civic engagement, and teaches them how to
• 100% report meeting inspiring women, role models and professionals
organize around critical issues such as abolition,
• 100% plan to go to college
immigration rights, and the climate crisis.
2021 Leadership & Civic Engagement programming included: GALA Seminar and Speaker Series • New Girl City city-wide initiative • Growing Abolition with MoMA PS1 • Know Your Rights Camp Annual Workshop and Backpack Give-away • Community Screenings Introduction to Abolition: Dream, Build Create through Poetry, Movement and Nature • STARS (Conference) Inside Out Community Photo Project in collaboration with JR’s Studio
New Girl City Testimonials
New Girl City Implemented to educate and activate future female leaders for NYC and beyond, our New Girl City (NGC) leadership initiative brings together 70 female-identified young people (ages 14–21) from across the city to learn about the symbiotic relationship between civics, public office, and
“ I learned that I have
a voice and that I should always use it for the greater good. ”
social justice. We train and build critical skills in community organizing, issue analysis, solution development, and utilize the arts, speech, and action to make an impact. Our goal is for participants to see themselves as leaders and change agents, and to create a pipeline of leaders who impact social justice and the policy world in myriad ways. New Girl City was launched in 2018 as a pilot program of
learned about the “ Iproblems plaguing
our community and the steps necessary to help resolve them. ”
localized civic engagement and youth leadership around the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. Staten Island and Queens joined in 2019. 2021 was our third successful year running New Girl City. The theme for NGC 2021 was wellness, guided by the overarching question: “If your community had everything it needed to be well, what would that look like?” This entirely virtual weekly program was attended by youth from across NYC. Highlighted by fantastic
learned how to “ Iwork with people
that I have never met and how to be more confident with presenting my ideas. ”
and diverse guest speakers, including: Esosa Osa from Fair Fight, Cara Page of Kindred Southern Healing Justice Collective, Assemblymembers Pharrah Souffrant-Forrest and Jessica González-Rojas, artists who collaborated with each group, and many more people who came and shared their perspective and insight on a wide-range of topics. New Girl City is supported in part by the NYC
“ I learned how to work
with other young people on topics that collectively affect us. ”
Council Speakers Initiative. 2021 partners included: Sauti Yetu (Bronx), DreamYard (Bronx), FirstStar CSI (Staten Island), and Bard HS Early College Queens.
“
I’ve learned that it is a possibility for me to run for office. ”
Entrepreneurship + College and Career Pathways Through real-world workplace and entrepreneurial experience we build pathways for our members and alumnae to thrive and create their own transformative change.
College and Career Pathways Participant Impact • 81% feel confident in communicating • 92% feel capable of writing professional emails • 69% feel prepared for job interviews • 61% improved public speaking skills
Girls Club Members gain meaningful employment
• 92% improved time management, organizing and planning skills
experience, entrepreneurial training, and
• 82% learned how to keep a budget
college and career guidance, as well as exciting internship opportunities. They access resources,
• 85% learned how to set goals, plan ahead and stay motivated
pursue opportunities and are connected to
• 90% gained knowledge of Career Pathways
a network of professional women who can advance their academic and career goals. In 2021, we celebrated 24 high school graduates, many of whom received prestigious scholarships. College destinations include NYU, CUNY Hunter, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and Middlebury College. Throughout 2021, Girls Club connected high school members and alumnae with 133 paid internship and mentoring opportunities. A career-related opportunity with a stipend or salary is an invaluable resource to our members and is an important step to securing financial wellness. In addition to internship opportunities, 7 alumnae currently work at the Girls Club as program assistants, instructors, La Tiendita associates and event photography assistants.
• 100% reported meeting inspiring women, role models and professionals • 100% plan to go to college
2021 Entrepreneurial and Workforce Development Series, offered at no-cost to Girls Club alumnae and community members: • So You Want to be an Entrepreneur? with Michelle Blue Through this course, participants explored topics such as: business ideation, marketing, financial management, and leadership. • Mama Glow Doula Homeschool: Level 1 Mama Glow Foundation & Latham Thomas This course prepared aspiring birthworkers with the necessary skills to address maternal health outcomes.
have learned that as a young “ Iwoman, entrepreneurship can be the path to changing things around not only my community, but the whole world.
”
Entrepreneurship Girls Club members learn entrepreneurial and marketing skills through La Tiendita, our “Fair Trade & Girl-Made” storefront in Essex Crossing. At La Tiendita, we sell apparel and home goods designed and created by members in our Design Studio. In 2021, four alumnae worked at La Tiendita, as well
Internship Highlight: Growing Abolition
as in our material arts studio, creating products and
Our Growing Abolition internship program was a
training younger members in sewing and design. In
partnership with Solitary Gardens and MoMA PS1,
addition to La Tiendita, the Girls Club also provides
in which participants explored the possibilities
ongoing entrepreneurial training and workshops
of gardening as an abolitionist practice, and its
for members and the broader community through
potential to nurture ourselves, our loved ones, and
our Center for Wellbeing & Happiness initiative.
our communities. Through gardening workshops, podcasting, and journalism art — facilitated through
Mentoring and Paid Internship opportunities in 2021 included: • Today at Apple Youth Program NYC • College and Career Pathways Mentoring Program • Media Literacy Mentoring Workshops with NBC Universal
PS1 with muralist Nanibah Chacon and under the loving guidance of abolitionist and revolutionary gardener Jackie Sumell — we explored alternatives to the Prison Industrial Complex. We asked: “What does justice look like in a more compassionate society?” Participants created a postcast series of inspiring
• Career Mentoring Series with Tiffany and Co.
conversations with poet and abolitionist Joseph
• Fashion Industry Mentoring with Veronica Beard
Capehart, artist and activist Sophia Dawson, and
• Growing Abolition Leadership Program with MoMA PS1 and Solitary Gardens
abolitionist Mariame Kaba. Interviews with Timothy
• Women Inspiring Women with Anomaly Agency
Row in San Quentin, were particularly impactful.
• Brand Architecture with clarkmcdowall Agency • Community Advocacy, Participatory Action Research Program for the Girls Club • La Tiendita at Essex Crossing
James Young, an unfairly incarcerated man on Death Throughout the session, participants painted a mural, built garden beds, planted our memory gardens, and learned about the healing plants. They learned how to make their own herbal tinctures, served the community at our the Girls Club food pantry
• Culinary Center at the Girls Club
day, wrote poetry, and expanded our knowledge of
• Summer Camp at the Girls Club
abolition. This internship will culminate in a show in
• Food Justice at the Girls Club
the Homeroom space at MoMA PS1 in Summer 2022.
“Time and time again, the Girls Club taught me that my voice has an impact ”
Jayola Alumna, Age 18 How many years have you been attending the Girls Club? Two years What are you doing now? I am a freshman at Smith College in Northampton, MA. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I plan to attend graduate school and pursue a career in holistic health. What did your experience at the Girls Club mean to you? I started at the Girls Club as a participant in the New Girl City: Agents of Change (NGC) program. The Girls Club also opened doors for me to intern at highly respected companies. At the Girls Club, I developed career readiness skills, built confidence, and realized that my voice matters. For me, the Girls Club served as an invaluable support system. I was greeted with smiling faces, enjoyed healthy meals and developed friendships in a lively and creative setting. The programs emphasized female empowerment and instilled me with confidence. I even had the opportunity to share feedback on the Girls Club learning experience. Time and time again, the Girls Club taught me that my voice has an impact. Before joining the Girls Club, I wasn’t aware of my capabilities. I left with confidence in myself and immense gratitude towards everyone there.
Angelina Alumna, Age 29 How many years did you attend the Girls Club? Over 10 years, from 2001–2011 What are you doing now? I am the Founder and Executive Director of Returning Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering domestic violence survivors and educating the next generation. We offer domestic violence prevention workshops for teens, workshops and resources for victims around the world. What did your experience at the Girls Club mean to you? I started attending the Girls Club when I was in 3rd grade. As a Girls Club member for over a decade, I always felt supported and inspired. The Girls Club helped me find my voice. Now, I help support and empower survivors who feel like their voices were stolen from them. The Girls Club taught me to fight for what I believe in.
“The Girls Club taught me to fight for what I believe in”
Staff
The Girls Club staff represents a cross-section
Currently, 7 Girls Club alumnae, as well as
of people, most of whom live on the Lower
2 mothers of our alumnae, work at the Girls
East Side of Manhattan, many who were born
Club; 73% of staff are BIPOC. Our Executive
and raised here and who are also raising
leadership team, with Ebonie Simpson and Jenny
their children here. We consciously create an
Dembrow at the helm, is BIPOC led. In 2021,
organizational culture that values diversity,
150 volunteers connected with the Girls Club.
community, and inclusion — while building a staff of culturally competent employees.
Girls Club 2021 Staff Kelly Adams
Lou Dembrow
Alisa Powell
Mary Adams
Jaimé Dzandu
Taquan Pugh
Ian Antoni
Valerie Galindo
Miladys Ramirez
Kamal Badhey
Deanna Greene
Nancy Rosario
Chioneso Bakr
Jamila Harriott
Francisca Sanhueza
Sarah Batchu
Erikka James
Joalis Silva
Siti Azzah Binti Syed Sultan
Amarilis Jimenez
Ebonie Simpson
Jocelyn Bonadio de Freitas
Megan Kindsfather
Jennifer Sugg, PhD
Allison Brooks
Hong Kit Chen
Brianna Sumpter
Jannette Brown
Jennifer Lee
Bessie Taliaferro
Lauren Burcheri
Sandra Martinez
Lenora Thornton
Francina Caleron
Destiny Mata
Ooi Lin Trieu
Emma Camell
Kevin McHugh
Kelly Webb
Wendy Cobb
Claire Mooney
Louise White
Tara Crichlow
Fly Orr
Jenny Dembrow
Valerie Polanco
Girls Club Alumnae Program Assistants Abigail Argueta
Darlene Pompa
Hailey Cornelio
Nahomi Rizzo
Haydee Cornelio
Shandra Rogers
Shatani Taylor
Financial Snapshot Fiscal Year ending June 2021
Income Corporate: Foundation: Individual: Government: Earned Income: In-kind: TOTAL INCOME:
$924,518 $1,263,943 $ 916,127 $575,742 $21,523 $179,119
(24%) (33%) (24%) (15%) (1%) (5%)
$3,880,973
Expenses Administration: $505,487 Fundraising: $577,521 Programs: $2,185,483 TOTAL EXPENSES:
Assets Current Assets Fixed Assets Other Assets TOTAL ASSETS
(15%) (18%) (67%)
$3,268,491
Liabilities $2,653,016 $20,735,808 $24,574 $23,413,398
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS:
Current Liabilities Long Term Liabilities TOTAL Liabilities NET ASSETS
$863,444 $5,148,238 $6,011,682 $17,401,716
$23,413,398
Foundations &
Corporate &
Donor-Advised Funds
Government
Other Institutions
Bloomberg, LP
Manhattan Borough President
Amazon
Donald A. Pels Charitable Trust
NYC Council, Capital
Apple Inc.
eBay Foundation
NYC Council, Speakers Initiative
Catbird
Elaine Gold Foundation
NYC Council, STARS Initiative
Spectrum
Elhapa Foundation
NYS Council on the Arts (NYSCA)
clarkmcdowall
Grantmakers for Girls of Color
NYC Councilmembers Discretionary
ConEd
J.M. Kaplan Fund
NYC Department of Cultural Affairs
Credico
Jacob Friedman Charitable Fund
NYC Department of Youth &
DroppTV
JetBlue Foundation
Community Development
Jewish Communal Fund
(DYCD) — SONYC Compass
GAP Inc.
John & Amy Griffin Foundation Inc.
NYC DYCD — Adolescent Literacy
Gucci
Kate Spade New York Foundation
NYC DYCD — Compass Explore
IMG
La Vida Feliz Foundation
NYS Child & Adult Care Food Program
Intermix
Leonard & Robert Weintraub
NYS Senate - State Senator
ISLA Beauty
Family Foundation
Brad Hoylman
JustFab
MacMillan Family Foundation National Philanthropic Trust Patricia A. Quick Charitable Trust Paypal Charitable Giving Fund The CBRAT Foundation The Chicago Community Foundation The Entertainment Industry Foundation The Erwin Family Foundation The Mary J. Hutchins Foundation The Tides Foundation Verizon Foundation Walentas Family Foundation Yurman Family Foundation
Pro-Bono Partners Accenture ARUP clarkmcdowall JBB
Funders who generously supported the buildout and development of CWBH programming NYS Assembly - Assemblymember Harvey Epstien Kate Spade New York Foundation Maestro Cares Foundation The Mary J. Hutchins Foundation Grantmakers for Girls of Color The CBRAT Foundation Walentas Family Foundation Tarsadia Foundation Bloomberg, LP Catbird Maybelline Leonard & Robert Weintraub
Kate Spade New York La Ligne MAC Cosmetics Maybelline New York McKinsey & Company NBCUniversal New York University Saks, Inc. Simon & Schuster Tangerine This is My Spacesuit Tiffany & Co. Tito’s Handmade Vodka Universal Music Group Verizon Veronica Beard World of Wonder
Family Foundation
Lawyers Alliance for New York Optimist Consulting Shearman & Sterling, LLC Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, LLP Seyfarth Shaw, LLP
Funders
July 2020 —June 2021
*Corporate, Foundation and Government: $5k and up funders. Thank you to all of our individual supporters, too many to list here.
Board of Directors Gael Towey
Anil Dash
Camille Joseph-Goldman
Co-Chair
Director
Director
De’Ara Balenger
Rosario Dawson
Julie Lerner
Co-Chair
Director
Director
Jen Gatien
Carter Emmart
Mel Ochoa
Vice Chair
Director
Director
Kimberly Aguilera
Xochitl Gonzalez
Nexus Sea, Esq.
Secretary
Director
Director
David Flores Wilson
Kimberley Hatchett
Cleo Wade
Treasurer
Director
Director
The Girls Club Alliance Junior Board Executive Committee
We couldn’t do all we do without the support of our Girls Club Alliance Junior Board. Emily Frost
Sam Lach
Fallon Flemming
Co-Chair
Social Chair
Member at Large
Alex Powers
Kerry Aronchick
Jasmine Humphrey
Co-Chair
PR & Partnerships Chair
Member at Large
Nia Robinson
Claire Malloy
Rachel Roderman
Communications Chair
Member at Large
Member at Large
CWBH Advisory Board Daphne Rubin-Vega, Esq.
Laurie Beckelman
Susan Luck, RN.
Chair
Natalie Brickson
Aura Olavarria
Shaheeda Abdush-Shaheed
Tricia Donegan
Marion Reidel, PhD, MSW.
Judith Aponte, PhD.
Camilo Doig-Acuna
Athanasia Syrengelas, MD, PhD.
Shelly Kleyn Armistead
Grete Grubelich
Taylor Williams, DPT.
Julissa Baez, MD.
Hilary Koyfman
Rani Varghese
Girls Club Partners We are building a collaborative network of like-minded organizations who share our mission and vision for creating change-makers.
In-House
International
Cafeteria Culture
Stsebetik Bolom
Environmental Science Education
Dorill Initiative Multi-disciplinary arts education program
Know Your Rights Camp Youth organization working to advance the liberation and well-being of Black & Brown communities and elevate the next generation of change leaders.
Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing On-site nurses for private consults, training, nutrition and health education
Smallhold Smallhold is challenging the world to hold their food to higher standards of freshness, supply, and sustainability
Stacks+Joules Building Automation Training Program which connects youth with well-paying, meaningful jobs that elevate students towards certifications, degrees, and life-long advancement
Thugg Juice Raw juice company founded by Latinx Veteran Entrepreneur, Tiffany Padilla
National Perfect Ten Nonprofit and afterschool organization for girls in Hudson, NY
YAYA (Young Aspirations, Young Artists) Arts and entrepreneurship program for youth in New Orleans, LA
Two Eagle River School Alternative school of the Salish & Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation, in Pablo, MT
Las Fotos Project Arts and mentorship nonprofit for girls and gendernonconforming youth in Los Angeles, CA
Young women’s photography collective in Chiapas, Mexico
Advocating for a just and equitable world since 1996.
be our friend on social media at @girlsclubny & check out our websites at www.girlsclub.org and www.centerforwellbeing.nyc
She’s powerful. They’re resilient. We’re unwavering. Together, we are building a better future. Ignite the next 25 Years with us.
Ignite the next 25 Years with us.
Together, we are building a better future.
We’re unwavering.
They’re resilient.
She’s powerful.