One of the main things about nonprofit work that draws me to it is that no two days are ever the same. I think this speaks to the tremendous flexibility of the people who serve in these positions. One moment I am writing a grant – and the next I am creating a registration form for a program, or even working on the website! I think this is what happens when everyone is aligned around a common mission – whatever it takes to get the job done. 

This week I got the opportunity to review a grant, rather than write one; create a new donor “thank you” letter; draft a new fundraising letter; create event registrations & marketing materials; and add events to the website. I was also able to work on several grants that I hope will bring funds to this awesome organization. 

I had the privilege of working on a grant for an exciting program at Central called “Black Girls Glow”. It is led by the TRANSIT ARTS team, and is aimed at helping girls in the community envision positive futures for themselves through artistic expression and leadership development. In writing this grant, I learned that Black Girls experience “adultification” far more often than white girls. This implicit bias essentially means that adults think Black Girls as young as **five years old** need less nurturing and protection than their white peers. As a result, Black Girls are more likely to be held to higher standards, and receive harsher punishments in schools (and in the criminal justice system), and are more likely to take on more adult-like responsibilities at a younger age than their white peers. This was amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many of the girls in Central’s neighborhoods had to take on childcare responsibilities or work outside the home to help support their families. Black Girls Glow is a Saturday program that gives the girls in the community a much-needed BREAK and a chance to share with each other their unique experiences. It helps the girls to articulate how they view themselves, how they think others view them, and the goals they envision for themselves in the future. They focus on mental wellness and self-care, expose the girls to different art mediums that speak to their individual interests, show them how to care for different natural hair types, and take professional portraits of the girls that they can then take home to remind them of the experience, and help to build their confidence. They also focus on giving the girls an opportunity to mentor younger girls in subsequent programs. The main goal of this program is to help Black Girls in the community develop coping and stress reduction skills, while hopefully reducing the effects of the adultification they face. Powerful stuff!