Female Empowerment Program Allows Girls to Rule

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Ladon Brumfield, director of Girls Rule is excited about the organization's new chapter at Lavizzo Elementary School. Brumfield is pictured here working with a group of girls. (Photo Courtesy of Ladon Brumfield)
Ladon Brumfield, director of Girls Rule is excited about the organization's new chapter at Lavizzo Elementary School. Brumfield is pictured here working with a group of girls. (Photo Courtesy of Ladon Brumfield)

Girls Rule!, a young womens enrichment program is bringing female empowerment to one southside school.

A new Girls Rule! chapter was recently created at Lavizzo Elementary School, 138 W. 109th St.

Ladon Brumfield, founder and director of Girls Rule! says she started the program to empower young women without degrading young men.

I started Girls Rule! as a means to lift girls up, without pushing boys down. We all have value, gifts and the ability to contribute positively to the world around us. Girls Rule! helps girls to define and envision for themselves the type of women they'd like to become, then provides them with the tools to bring that vision to fruition, she said.

Girls Rule! collaborates with local public, charter and private schools and has sustained a total of 12 chapters over the past year.

The Lavizzo chapter consists of 15-20 girls and was launched through an existing partnership with Girls Rule! and Metropolitan Family Services.

Through our work together, we developed a reputation with Metropolitan Family Services for being a high quality program provider. So, when they - along with Principal Stelly at Lavizzo Elementary School sought to expand and support their mission to provide quality programming for Lavizzo's after-school services, Girls Rule! was a perfect fit, said Brumfield.

Girls Rule! activities are designed to help participants become poised young women. With lessons in resolving problems and proper etiquettethe girls are equipped with tools to build confidence.

We customize our programming to meet the changing needs and interests of the communities and young ladies we serve. Our core programming at Lavizzo centers on esteem and leadership building activities along with positive conflict resolution and etiquette classes. [Recently], they began learning how to make quality fashions and life decisions through our Sewn Perfect fashion design component, said Brumfield.

According to Brumfield it is important for young girls to know their self-worth because it impacts their choices in life. She adds though images in media are pervasive, with the correct guidance, girls can gain and maintain high self-esteem.

Today's music, television programming, print media and a host of other outlets send powerful messages to girls on a daily basis about their value - which if presented often enough, becomes easy to believe. Young ladies who have defined their own sense of value are less likely to conform to what others attempt to impose on to them - but instead make their decisions based on what is true to them, she said.

For membership information, interested young women should call 312-479-0789 or send an email to info@girlz-rule.org. To view a listing of activities log on to www.girlz-rule.org

By Thelma Sardin

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