GIRLS LIKE ME PROJECT, INC. JOINS CHICAGO COMMUNITY TRUST’S ON THE TABLE CONVERSATION

Girls Like Me Project, Inc. recently hosted an One the Table: Memo to the Mayor conversation at the Studio Movie Grill in Chatham. Photo Credit: Girls Like Me Project, Inc.
Girls Like Me Project, Inc. recently hosted an One the Table: Memo to the Mayor conversation at the Studio Movie Grill in Chatham. Photo Credit: Girls Like Me Project, Inc.

Girls Like Me Project, Inc. Joins Chicago Community Trust’s On The Table Conversation

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

The Chicago Community Trust recently organized its annual On The Table conversations with this year’s focus on creating a Memo to the Mayor. On The Table events were held across the city and the goal of each discussion was to identify community needs that Chicago’s newly elected mayor, Lori Lightfoot, and her administration should know about.

On The Table is a daylong civic conversation that takes place at various locations across the city and includes thousands of people. All of this year’s events were held on May 14 and hosted by both individuals and organizations.

This year, an On the Table conversation was hosted by Girls Like Me Project, Inc. at the Studio Movie Grill in Chatham.

Girls Like Me Project, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that works with Black girls who are 11 to 16 years old and empowers them to overcome the negative stereotypes they face and take control of their own narrative through digital-storytelling.

“We hold a fundamental belief that black girls specifically are unfortunately targeted by negative stereotypes, negative stigma, and just messages that are very devaluing to their self-worth and their ambitions. Also on the flip side, we know that if the girls have self-advocacy and the proper tools then they can reclaim their narrative in the media and learn how to use media as a tool for global sisterhood,” said LaKeisha Gray-Sewell, founder and CEO of Girls Like Me, Inc.

The organization provides workshops, training programs, and summer camps for young black girls and they are currently preparing for their free D.I.V.A.S. in the City summer camp which will train girls in media literacy and digital storytelling.

“Digital storytelling is when the students can take the media tools they have at their disposal to share stories that they don’t usually see themselves portrayed as doing in the media. The things that are positive like starting a garden, working to gather to keep each other safe,” said Gray-Sewell.

Because the organization has a heavy focus on digital media, they chose to focus their On The Table Conversation on recent negative media coverage of a large group of Black teens who visited downtown Chicago over spring break and the public response to it.

“Young people deserve to explore the city, first of all, and young people deserve for adults to be responsible for providing them with the resources that they need,” said Gray Sewell. “The average young person needs direction and needs to be guided.”

The conversation explored how public perception can effect the resources and opportunities that black teens have and how the city could benefit from supporting and organizing Black teenagers.

“This conversation was a reflection, an admonishment, and an opportunity for us to really explore what we owe young people and what they already have to give. Five hundred young people mobilizing just from social media is incredible and that’s a missed opportunity. If they can organize each other, it is a missed opportunity if we don’t direct that energy to something positive,” said Gray Sewell

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

STARR Community Services International, Inc.