SOUTH SIDE LEADERS HONORED ON MARCH 18
Michelle Rashad, executive director of Imagine Englewood If …, will receive the Pioneer Award from the Chicago Foundation for Women Impact Awards. The Impact Awards recognizes leaders in the community who work to improve the lives of women and girls. Photo provided by Michelle Rashad.
Chicago Foundation for Women is recognizing the leaders of two Englewood-based organizations for its 2021 Impact Awards.
Chez Smith, founder of Gyrls in the H.O.O.D. Foundation, will receive the Reverend Willie Taplin Barrow Emerging Leadership Award. Michelle Rashad, executive director of Imagine Englewood If…, will receive the Pioneer Award.
Chicago Foundation for Women funds organizations which work to solve problems that face women and girls, including economic insecurity, violence, as well as a lack of access to healthcare and information. The aim of the organization is to invest in women and girls as catalysts, which it hopes will build strong communities.
Chicago Foundation for Women will present the Impact Awards virtually on Thursday, March 18. The Impact Awards recognizes leaders in the community who work to improve the lives of women and girls when it comes to expanding economic security, ensuring freedom from violence, or enhancing access to health services.
Smith founded Gyrls in the H.O.O.D. Foundation in 2016 with the mission of improving reproductive health outcomes among adolescent girls, as well as redefining the negative stereotypes placed on them because of their zip codes. “I love street outreach. I think that’s my favorite way of getting the message out. I like to engage with people directly. I think that you gain trust, and you get to see them in their authentic way and they get to see you in your authentic way,” Smith said.
She added, over the years, Gyrls in the H.O.O.D. Foundation has expanded to include a H.O.O.D. Kit, with items the girls need to take care of their bodies and maintain their personal hygiene. She said it has really come in handy throughout the pandemic. She said the organization is always expanding its program to Dallas, with the overall goal to have a Gyrls in the H.O.O.D. chapter in all 50 states.
If feels amazing to be recognized by Chicago Foundation for Women, Smith said, adding, it really does feel like an honor. It says, “we see you,” she said.
“Sometimes you think, is anybody else paying attention to what I’m doing, does anybody get this? When you’re passionate about something and it matters to you so much at some point, you don’t even care if somebody else gets it, but it’s nice to be validated by the Chicago Foundation for Women. It’s amazing to be seen,” she said.
Imagine Englewood If…, founded in 1997, aims to strengthen and empower the greater Englewood community by teaching local youth and their families healthy living, environmental awareness and positive communications.
Rashad said Imagine Englewood If… provides programming for children ages 6-18 years old. She called it an investment in youth development.
Rashad said she participated in Imagine Englewood If… when she was a teenager and went on a trip to Washington, D.C. She said being part of the organization as a teenager sparked a love of community and planted a seed of service.
Rashad agreed that receiving the recognition from Chicago Foundation for Women makes her feel seen. “It makes me feel like the work I’m doing is not only being noticed, but it’s having an impact. To receive it from such a distinguished body of women who are also movers and shakers, really makes you want to stop and pat yourself on the back,” she said.
Felicia Davis, president and CEO of Chicago Foundation for Women, said Rashad has a clear vision for what she wants the Englewood community to look like in the near future, and she is driven to make that happen. “At such a young age, she is not only an inspiration for young people, but for us older folks too. Her innovative thinking, commitment, and dedication help bring the entire community to the table and holistically bring about the change they want to see,” she said.
Davis said Smith and her work with Gyrls in the H.O.O.D. Foundation are a direct reflection of what the Rev. Willie Taplin Barrow Emerging Leadership Award stands for. “During the pandemic, Chez has been meeting our young people where they are, ensuring they have what they need to succeed.
For more information about Gyrls in the H.O.O.D. Foundation, visit www.gyrlsinthehood.com. For more information about Imagine Englewood If…, visit www.imagineenglewoodif.org. For more information about Chicago Foundation for Women’s 2020 Impact Awards, visit www.cfw.org/impact.
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