Neighbor News
Woonsocket YWCA wins grant to empower local girls
The YWCA Rhode Island received $6,100 to empower girls to document the voices, stories and portraits of prominent Black women.
YWCA Rhode Island in Woonsocket will use a grant from the Rhode Island Foundation to expand its Girls Circle to empower African-American girls in the community. The grant is through the Foundation's Black Philanthropy Bannister Fund.
“Providing the Black community with the resources to thrive goes to the core of commitment to equity and our vision for ensuring that the future is bright for a changing Rhode Island,” said Adrian Bonéy, the Foundation’s program officer for special programs.
The YWCA received $6,100 to document the voices, stories and portraits of 10 prominent Rhode Island Black women. The work will be incorporated into the YWCA’s Girls Circle programming.
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“We will provide Black girls the space they need to make sense of the representations of Black girls and women available through the media and to provide spaces for Black girls to accept, resist, reorient or negotiate such depictions as they develop their own identities,” said Deborah Perry, the YWCA's president and CEO.
The Girls Circle, which is offered after school and during the summer, provides structured support groups for girls ages 9-to-18.
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“Our goal is to counteract social and interpersonal forces that impede Black girls’ growth and development by promoting an emotionally safe setting and structure within which girls can develop caring relationships and use authentic voices,” said Perry.
The Foundation’s Black Philanthropy Bannister Fund supports nonprofits that offer youth development and mentoring, promote the history and achievements of Blacks in Rhode Island, preserve the culture of the Black community and strive to uplift low-income Black Rhode Islanders.
The fund is guided by an advisory committee comprised of Linda Newton, Edward Clifton, Jason Fowler, Brendan Kane and Beverly Ledbetter.
The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. Through leadership, fundraising and grantmaking activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential. For more information, visit rifoundation.org.