“You are valid. You are authentic. You are amazing. You are magical.”
Navigating middle school for any young girl is fraught with self-esteem issues, anxiety and the desire to fit in but for many young black girls it can be exceptionally difficult. In a society where they feel underrepresented and misunderstood it can be hard to develop one’s true self. Inspired by their common experiences growing up as young black girls in Louisville, two friends have created a new organization focused on fostering black girl culture for middle school girls in Louisville. Maya White and Mahogany Mayfield are the founders of Girls League of the West (GLOW) and they have a message for young black girls, “You are valid. You are authentic. You are amazing. You are magical.”
Encouraged by their professors while taking classes at the University of Louisville in the Department of Women and Gender Studies, Maya and Mahogany set out to create an organization that supports young black girls, encourages them to love who they are and reinforces the understanding that they belong in all spaces. “Middle school is such a vulnerable time,” explains Maya. She hopes to influence the girls to “be thankful and truthful to yourself by accepting who you are and others that look like you, despite society’s standards of being accepted.”
Mahogany wants the girls to understand that their feelings and their emotions are valid. “Our society can be flawed in a lot of ways, especially when it comes to black girls’ narratives.” She hopes to shed light on why the girls don’t always connect with the movies and music of popular culture and that it’s okay to be upset. “When you’re younger you don’t recognize it but there is a lack of representation and a lack of inclusion.” Often, a sense of not belonging and self-doubt can even come from the influence of friends. Mahogany adds, “we have so many internalized, flawed ideas of ourselves and our friends can contribute to our harsh ideas… and anti-blackness.” GLOW seeks to provide a safe outlet for young middle school girls to talk about these issues and help them to define themselves on their own terms.
In partnership with the Louisville Urban League, GLOW meets on a weekly basis during the school year where they focus on motivation, celebration and liberation. Cultural heritage is an important part of the program and the women invite an “Auntie of the Week” to talk with the girls and cultivate a sense of family. They believe it is important for young black girls to know that black girlhood is real, to recognize those who have paved the way and to celebrate those women.
Despite the organization’s name, the group is not just limited to girls in the West End of Louisville. All girls are welcome. “We have girls from all over Kentucky (including) Spencer County and Middletown who come down to the West End to be a part of the experience,” says Maya. In celebrating black girlhood, Maya and Mahogany hope to foster pride in the young girls and help them to be unapologetic for who they are. They strive to create a safe and supportive environment for the girls to express themselves and nurture them to be more than friends, to be sisters. “When you are reflecting on yourself, it’s not always pretty,” says Mahogany. “And we just want them to know that you have a sister out there that’s like you, that’s going through the stuff that you’re going through and has your back.”
