A MESSAGE FROM OUR FOUNDER

Dear friends and supporters,

In 2006, I founded BLACK GIRLS ROCK! to combat images that I felt insulted the integrity of Black women and girls. In addition to our award show, I started a local youth enrichment program, which has blossomed into an international leadership camp. As a mentor and youth advocate, I’ve seen the tremendous benefit of mentoring our girls through holistic art education, critical cultural literacy, leadership development, civic engagement and entrepreneurship workshops that empower them to know and love themselves, to imagine their futures and to be active agents in creating a world where the next generation of girls can be shot callers in diverse professions.

I am excited to announce that we will host our annual BLACK GIRLS ROCK! QUEENS’ CAMP FOR LEADERSHIP & EXCELLENCE for the fourth consecutive year! The camp is a two-week intensive designed to fortify dynamic girls from around the world who are in good academic standing, who exhibit strong leadership capabilities, and who have a vested interest in their personal and professional development. The summer camp will be held at BARNARD COLLEGE and COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY from July 18-August 2, 2014.

BLACK GIRLS ROCK! hosted the first global summer leadership intensive in 2011 because I knew it was essential to nourish and mentor the next generation of young women who desire to be world leaders. I wanted to affirm our girls by surrounding them with like-minded peers aspiring to be trailblazers, to help girls see the depth of their intrinsic power, and to demonstrate that a girl’s value is amplified (not weakened) by international sisterly bonds. 

The BLACK GIRLS ROCK! QUEENS' CAMP FOR LEADERSHIP & EXCELLENCE cultivates and supports this budding generation of female global thought leaders through programs that reinforce the talent, integrity, and knowledge needed to lead successfully. Our diverse participants come from various socioeconomic backgrounds and geographic areas, yet share a foundation of cultural pride, a deep determination to excel, and a will to use their brilliance to impact the world! Our innovative camp curriculum is designed to help participants overcome fears that may hinder them from owning their power and enables participants to refine their skills in writing, public speaking, project management, and creativity.

Our program participants leave our intensive camp as empowered leaders and altruistic individuals! Camp alumnae have expressed feeling a deeper commitment to academic excellence, creative integrity, ingenuity, professional goal setting, humanitarianism, and the principle of collective responsibility.

BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Developmental Philosophy:

•  We believe a summer camp intensive should provide workshops and activities that foster team work, community service, personal growth and active leadership

•  We believe that our unique all-girls environment helps to raise self-esteem, fosters open/honest discussion and encourages lasting bonds of friendship and sisterhood.

•  We believe that girls make educated decisions and become independent thinkers when encouraged to develop critical problem-solving/thinking skills

• We believe in fostering a girl's intentional pursuit of excellence, integrity, self-discipline, and collective accountability so that she may be prepared for her future as a leader.

"After attending BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Queens' Camp I’ve been inspired to not only better myself but my community and peers by setting a good example. Good enough no longer satisfies me. As a Black girl who rocks, I’ve now dedicated my life to exceeding the expectations of others. I am smarter, stronger, and I rock harder. This camp experience has changed my life and my perspective. The world seems so much bigger!"  -Travia Gallon (2013 camp participant)

You can help us continue to mentor dynamic girls, like Travia, and make a meaningful difference in a girl's life by supporting our campaign today! There are several levels to giving and we appreciate your gift, for no amount is too small to make a tremendous difference.

WHAT WILL YOUR FUNDS BE USED FOR?

Your funds will help BLACK GIRLS ROCK! provide dynamic master classes that promote the active leadership, intellectual, social, emotional and positive identity development of teenage girls from around the globe. Our leadership intensive emphasizes the importance of teamwork, community building, entrepreneurship, problem solving, critical cultural literacy and healthy decision making skills.

Our goal is to raise enough money for 25 girls to attend the BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Queens' Camp for Leadership and Excellence. Please help us reach our campaign goal, by making a contribution!

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

• ROCK! THE CAMPAIGN: Please donate to our crowdfunding campaign today! Help a participant attend camp free-of-cost.

• AFTER YOU DONATE, SPREAD THE WORD!: Help us share information about the BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Queens' Camp for Leadership & Excellence! Please pass information about this campaign to your friends via Facebook, Twitter, email, G+, in-person, over the phone, and any other methods of communication to help ensure that we reach our fundraising goal!

• BECOME A TITLE/PARTICIPATING SPONSOR: If interested in becoming a title sponsor or making a donation greater than 10K please contact BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Inc. directly by emailing Glenda Smiley at queenscamp@blackgirlsrock.org.
  

BLACK GIRLS ROCK! is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and all donations are 100% tax deductible. Your contribution is an investment in the enrichment, empowerment, and education of our girls. Together, I believe we can continue to inspire girls to be leaders, trailblazers, and dynamos. Please help us reach our capital campaign goal by making your donation today! We cannot succeed with out you. Thanks for your support. YOU ROCK!

In service and sisterhood,

Beverly Bond

Founder/Executive Director

BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Inc.