Laila B. has been a Girls Inc. girl for nearly two years, participating in programs such as the SSB Afterschool Experience, Dance/Mind+Body programming, and Bold Futures Leadership. Her eagerness to participate in programming throughout each week have allowed her to make strides in learn about and practicing healthy interactions, strong ambitions, and advocacy skills.

In 2024, she had the opportunity to speak at the 23rd Annual SSB Awards Celebration, where she talked about what she enjoys about Girls Inc. programming and what advocacy means to her:

“Girls Inc. allows me to be myself. Being here everyday for different classes is fun and makes me feel safe and free. It has helped me learn to deal with my feelings when I am sad or mad, since the teachers always take time to talk to me and help me figure out a problem. In my Leadership class…we talk about advocacy, which basically means when there’s an unfair rule, we must talk about it to try to change it–not only to change the rules for yourself but to change them for other people, too… Girls Inc. helps me to have a strong body, smart brain, and a bold mind.”