A Miami-based nonprofit that seeks to empower girls is now has a louder voice.

Founded by attorney and human rights advocate Virginia Akar in 2017, Strong Girls Inc., “provides girls in Miami with the resources and support to grow up healthy, educated, and independent.” Through after-school programming, about 180 girls in the county’s Title 1 elementary, middle and high schools receive the tools and knowledge needed to “thrive now and as adults.” Now, the organization will expand its reach through an affiliation with the national Girls Inc., changing its name to Girls Inc. of Greater Miami.

Girls Inc. of Greater Miami says that the expansion “comes at a time when more than half of girls enrolled in Miami-Dade Public Schools are economically disadvantaged, and 72% of the young women in Miami who are not enrolled in school and do not have a high school degree are also unemployed.” As it continues its work, Girls Inc. of Greater Miami seeks to fulfill its mission to reach girls in all Miami-Dade’s 317 Title 1 schools.

“Far too many girls in Miami face significant social barriers that, without the right tools and support, threaten their ability to achieve success in school, life, and work,” said Akar also president of Girls Inc. of Greater Miami. “We are ecstatic to join the Girls Inc. network, which will allow us to strengthen our capacity and deepen our impact in the Miami community.”

Girls Inc. works with more than 130,000 girls each year in schools and communities throughout 350 cities in the United States and Canada through mentoring, safe spaces and programming backed up by research. As it notes, the American Institutes for Research recently “found that girls who participated in Girls Inc. programming were more likely to engage in activities and express beliefs that lead to physical and mental well-being, academic achievement, and the development of leadership skills.”

“Girls are innately powerful. When provided the right opportunities and supports, girls become change agents for themselves and others,” said Stephanie J. Hull, Ph.D., President and CEO of Girls Inc. “We look forward to partnering locally to develop the talent and potential of girls in Miami and help strengthen this diverse and vibrant community.”

For more information about local programs, email [email protected].