I am writing to express my unending support of the Women’s Leadership Project (WLP) program. WLP provides critical support for young Black girls and girls of color in the form of community enhancement via confidence building, mentoring, life skills, and preparing them for matriculation through university. WLP students are trained to engage in peer education, mentoring, and outreach on sexual harassment, sexual violence, reproductive health, Black-Latinx relations, LGBTQI rights and other gender and social justice issues. Nearly three years ago, I became teacher liaison for WLP at Dorsey High School, and the work that we’ve done together at the school has been extremely instrumental in helping the young girls find their voices and the courage to advocate for themselves and their peers.
Allow me to share a few outstanding stats in regards to the program. WLP has a 100% graduation rate with a 90% college enrollment rate (2 and 4 year) for graduating WLP seniors. A whopping 80% of WLP alumni return to mentor current WLP high school students and participate in school-community workshops and WLP alumni successfully graduate college and receive B.A. or AA degrees.
The community needs WLP because without it, a great deal of our youth will lose one of the only programs geared to their specific needs. Very few organizations cater to what Black young women and young women of color need in order to navigate the world in which we live. WLP is a significantly important endeavor in South Central Los Angeles and other under-served communities of Black youths and youth of color.
Kind Regards,
Ashunda Norris
