Changing the narrative for Black teen girls
Young Ladies Aspiring Greatness (Y.L.A.G.) is a 501c3 non-profit organization whose mission is to exchange critical thinking skills and resources that will help empower and build the next generation of Black and Brown girls to grow into successful business leaders through community involvement opportunities. Y.L.A.G. was founded in 2013 by Shirelle Stroud with the goal of changing the narrative around Black teen girls by encouraging growth, activating ambition, self-love, and character.
Our mission is to teach girls to have a love and respect for their communities with hopes they will, in turn, serve and sow back into them. We then encourage the community to come and pour back into them by speaking to the girls and sharing life lessons that will help them on their life’s journey.
Y.L.A.G. provides a safe space and platform to help teen girls of color discover creative ways that they may begin to address issues that are prominent in their communities and that directly affect their generation. Y.L.A.G. has partnered with many exceptional organizations, such as the City of Trotwood, Greater Dayton Premier Management, United Rehabilitation Services, Omega CDC’S Scholars of Hope, the Gem City Selfie Museum, What’s The Biz, and the Ronald Mcdonald House, all of which have given the girls opportunities to serve and build strong personal networks for themselves within the community. Y.L.A.G. aims to impress upon young girls the importance of community service in the hope that they will continue to find value in giving back as they matriculate into adulthood.
With the strong ties that will form through working together and being intentional about pouring so heavily into the community, the young girls of Y.L.A.G. come to understand what is needed by people like them and those connected to them. Y.L.A.G. hopes to nurture the community leaders and activists of tomorrow, today.
Y.L.A.G. is the amplified voice of the young women of color, working with seasoned community leaders to help make a difference in Dayton and its surrounding areas. It is community; it is cooperative; it is tangible — everything youth need to excel.
As an organization we want you to keep in mind the importance of giving back to our young people through mentorship and service. We must continuously pour into our young people so in return they will pour back into us, the community. They are our future leaders.
If you want to learn more about us and how you can support our mission, please visit youngladiesaspiringgreatness.com.