Last month we highlighted the importance of supporting girls of color in Boston in light of a new bill introduced by Rep. Ayanna Pressley and co-sponsored by Rep. Ilhan Omar, The Ending PUSHOUT Act (Ending Punitive, Unfair, School-Based Harm that is Overt and Unresponsive to Trauma). One of the ways in which YW Boston is addressing barriers to opportunity for girls of color in Boston is through our F.Y.R.E. Initiative.

The F.Y.R.E. Initiative is YW Boston’s leadership and empowerment program for middle school girls in the Greater Boston area. The program’s 12 to 15-week curriculum incorporates social justice education, positive identity development, and civic engagement. Each weekly session is designed to promote dialogue and experiential learning to cultivate empathy and increase social-emotional learning. The F.Y.R.E. Initiative takes place in schools or during Out of School Time programs. F.Y.R.E. is developed to operate in a “girls group” structure rather than a traditional classroom structure. At the end of the program, participants will present a community action project at the F.Y.R.E. Symposium and have the opportunity to engage with other youth leaders from across Greater Boston.

What is the F.Y.R.E. Symposium?

The F.Y.R.E. Symposium is an end-of-semester conference for participants of YW Boston’s middle school girls leadership program, the F.Y.R.E. Initiative. During the conference, young girls will have the opportunity to present their Community Action Projects and connect with local professionals as well as inspire other young leaders. Girls will be joined by community leaders, friends, family, and peers to ignite others by employing the F.Y.R.E. Symposium’s core components to educate, amplify, empower, and act. You can help us reignite a spark in girls across Greater Boston by becoming a F.Y.R.E. Starter!

What is a F.Y.R.E. Starter and how can I become one?

Become a sponsor for our upcoming F.Y.R.E. Symposium on Saturday, June 6th and you will become a F.Y.R.E. Starter who is empowering middle school girls across Boston. Your support will make this event possible and allow girls to experience a day of learning, community building, and action.

Your sponsorship can help secure event space, workshops, speakers, food and beverage, and more. You will be recognized as a sponsor on digital and print event collateral.

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About YW Boston 

As the first YWCA in the nation, YW Boston has been at the forefront of advancing equity for over 150 years. Through our DE&I services—InclusionBoston and LeadBoston—as well as our advocacy work and youth programming, we help individuals and organizations change policies, practices, attitudes, and behaviors with a goal of creating more inclusive environments where women, people of color, and especially women of color can succeed.