Thursday, July 12, 2012

Divorce, Violence, Murder – These are things that young people should not have to experience.  Meet Royal Phillips and Bria Toussaint, two local young ladies that were faced with some of those hardships but were able to overcome.

Several studies indicate that young girls growing up without their fathers involved in their lives are more likely to participate in destructive activities including, but not limited to, drugs, eating disorders and teen pregnancy.  Fortunately, due to the strong female role models in Bria and Royal’s lives, these girls were taught the power of resilience.  Knowing how important a role model is in a young girl’s life, they co-founded GRL-PWR.

GRL-PWR is an organization designed to give young girls the tools they need to be confident and successful.  In just two years, GRL-PWR has expanded from an after school program to a camp sponsored by Loudoun County Department of Parks and Recreation.  GRL-PWR has provided Royal and Bria the opportunity to develop as leaders while giving back to the community through youth mentorship.

Both young women will be attending Spelman College in the fall.  They aspire to turn GRL-PWR into a business with which they can positively influence girls around the country.