Black girls are often left to feel powerless. And many of them believe the only way to secure their power and prowess is to pimp themselves through using their bodies to get them what they want. They are crucified for how they wear their hair and TV emphasizes sex way too much. Our girls need a loving place, besides the comfort of our homes, where they can ask questions, explore and be encouraged to use their brains as power to advance them in a world that is destined to try to deter them.
And as a mom of girls I am so excited that my 11-year-old daughter Kaitlin will get to spend 4 days being empowered at Kamp Kizzy, a summer camp that is the brainchild of an iconic child star, Keshia Knight Pulliam, aka Rudy from the Cosby Show, is now a powerhouse in Atlanta as the founder of a non-profit organization for young girls, Kamp Kizzy. In addition, she is the co-founder of The A-List Experience, which serves as a fundraiser vehicle for A-List celebrities and the official brand ambassador for Hairfinity hair vitamins.
I am SO proud for so many reasons that Kaitlin will get this opportunity to come together with other positive young ladies. Kaitlin had to get recommendation from her teachers, write an essay and we had to make a two-minute video all about her.
What I love about Kamp Kizzy is the fact that an Atlanta A-Lister is working to do something powerful and POSITIVE with our young ladies. Keshia gives her heart and soul to this organization and I feel blessed that my daughter will get to experience what it means to be in the presence of a community of girls who will learn about the power of paying it forward. It’s not about who’s cute, and who’s not or who has the latest fashions or who is friends with whom– this is a meaningful experience to bring black girls TOGETHER and not an exercise in pettiness that will pull them apart. It’s all about sisterhood. That’s important. Keshia is building a community of sisterhood, of sorts, by taking black girls under her wings. Not for fame or fortune (especially since the camp is FREE) but for the mere fact that she’s a positive sistah who’s got something to give– her love, her time and her commitment to be her sistah’s keeper. Kamp Kizzy teaches the girls the power of their words, thoughts and actions to manifest into reality. I’m a proud mom who applauds that!
More About Kamp Kizzy For Girls
Kamp Kizzy for girls is a curriculum developed to promote self-esteem, empowerment and motivation in girls. Currently, Kamp Kizzy is a free weeklong overnight camp. Our focus will be girls ages 11-16 from all socioeconomic backgrounds, races, religions and geographic locations. We receive hundreds of applications to attend Kamp Kizzy. However, approximately only 100 girls are invited to participate.
Girls today are bombarded with so many over sexualized images and conflicting opinions in the media and society of who they are and what their value is. It is important during the transition from girlhood to womanhood for there to be a safe space where girls can ask questions, explore and discover who they are in a loving environment void of judgment. Kamp Kizzy not only provides them with this space but also teaches them the tools to navigate in the world around them.
Kamp Kizzy for girls is a holistic approach to self-esteem, empowerment and motivation. We dare the girls to dream big, think big and accomplish big. Our motto is, “Our body is our temple and what we put in our body is a direct reflection of what we get out of our body”. The girls learn the importance of physical, mental and spiritual wellness.
At Kamp Kizzy the girls participate in a variety of activities including: yoga, sexual health and hygiene workshops, team building exercises, body image workshops, creative writing, social media etiquette and creating vision boards. There are also guest speakers who share their story and life experience. Kamp Kizzy for girls is a candid and unabridged guidance into womanhood.
Currently, Kamp Kizzy is located in Atlanta, Ga. However, the vision for Kamp Kizzy is to be a global curriculum found in schools and community centers across the U.S. and abroad. We are in the process of developing the teaching and workshop aids to train additional facilitators.
Of course stay tuned for more because I will post all about Kaitlin’s experience after she finished the program. Thank you SO much to Keshia Knight Pulliam and the Kamp Kizzy staff for choosing Kaitlin to be in this extraordinary program. I am so grateful.
Visit KampKizzy.org for more info
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