About Us
Combining The Peforming Arts & Self Awareness/ Empowerment Since 2000
Global Girls is a youth engagement and performing arts organization empowering African American girls originally on Chicago’s south side, and now throughout Illinois and in East Africa.
Focusing on arts education and presentation, social/emotional and leadership development, we facilitate school-based and after school programs,
work with youth in partnership with other organizations, conduct parent and professional development workshops and create participant-driven theatre.
Our Story
In 2000, Global Girls, Inc. received 501(c)3 status. The work began with only eight girls meeting in a home basement. Today, we’ve realized a dream: our own office, rehearsal and performance space, The Global Studio, located in the heart of the community we serve.
Using the youth engagement paradigm, (people involved in responsible, challenging activities to create positive social change by planning, making decisions and taking actions that affect themselves and others), Global Girls has directly impacted the lives of more than 20,000 girls and women.
Our Impact
Annually, we provide opportunities for
more than 500 girls and women to:
● practice analytical and creative thinking,
● participate in female centered spaces,
● engage in self-expression through story-telling, acting and dance,
● grow as performers, independent
thinkers, innovators and conscious
citizens of the world.
Our Expansion
Global Girls is not only a vital contributor to the artistic lifeblood of Chicago’s south side but also has an international reach. Arts exchange projects enabled 27 south side girls to travel and work with other girls in Accra, Ghana; Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya; Tamil Nadu, India and Grenada, West Indies.
Because of your support, we are on the path to engage over 2,500 youth and adults in 2023!
Please attend our anniversary celebration either in person or on Facebook Live, January 21st at 1pm, Harris Park, 6200 S. Drexel. You’ll hear from the board of directors, see young women who started Global Girls in the early 2000s, see our current participants perform and here exciting details for our new programs.
As the actor said in The Green Mile, “You’re either getting busy living or getting busy dying.” Global Girls is ALIVE AND WELL!
OUR BOARD
Creola Hampton, Chair
Harry Mays, Vice Chair
Lafayette Ford, Treasurer
Vanessa Imani, Secretary
OUR STAFF
Marvinetta Woodley-Penn, Executive Director
Patricia Davis, Managing Director
Ryonn Gloster, Artistic Director
L’eesha Jackson, Resource Manager
Gabriel Hawkins, Community Partnership Coordinator
2022 TEACHING ARTISTS
Nonivia Anoch
Caria Henderson
Mariama Pilcher
Gabriel Hawkins
JUNIOR FACILITATORS
Destiny Haynes
Talia Williams
Expansion Partners in Illinois
Cairo
East St. Louis
Springfield
Decatur
Kankakee
Partners Abroad
Kenya Connect, Wamunyu, Kenya
FASDO, Dar es Salam, Tanzania
Girls First initiative, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
MudaAfrica, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Rafiki, Bagamoyo, Tanzania
Chicago Public School Partners
Avalon Elementary
Revere Elementary
Robert A. Black Elementary
Tanner Elementary
Our Partners
Reva & David Logan Center for the Arts
Stroger Hospital
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Goldin Peace Fellows
A Knock at Midnight
African International House/African Fest
American Embassy Tanzania
BLANCHE
Chicago Sister Cities
Chicago Police Department 4th District
Chicago Public Libraries
Haven Tower Senior Residence
Atlas Center
Black Start Project
CAN TV
Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre
Black United Fund of Illinois
Woodlawn Women’s Assoc.
WTTW Channel 11
8th Ward Democratic Org.
Address
8151 S. South Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60617
Call Us
(773) 902-2359
Email Us
info@globalgirlsinc.org
