Girls' LEAP stands united with those who are rising up against police brutality and white supremacy. We believe black lives matter.

 

LEAP is dedicated to disrupting the violence that surrounds girls by amplifying their voices, emboldening their courage, and imparting critical life and self-defense skills so they can take on challenges with confidence. We recognize that cycles of violence are systemic, institutionalized and unjustly impacting communities of color where so many of our youth live. We see, hear and feel the pain and anger, the hurt of "living in a country that doesn't love us back," in the words of one of our teens.

 

Over the past week, we’ve been asking ourselves how we can do more to create a better future. We’ve realized the answer is within our organization: the girls and young women of LEAP whose voices we are dedicated to amplifying. They are emerging as leaders. They are ready to share their stories, offer their ideas and lead us towards a better future. They are our voice on social media and they will continue to use that channel to share their thoughts and feelings about creating a just society. We commit to doubling down in supporting them in developing their strength, their engagement in their community and their leadership.

 

Our first priority is trying to make sure our youth always feel supported. We seek to provide spaces for the young people of color that we serve to talk about these issues and receive the support they need. We are continuing our practice of restorative justice circles, more important now than ever before. We will again offer Know Your Rights training and continue to support the Teens in their community activism as a means to creating a more just society. And, as always, we will work to make our empowerment self-defense programs available to as many youth as possible.

 

As we look for reassurance and guidance, we return to Martin Luther King's words:

Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

 

With love,
Girls’ LEAP