Over the Past month I have watched this woman tirelessly work on this project to not only bring awareness to a very serious issue but acting on it and thriving in her new found purpose. I want you all to follow the @_theThread Instagram page, Donate to the Cause $Thread4Grls on Cashapp and Venmo, and continue to spread awareness.

The Thread, developed by southeast, DC native Ashlee Briscoe has been formed to create a space for blacks girls in low income areas in DC, helping to equip them with necessary life skills exploring self care, mental and physical health awareness, higher education, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and mentorship.

It has been developed over the last decade as we have curated and participated in smaller projects including sending girls to prom, facilitating beauty workshops for middle school aged students, and guest speaking in schools on entrepreneurship. The purpose of The Thread is to provide a safe space to be a black girl in cultivating a platform for black girls in DC to explore curriculums necessary to transition into adulthood.

Overall, priorities lie with engaging the larger community on these issues and to bring resolution to hardships many girls face. We have identified that the most urgent of these include: access to sanitary essentials, guidance in transitioning into adulthood, and most importantly a, safe space to ask for help.

It is our hope to build and maintain a sisterhood that encourages intergenerational camaraderie amongst black women in DC. It presents opportunities for established women in the city to give back to their community by using their expertise to teach and mentor girls.

Visual created by @sheiscmd