The Innocent Brown Girl Project

Got questions about Girl Empowered? We’ve got answers.

We know choosing the right curriculum for your girls matters, and we want to make that process as clear and easy as possible.

We’re answering some of the most common questions about Girl Empowered, including:

✨ Who it’s for
✨ What’s included
✨ How the lessons are structured
✨ How schools and organizations are using it
✨ How to get started

Girl Empowered is a culturally responsive SEL + leadership curriculum created specifically for Black & Brown girls in grades 3–12.

Our goal is simple:
To help girls build confidence, strengthen identity, develop healthy relationships, and grow into bold leaders.

Planning for the 2026–2027 school year? Start here.

🔗 Learn more through the link in bio.

Girl Empowered was created from a simple but powerful belief:

Black & Brown girls deserve spaces that affirm who they are, nurture their voices, and remind them of their power.

As an educator, SEL coordinator, and founder, I saw the need for culturally responsive lessons that went beyond surface-level conversations and truly centered the experiences, identities, and growth of the girls we serve.

That’s why I created Girl Empowered.

This curriculum was designed to help girls:
✨ Build confidence
✨ Explore identity
✨ Strengthen leadership skills
✨ Practice healthy boundaries
✨ Reflect, heal, and grow in community

My hope is that every girl who experiences this curriculum leaves knowing:
She is worthy.
She is capable.
And her voice matters.

Thank you to everyone supporting this work and believing in what’s possible for our girls. 🤍

— Dr. Kristi

Founder, The Innocent Brown Girl Project

Planning girls’ programming for the 2026–2027 school year?

Girl Empowered is a culturally responsive SEL + leadership curriculum created to help Black & Brown girls build confidence, strengthen identity, develop healthy relationships, and grow into bold leaders.

Inside the curriculum:
✨ Identity & self-worth lessons
✨ Reflection activities & journals
✨ Healthy relationship & boundaries discussions
✨ Ready-to-use lesson plans
✨ Facilitator guides & printable resources
✨ Meaningful conversations that support real growth

Designed for:
✔ Schools
✔ Counselors & social workers
✔ Mentoring programs
✔ Youth organizations
✔ Community-based groups

Girl Empowered was created to make implementation easier while still creating impactful experiences for the girls you serve.

As schools begin planning for fall programming, now is the time to secure resources that center, affirm, and empower Black & Brown girls.

🔗 Learn more through the link in bio.

One thing I’m learning about building a school is that so much of the work happens long before anyone ever walks through the doors.

It’s the planning, the conversations, the grant applications, the late nights, the reworking ideas, the asking for help, the learning as you go, and the continued decision to believe in the Dream even on the hard days.
Some days this journey feels exciting. Some days it feels overwhelming. Most days, it feels like both at the same time.

But I still believe deeply in what Dream Academy for Girls can become.

I believe girls deserve learning spaces where they feel supported academically, socially, and emotionally. I believe they deserve environments that recognize their brilliance and nurture their confidence, leadership, and creativity.

So for now, we keep building the Dream.

Thank you to everyone continuing to encourage, support, share, donate, and believe in this vision alongside me.

https://givebutter.com/supportthedream

We are about 2 months away from my 40th birthday, and 2 months left in the Dream Academy for Girls 40 Before 40 campaign.

Building something you care deeply about is beautiful, but it’s also hard. There have been exciting moments, disappointing moments, and a lot of uncertainty in between. Some opportunities I hoped would work out didn’t, and I’ve had to remind myself more than once that delays are not the same thing as failure.

But even in the hard moments, the vision has not changed.

I still believe girls deserve learning spaces where they feel safe, supported, challenged, and seen. I still believe our community deserves more options. And I still believe Dream Academy for Girls can become something meaningful.

So over these next 2 months, I’m recommitting to sharing more of the journey as we continue building.

Thank you to everyone who has encouraged, supported, donated, shared a post, or simply checked in along the way. It truly means more than you know.

https://givebutter.com/supportthedream

Black & Brown girls deserve spaces where they are not only included but deeply seen, affirmed, and empowered.

Girl Empowered was created to help girls explore identity, strengthen confidence, build healthy relationships, and develop leadership skills in spaces intentionally designed with them in mind.

Too often, girls are expected to navigate:
✨ pressure
✨ stereotypes
✨ self-doubt
✨ emotional stress
✨ questions about belonging

without enough opportunities to reflect, process, and grow in community.

That’s why Girl Empowered centers:
✔ Identity & self-worth
✔ Leadership & advocacy
✔ Emotional wellness
✔ Reflection & connection
✔ Culturally responsive SEL practices

Because representation matters, safe spaces matter, and our girls matter.

Schools and youth organizations planning for fall implementation can learn more through the link in bio.

Girl Empowered was designed to support both girls AND the adults facilitating the experience.

Too often, educators, counselors, and mentors are expected to build meaningful girls’ programming from scratch while already balancing full workloads.

Girl Empowered was created to make implementation easier while still creating real impact.

Each curriculum includes:
✔ Ready-to-use lessons
✔ Facilitator guidance
✔ Student journals & reflection tools
✔ Interactive worksheets & activities
✔ Discussion prompts & group exercises
✔ CASEL-aligned SEL objectives

Designed specifically for Black and Brown girls in grades 3–12, the curriculum helps create spaces where girls can build confidence, explore identity, strengthen relationships, and grow as leaders.

Perfect for:
✨ Schools
✨ Counseling groups
✨ Mentoring programs
✨ After-school programs
✨ Youth organizations

🔗 Learn more through the link in bio.

What does a Girl Empowered session actually look like?

It looks like girls reflecting on who they are, exploring what shapes them, and building confidence in their voices, identities, and futures.

Every lesson inside Girl Empowered is intentionally designed to help Black and Brown girls:
✨ Build self-awareness
✨ Strengthen confidence
✨ Develop leadership skills
✨ Engage in meaningful conversations
✨ Feel seen, supported, and empowered

Facilitators receive:
✔ Ready-to-use lesson plans
✔ Reflection & journaling prompts
✔ Interactive student activities
✔ Discussion tools & printable resources
✔ Grade-specific support for grades 3–12

Because girls deserve spaces where they can grow, heal, lead, and be their full selves.

Schools, counselors, mentoring programs, and youth organizations planning for fall implementation can learn more through the link in bio.

A look inside Girl Empowered

Girl Empowered is a culturally responsive SEL + leadership curriculum designed specifically for Black and Brown girls in grades 3–12.

Each lesson is intentionally created to help girls:
✨ Explore identity
✨ Build confidence
✨ Strengthen relationships
✨ Develop leadership & self-advocacy skills

Inside the curriculum, facilitators receive:
✔ Interactive student activities
✔ Reflection & journaling prompts
✔ Discussion-based learning tools
✔ Ready-to-use lesson guidance
✔ Printable worksheets & classroom resources

Schools, counselors, mentoring programs, and youth organizations planning for fall programming can now reserve access for the 2026–2027 school year.

Schools with remaining 2025 funding are encouraged to secure access before the July budget reset.

🔗 Link in bio to learn more.