Chicago’s Global Girls visit Milwaukee

by Tyran Saffold Jr.
Last week, The Global Girls, an organization for young women based out of Chicago, brought its summer theater group to Milwaukee for an inclusive tour.

In an attempt to expose members of the Global Girls to another city, Executive Director Marvinetta Woodley-Penn decided to bring the girls to see what our city to offer.

The tour was set up and guided by Taki Raton, principal of Blyden Delany Academy on Milwaukee’s West Side. Raton, who upon hearing Penn’s desire to visit Milwaukee simply said, "I’ll take care of it."

Raton stated that "we need to keep Black money in Black hands" as he took the group to various Black-owned businesses in Milwaukee, beginning with lunch at Swanks, a small restaurant in downtown Milwaukee, and ending later that day with a tour of his school, Blyden Delany Academy on West McKinley.

As a Chicago native, Raton is adamant about starting his own version of The Global Girls in Milwaukee. "We need something like this in Milwaukee," said Raton, and he is right, as the organization would help our young women as much as it has helped those who reside in Chicago.

Established in 2000, Global Girls has provided a stage for hundreds of young girls to step outside their comfort zones and discover the beauty they have buried inside them like diamonds under the soil in Zaire.

The organization is made up of young women, ages 8-18, that uses the performing arts to accentuate strong communication, leadership and life skills.

The members who make up Global Girls participate in a wide range of activities throughout the year. From singing, acting and performing modern ballet dances, to reciting poetry and performing plays, these young women are able to use express their God-given talents in a number of creative ways.

Not only do the Global strive to help young women utilize their talents and abilities, but they also do a lot to progress their mentalities through weekly chat sessions in which they discuss everything from relationships and violence prevention, to ways of implementing healthy lifestyles.

The organization also provides a place with a positive atmosphere that young girls can relax in, be themselves, and build lasting relationships with other girls of various ages, in most cases, building "little sister, big sister" types of relationships amongst each other.

The group also provides opportunities for the young girls to learn about themselves as unique individuals and citizens of this world.

"Global Girls is an organization where you can break free out of your comfort zone and have fun with girls of all different ages," said one of the members who attended the trip to Milwaukee.

Another member stated, "The Global Girls is an organization that does a lot of positive things to help the community and I love being apart of it.

"I’m always going to be a Global Girl."

The program offers a wide variety of programs made to fit the diversity and needs of young women.

Outside of the Summer Theater Program, there are several sub-groups: G.I.F.T.S, Girls Initiative For Tolerance and Self-discovery; W.I.S.E.R., With Integrity, Strength, Enthusiasm and Resilience; Girls in Motion; Social Dance and Graces, and Communication; L.A.B.B.S., Listening, Attitude, Body Language, and Speaking Skills.

The organization has also succeeded in taking their organization worldwide as they make annual trips to Ghana, allowing their members to experience the world in exciting ways.

Since its birth in 2000, the Global Girls continue to inspire people such as Raton to create programs for youth and help bring dreams closer to reality for the young women of our future.