MAWOCC's Intergenerational Leadership Academy

The Intergenerational Leadership Academy (I.L.A.) is for women of color and girls of color in grades 9-12. Intergenerational Leadership Academy seeks to provide a safe and empowering space for women of color and girls of color to develop their leadership skills and build the confidence needed to combat systemic and structural racism. We are intentional in creating a Safe, Healthy, Environment, for Leadership Empowerment, Authentic Development, and Success. The academy will provide holistic leadership skills for women of color and girls of color who are more likely to experience marginalization, discrimination, and gendered and racial stress.

The girls of color leadership program, launching this school year, is a two-week program for 9th – 12th-grade girls from Worcester County/Central Massachusetts. Part 1 will take place from February 19th to 23rd, 2024 and Part 2 will take place from April 15th to 19th, 2024.

Our ILA will teach leadership skills to girls of color through historical and current leadership and mentorship models focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM).

The mentorship leadership training will equip girls of color with the necessary tools, strategies, and insights needed to advance their higher education goals, & career aspirations while navigating institutional biases and systemic barriers.

Girls will get to experience:

• Career exploration
• Field trips
• Lectures and seminars
• Guest speakers
• Hands-on workshops
• Year-long mentorship

The goals of the Intergenerational Leadership Academy are to:

• Provide girls of color with the tools and strategies to combat systemic and structural racism.
• Equip girls of color with the necessary tools, strategies, and insights needed to advance their higher education goals, & career aspirations.
• Teach leadership skills to girls of color through historical and current leadership and mentorship models.
• Provide a safe and empowering space for girls of color to develop their leadership skills and build the confidence needed to navigate institutional and systemic barriers.
• Help grow the leadership pool to creatively address the challenges faced by communities of color, and the nation as a whole.
• Empower girls of color to become the next generation of leaders.

This program will focus on developing and supporting women of color leaders to help further advance their careers and provide them with the tools and strategies to combat systemic and structural racism that are often deeply embedded in institutions, systems, policies, and practices.

This program is free and is a hybrid program that will run from September 10th to December 2nd, 2023, once a week from 6:00 pm -8:30 pm. There are two in- person sessions on Sunday, September 10th, which is the kick-off and Saturday, December 2, 2023, which is the last day of the program. All other sessions are virtual and will occur during the week on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

The modules cover various aspects of personal and professional development, leadership skills, and community building, with a focus on addressing unique challenges faced by women of color.

This program will focus on the following key areas:

• Participants will explore their lineage and personal values.
• Career advancement strategies, understanding oppressive systems and addressing racial trauma, authentic leadership, navigating the politics, mindfulness and healthy living, ethics, and spirituality.
• Best practices for effective mentoring and becoming a mentor for our high school girls of color program.
• The program culminates in a session on sustainable long-term change, where participants will engage in storytelling and reflection, develop coordinated action plans for systemic change and establish ongoing mentorship models.
• A graduation event on the final Saturday to celebrate achievements.

The mentorship component of the ILA will have a profound and lasting impact on the lives of girls of color and their mentors. By fostering transformative  relationships and providing essential support and resources, the program empowers women and girls to overcome systemic barriers and create lasting change in their lives and communities.

Our structured approach and emphasis on collective action, community building and mentorship contribute to building a pipeline of resilient women of color leaders.