She’s EmPOWERed: Young CEO and author helps kids understand finances

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Did you know that April is National Financial Literacy Month? It is. This year marks the 20th anniversary for the observance aimed at empowering individuals to improve their personal and household financial stability and success.

And although she’s nowhere near 20, Ahmenra Johnson is an expert in helping kids understand finances. The seven-year-old CEO and author has been in business since she was a toddler! 

At the age of three, Ahmenra’s mother decided that it was important for her to understand and have a firm foundation in financial literacy and entrepreneurship. 

“She said financial literacy and entrepreneurship are important to know to help me navigate the real world as I got older,” Ahmenra explained. “I had my very first board meeting at a Fortune 500 company and I am the owner of six businesses.”

That’s right. Ahmenra is an experienced CEO and she’s not even in middle school. 

In addition to running her companies (with the help of her mom), Ahmenra is the author of seven books that are part of “Noodle, The Astrogirl CEO Learning Series,” where the focus is on teaching children that there is no age requirement to own a business or to become an author.

“My Mother teaches me that at the root of every social interaction, there is financial literacy and/or entrepreneurship embedded in the experience. I like to learn how I can monetize what I learn in school,” Ahmenra added. “For instance, one of my businesses is my very own home school, Astrokid Academics LLC. I learn so much about financial literacy and entrepreneurship that I am able to use lessons from my very own learning series to help me understand how to be an effective entrepreneur.”

An “Astrokid” with Aspirations

Ahmenra isn’t only an author and business owner. She also is a competitive dancer, competitive swimmer and on her way to getting a black belt in Tang Soo Do Martial Arts. 

Her plan is to go to community college for engineering because she’s an aspiring astrophysicist. “Then, I am going to attend Juilliard for dance and while I am dancing, I want to train to be an Olympic swimmer, too. I have many goals that I am going to accomplish as I get older,” she concluded.

With her ambition, determination and passion, we have no doubt that Ahmenra will achieve these and other goals. We can’t wait to see it happen!

Connect with Ahmenra:

Instagram 

YouTube 

Visit www.astrokidacademics.org

Empowered Flower Girl to Host Online Discussion Encouraging Mentors for Girls/Young Women During National Mentoring Month

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Empowered Flower Girl is less than a week away from our follow up conversation on Mentoring Girls & Inspiring Sisterhood.

Join us Jan. 31 from 6 to 7 p.m. ET over at www.instagram.com/empoweredflowergirl where we will examine results from Plan International’s State of the World’s Girls report as well as resources to empower girls/young women and gender-expansive youth.

We will also share details about our She’s EmPOWERed program honoring female-identifying changemakers, nonprofit founders, social entrepreneurs and others using their gifts and talents to bring joy to others.

Empowered Flower Girl Founder and Chief Empowering Officer Rasheda Kamaria Williams will address the top challenges facing 21st century children and teens well as what parents, educators and other youth advocates can do to support young people in these difficult times.

“The past few years have been tough on everyone. But it’s been especially tough on young people. Now is the time for us to come together and support the next generation,” said Williams, a mentoring consultant and empowerment speaker. “We are dedicated to helping girls and youth of all backgrounds grow into strong, confident and contributing members of society. They just need positive role models and resources to succeed.”

One other resource that Empowered Flower Girl offers is Girl World Peace Academy – a virtual course and coaching program for adults who aspire to make a difference for young people in their schools and communities.

Girl World Peace Academy provides participants with the skills, tools and knowledge necessary to become effective mentors and role models for girls/ young women and gender-expansive youth. Through the course and 1:1 coaching, participants learn how to support and empower 21st century children and teens to reach their full potential.

“We believe that every young person deserves to be surrounded by positive, caring adults who can help them navigate the challenges of growing up,” Williams said.

Enrollment is currently open for the course.

Girl World Peace Academy Investment:
The course is valued at $897 but Empowered Flower Girl is offering it for only $297. Enroll by Jan. 31 to receive and additional 30-minute coaching session.

Girl World Peace Academy

She’s EmPOWERed: Giving Back is a Way of Life for Tennessee Teen

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For many children and teens, volunteering is a chore or something you do because you are told.

But not for Asia Bigsbee.

The 14-year-old Tennessee native has been giving back for nearly a decade and finds joy in it.

She is the founder of the Beautiful Spirited Cupcake Mentoring Program for girls ages four to 11. The program helps participants learn life skills that will help develop and mature them into positive and productive individuals in life, education and community.

“The Beautiful Spirited Cupcake Mentoring Program is making a difference in communities worldwide by providing free programming, community workshops and free resources to give girls in low-income areas a lifetime opportunity to dream big no matter what,” said Asia, who began volunteering when she was four.

Overall, she has hand-written more than 200 letters of hope filled with inspirational and encouraging words to girls worldwide. Additionally, she has fed and provided clothing for over 500 hundred people in need in her community.

Activism, Athletics and Academics

Asia has spoken to and served girls through free workshops, seminars and service projects as a girl power champion.

Not only is she laser-focused on uplifting those in her community, but she’s also focused on academics and athletics. Asia is an honor roll student, volleyball player, basketball player and proud member of several regional and national organizations/associations, including Royal Neighbors of America, Delta Gems of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Peace First, Points of Light, Volunteer Memphis and Mentoring Grizz Foundation.

After high school, Asia aspires to enter a veterinarian program.

You can learn more about the Beautiful Spirited Cupcake Mentoring Program by visiting the Beautiful Spirited Women website at www.beautifulspiritedwomen.org.

Learn more at:
Instagram: @beautifulspiritedwomen
Twitter: @bswblessings
Facebook: @bswblessing

She’s EmPOWERed: Meet Kaci Houston – Model, Rapper, Influencer and Superstar in the Making

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At 10 years old, Kaci Houston is a mini mogul. The multi-talented Detroit tween is not only a rapper, actress and social media influencer, she’s also a positive (role) model for youth and adults alike. 

As the co-founder of K.T.M. Entertainment, Kaci uses her talents to inspire kids to pursue their passions while addressing social issues that impact their lives. 

“I was motivated to start my business because I found that kids just don’t have a lot of places in the entertainment industry to be creative and work with their peers, so I created just that,” Kaci said. 

“We are helping uplift the youth in our community with the arts and bringing awareness to issues that affect them.”

Kaci has taken her empowering messages on the road, performing at various events across the country and working with organizations like the Boys and Girls Club. 

In addition to her work with K.T.M. Entertainment, she also is the CEO of Kolours By Kaci the Model.

The young fashionista has been sashaying runways since she could walk and striking poses since she was an infant. 

But with all of the fame – she has well over 110K followers on Instagram – Kaci remains grounded. She is an anti-bullying advocate and encourages youth to follow their dreams. Her advice: “Go for it. The sky is your limit. It’s a hard work, but never give up.”

You can follow Kaci on Instagram at @kacithemodel.

Atlanta tween co-writes book to help boost girls’ self-esteem

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Research suggests that many girls’ confidence takes a nosedive as early as eight years old. A 2018 poll found that their confidence drops by 30% from ages 8 to 14. It’s no surprise when many look to social media apps for likes and validation.

So what can we do to help boost girls’ self-esteem? Eight-year-old Lianna Dozier has some ideas. 

The Atlanta tween wrote a children’s book entitled Don’t Call Me Pretty. 

“I wanted to write a book for girls my own age, so they would love themselves and not go through bad things in life,” she said. “I started talking to my mom about things that bother me and things that make me insecure. I also asked her questions about what her life was like and how she felt as a little girl.”

So she and her mother, Lisamarie Thomas, co-wrote the book which helps girls “look at themselves in a good way instead of comparing themselves to everyone else.”

When I Grow Up

Even though she’s only eight, the  young author has big aspirations for her book and herself. 

She hopes to start an after-school program and charity for young girls to show them how to believe in themselves, even when they don’t. 

“I think that young children everywhere would love to have another child read a story that they wrote and speak to them on these things,” Lianna said. “I know that I am just a child but I think this is important. So I would like to help.” 

When she grows up, Lianna would like to be a doctor who helps kids. “I would like to become a child psychologist when I graduate from college. I have always wanted to help other kids and I believe that everyone can be a better person if they have someone to help them,” she added. 

Kudos to Lianna for taking a stand for girls and showing them that even in a world where beauty seems to be most important, they can challenge the status quo.

Follow Lianna and Lisamarie on Instagram at @Lisamarie _The_Author.

Don’t Call Me Pretty, by Lianna and Lisamarie

Girl World Peace Academy gives youth advocates tips, tools and templates to engage and empower girls

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Countless articles, polls and reports have shown that girls are being adversely impacted by digital harassment and cyberbullying. Additionally, a 2020 study revealed that we are in the middle of a teen mental health crisis – and girls are at its epicenter.

Now is the time for us to come together to help our girls. 

You may have been thinking of launching a girls mentoring program or youth-focused nonprofit but not sure where to start or how to engage students. 

Or perhaps you already have an established program but need additional help and resources to grab the attention of potential participants, media and funders.

If either of these describe you, consider Empowered Flower Girl’s Girl World Peace Academy! 

“Our course graduates are making an impact and a difference in their communities,” said Rasheda Kamaria Williams, EFG chief empowering officer and founder. “Our girls need positive role models, mentors and advocates. They need women like you.”

Make a Difference this Year!

Girl World Peace Academy is a self-guided online course + coaching for youth advocates of all backgrounds – from teachers and counselors to after-school program professionals and mentors.

This course is especially for you if:

  • You aspire to make a difference in the lives of girls and young women. 
  • Girls in your school or community face social or emotional challenges (bullying, peer pressure, trauma, etc.) that impact their ability to thrive.
  • You seek empowering and interactive tools and content that complement your current or future SEL, prevention or after-school programming.
  • You can use help getting the word out about the good you’re doing (to media, sponsors and potential participants)

Questions about the course or general questions about the youth empowerment space? Book a free discovery call with Rasheda. 

Enroll at https://rashedakamaria.com/girlworldpeace.

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She’s EmPOWERed: Meet the 15-year-old political journalist challenging bias in the media

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For many people, finding your passion and purpose can take several years or even several decades. But not for Cassidy Conley. At only 15 years old, she is already making her mark as a political journalist. 

From copywriting in the government and advocacy sectors to curating content for her blog “Let’s Talk Politics,” Cassidy has a wealth of experience . . . and she’s just getting started.

“I found my passion in politics because I wanted to be part of the movement our nation is going through today. I didn’t want to sit idly by complaining about what our nation is doing wrong,” Cassidy said. “I combined my two passions and effectively used my voice for the better of people, especially women, like me; young and resilient.”

In addition to being young and resilient, Cassidy describes herself as funny, intriguing, fierce, bold, bright, joyful and helpful – all of which would make her a great candidate for political office someday. 

After high school, she plans to attend the University of Michigan, major in Public Policy and intern for her state representative’s staff team.

“My service is for the community. It is centered around the community. The whole purpose of my service is to give citizens the best resources and representation,” she said. “Our news resources are very biased, and it is not fair to the upcoming generation to take the brunt of the biased media.”

Finding Balance

Cassidy may be laser focused on her career, but she finds balance in other passions. 

“I love to impact people and help them in any way which is also a huge reason why I am stuck in politics, but other than that, I am a competitive figure skater.”

We are so proud of Cassidy and wish her much success in her life and career.

If you know a girl who is making an impact, tell us about her. We’re continually accepting submissions for She’s EmPOWERed. Learn more here. 

She’s EmPOWERed: Tulsa Teenpreneur Uses Greeting Cards to Inspire, Celebrate Girls of Color

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Kolbi Lucas was introduced to the world of entrepreneurship as a tween after she noticed a lack of diversity in the greeting card industry. 

That introduction quickly became a passion when she discovered that she could also use her ideas to create and control her future. “I have received a lot of support from many girls and women who tell me that I have inspired them,” said Kolbi, 13. “Their words are affirming and make me feel like I am on the right path.”

That path was directed while Kolbi was out shopping for a birthday card for a friend. She realized there were very few cards with images of Black and Brown girls. 

So, at 10 years old, she started Kolbi’s Afromations – a company that designs handcrafted greeting cards and stationery.   
She hopes that her cards inspire, encourage, and affirm the beauty, intelligence and magic of being a Black girl.

Words of Encouragement
As a successful girlpreneur, Kolbi offers some encouraging advice to aspiring young business owners. 

“Be patient with your business. It is a process, and you won’t always see the success you want right away’” she said. “Prioritize your business by managing your time. As a business owner, you have to be willing to put in the time it takes to provide the best quality for your customers. Sometimes, this means sacrificing things you want to do, but in the end, it will help your business grow.”

Kolbi has aspirations of her own. After high school, she plans to attend NYU or Howard University and study art or fashion. The ambitious teen is interested in being a fashion designer, stylist, or chief editor for a high-end brand. She’s also interested in acting. 

We’re sure she will flourish in any career. Kudos to Kolbi!

Connect with Kolbi:
IG: Kolbis_afromations 
FB: Kolbi’s Afromations

Empowered Flower Girl to host EmPOWERing Conversations in honor of Women’s History Month

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March is Women’s History Month. During this time, the nation honors and celebrates the achievements and contributions of women to our society as well as brings awareness to disparities and challenges girls and women face.

Empowered Flower Girl will host “EmPOWERing Conversations: Inspiring Sisterhood” to engage women across generations to discuss the value and benefits of friendships.

Despite what popular media depicts, most girls desire drama-free relationships with one another. But they may lack the courage and confidence to spark the conversations that lead to these fulfilling friendships.

Join us on March 9th and 10th from 6 to 7 p.m. EST when we will have powerful conversations with women and girls about the value and benefits of sisterhood, how we can transform our relationship realities and resources to support girls’ positive development. Empowered Flower Girl’s Rasheda Kamaria Williams will moderate the discussions. Guest speakers include:

MARCH 9

  • Alicia McKay, owner/executive director, No Fear Cafe
  • Keisha Montfleury, confidence coach for girls, HandiWork LLC

MARCH 10

  • Chantia Thompson, owner/wellbeing coach, Good Vibz Yoga
  • Shaaree McCalpine, owner/mental health therapist, Faith Soars Counseling and Consulting
  • TeQuion Brookins, philanthropist, social entrepreneur and principal consultant, TeQuionBrookins.com

The conversations will be streamed via Zoom and Facebook. Follow Empowered Flower Girl at www.facebook.com/empoweredflowergirl.

Empowered Flower Girl Announces Holiday Promo for Girl World Peace Academy

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Empowered Flower Girl (EFG) wants to help as many youth advocates as possible connect with and engage young people to live above life’s drama and uplift and support one another. This year has been a challenge for young people – in particular, girls. Recent reports have shown that girls are being harassed online at alarming rates. Additionally, incidences of hate speech and homophobia also are on the rise. 

But young people who have strong support systems are fairing well. Those who are enrolled in mentoring, afterschool and other SEL programs are learning vital life skills. 

If you want to help youth by launching your own program or leveling up an existing one, we’d love to have you join our GIRL WORLD PEACE ACADEMY. 

Girl World Peace Academy is Empowered Flower Girl’s self-guided virtual course providing teachers, after-school professionals and other youth advocates tips, tools and strategies to inspire sisterhood, increase self-esteem and encourage empathy among middle and high school girls. The course includes one-on-one coaching as well as video lessons covering topics ranging from empowering 21st century girls to no-cost tools to publicize and fund your programs.

Why focus on girls?

After facilitating bullying prevention and empathy boosting programs for a decade, we’ve observed:

  • Girls often exclude each other because they really don’t know each other.
  • On and offline conflict can adversely impact classroom dynamics and student performance.
  • Educators, who often are overwhelmed with conflict and drama in the classroom, may lack additional support and resources to address and solve it.

Additionally, the National Center for Education Statistics reports that girls are three times as likely as boys to be victims of cyberbullying and online harassment.

“At the end of the day, most girls actually want positive, friendly relationships with one another. However, some don’t feel confident enough to break the ice. They have a desire to create lasting bonds, but sometimes lack the tools,” said Rasheda Kamaria Williams, chief empowering officer and founder of EFG. “Our goal is to help youth advocates breakdown barriers, build trust and develop an authentic connection with students that ultimately inspires peace in classrooms and communities.”

Learn more and register at www.rashedakamaria.com/girlworldpeace. Get $100 off enrollment through 1.1.21 as part of our holiday promo.