CHICAGO — As anticipation builds for the inauguration of the Obama Presidential Center, its influence is already being felt by several organizations on Chicago’s South Side.
Among these is Black Girls Dance, an initiative dedicated to empowering young girls through the arts of movement and mentorship, fostering both confidence and opportunity.
This noble mission has caught the attention and support of former First Lady Michelle Obama and the Obama Foundation, further elevating its impact.
Currently, 225 girls, ranging from ages 3 to 18, are part of Black Girls Dance. Beyond dance instruction, they are offered comprehensive development in career, education, and personal growth.
The founder, Erin Barnett, has long been a beacon of hope for young Black and brown girls in Chicago, now receiving recognition from none other than a fellow South Side native with presidential ties.
For Erin Barnett, preparation is key. This essential life skill, emphasized before every performance, transcends the technicalities of a perfectly pointed toe.
“If she could trust herself in a pirouette, she can trust herself in the board room,” Barnett said.
Her journey from Chicago’s South Side to the world stage, performing with Broadway’s The Lion King to Beyoncé, was paved with sacrifice, rhythm, and her determination for change.
“That seed was planted that if I got an opportunity, I would create a space for girls of color where they can get that downtown training on the South Side,” Barnett said.
And, in 2015, Black Girls Dance was born.
“So, I was like, well, I can mentor them. I can use my relationships to help connect them to jobs and contracts,” Barnett said.
And help them grow for any career, on or off the stage.
“This program has made me more confident in myself, like, expressing myself,” Black Girls Dance member Leia Gilkes.
For now, rehearsals are at the Mayfair Arts Center in Calumet Heights where Barnett got her start and another alum of the dance studio is taking notice.
“When a girl is empowered, she doesn’t just change her own future,” former First Lady Michelle Obama said.
The non-profit group, joining forces with First Lady Michelle Obama and the Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance, receiving more than $17,000 in grant money.
“To see that they really, really invest, and ask leaders, how can we support you? To me, that means everything,” Barnett said.
The dance company is also gaining access to workshops, events and more with the future Obama Presidential Center, serving as the network’s hub on the city’s South Side.
“I grew up behind Hyde Park High School. Like, I literally grew up there,” Barnet said.
The future Obama Presidential Center is expected to serve as a major hub for community programming and youth engagement on the South Side.
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