Inside Chica Project’s Programming at Margarita Muñiz Academy.
Take a peek inside our Chicas in Bloom program and see how young Women of Color are being empowered every week.
At the heart of Chica Project’s mission of uplifting the next generation of young Women of Color is our programming. With program facilitators, mentors, and peer leaders at the helm, our programs provide chicas with skill-building and community support so that they can rise up to be leaders themselves. Chicas in Bloom is the latest iteration of our in-school programming. This 12-week curriculum equips chicas with the tools needed to navigate the obstacles that come with having limited access to education, financial stability, social capital, and political power. With a strong emphasis on cultural sensitivity and engagement, Chicas in Bloom allows participants to grow both personally and professionally alongside their peers with leaders who truly understand them.
This school year, Chicas in Bloom is serving two groups of seventh graders at Margarita Muñiz Academy (MMA), providing one session during school hours and one session after school hours. Within these sessions, the chicas explore topics of identity, culture, power and privilege, self-love, mental health, movement, community, advocacy, civic engagement, and so much more. They do this through both group discussions and hands-on projects, empowering them to engage with each topic on a deeper level.
Chicas at MMA create advocacy posters and learn how to be allies by speaking up for social justice issues that matter to them.
What makes Chicas in Bloom at MMA stand out is that programming is facilitated in both English and Spanish. For many of the chicas, their primary language is Spanish; having mentorship in their native tongue allows them to connect better and see themselves in their mentors. This bilingual approach lets them find comfort in the cultural community and gives them the chance to practice their English in a safe environment.
Through Chicas in Bloom, participants are free to be curious, ask questions, and dive deep into topics that impact them. By reflecting on and sharing their experiences with one another, they learn to be active listeners, creating a brave space where they practice grace and empathy.
In January, the chicas at MMA were asked about their experiences with Chica Project. Here are some of their responses:
What do you like the most about Chica Project programming?
“Everything, they give me snacks, I can participate, I can be me and no one criticizes me.”
What do you like the most about Chica Project programming?
“That we talk about how we are feeling.”
How has Chica Project Programming helped you?
“They have helped me feel better about myself, and I am not embarrassed about who I am.”
What do you like the most about Chica Project programming?
“I like everything. I like when they have us choose how we are feeling during check-in and when they put on music”
How has Chica Project programming helped you?
“They have helped me overcome my insecurities and a lot more.”
The goal of Chica Project’s programming is for young Women of Color to be inspired to become leaders in their personal lives, schools, and communities, exploring various aspects of their identities and how they interplay within the environments and systems they are a part of. We strive to help participants build a deeper sense of community and engagement through enriching activities that prepare them for the future.
Hear from some of our program facilitators on how being a mentor impacts them:
“As the Lead Program Facilitator overseeing programming at Margarita Muñiz Academy, I can say with confidence that this group of chicas has poured so much into themselves and each other by being vulnerable, open to learn, and collaborative with one another to create a brave space where they can share their experiences on mental health, self-care, and self-love. They have also shown so much support to their fellow chicas by practicing community-care and love through thoughtful listening, taking time to continue these conversations beyond the classroom, and offering their empathy and compassion when a chica is sharing their experiences. Additionally, language access and representation is so important to me, and as a bilingual program facilitator, I am able to close an opportunity gap, so that chicas can have access to discussions and education on topics like self-love, mental-health, and civic engagement and continue to grow a community of support, empowerment, and sisterhood!”
– Des Ruiz Ramoz, Lead Program Facilitator
“My experience engaging with the chicas at MMA has been positive. As a bilingual facilitator, I am able to connect with the chicas in the language they feel most comfortable with, allowing for a deeper engagement with both, the chicas and the content. I feel proud to do this because I’m helping bridge the gap for Women of Color by speaking the language that they are comfortable with. This also serves as representation for them, showing them the possibilities. One of my favorite sessions with the chicas was when we talked about self-care. The chicas got to learn about different ways to take care of themselves and how to implement self-care into various areas of their lives. For this session, we created affirmation jars where each chica took home a jar and wrote affirmations for themselves to pick from whenever they feel down. Every session is an enjoyment to facilitate as I’m learning a lot from the content we are teaching. It’s also a reminder for myself of the importance of self-care and the lessons I wish I had learned when I was younger.”
– Darleny Gomez Reyes, Program Facilitator
