by Lango Deen
ldeen@ccgmag.com These GEMs Shine Brightly
ebbi Weinberg, founder and director of the Girls’ Empowerment Mission (GEM), shares the universal belief in that old African proverb: It takes a village to raise a child. For more than six years, her Essex, Maryland-based community organization has relied on volunteers to help mentor and coach at-risk girls who have potential and motivation. Recently, Ms. Weinberg spoke to Women of Color magazine about GEM and how the work of the civic-minded women who work with others to fix a community’s problems can help make college-bound girls feel as special as gems.
D
Debbi Weinberg (center) wants to make all girls shine brightly.
Women of Color: The Emeralds, the first graduating class of the Girls' Empowerment Mission, will be enter- ing their senior year at Morgan State University, Coppin State, Howard University, the University of Maryland, and University of Maryland College Park (UMCP). What areas are they majoring in?
Debbi Weinberg: Denasia is a PR/mar- keting major at Morgan State, Kim is a
www.womenofcolor.net
senior nursing student at Coppin, Shari is a senior psychology major at UMCP in the honors program, and Monique is a senior nursing student at the Uni- versity of Maryland School of Nursing. I am not certain of the other majors.
WOC: Were they all first-generation college students? What helped them make a smooth transition to college, particularly coming from low-income families?
DW: Yes, 99 percent of our girls are [in the] first generation to [go to] college. Girls' Empowerment Mission (GEM) works with girls to apply to college, complete their federal student aid FAFSA applications, and prepare for college. Every other Tuesday, from 2:30-7:30 p.m. at Chesapeake High School, we provide time, with support, to research and apply to colleges and [for] scholarships. We have a "College Power Hour," where leaders can help
WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2010 21
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