EmpowHer Institute, Inc

EmpowHer is the only gender-responsive organization in Los Angeles County that provides a social emotional learning course during the school day in middle and high schools. Our programs serve to support girls in developing the necessary skills to boldly break ceilings, embrace their voices, engage in social justice, and end generational cycles of poverty.

Our Mission. To empower marginalized girls and young women by giving them the skills necessary through education, training, and mentorship to enable them to become confident, college and career ready. 

Our Vision. We envision a world where every girl is provided the opportunities and resources she uniquely needs to: embrace the power of her voice; make informed decision about her body and future; break generational cycles of poverty; contribute to the creation of an equitable society.

Our Programs.

EmpowHer Girls Academy is fully integrated into the school day as a gender-specific enrichment class serving over 350 girls each school year at our partner school sites – Watts Learning Middle School, Environmental Charter Middle School – Gardena, Environmental Charter Middle School – Inglewood, and UCLA Community School. The class is comprised of three primary components: (1) social and emotional learning (SEL) centric curriculum, (2) mentorship from highly accomplished professional women, and (3) field excursions and immersive learning programs. The class aims to empower teen girls by giving them the tools they need to cope with challenges, overcome trauma, stay engaged in school and reach their full potential.

EmpowHer Leaders Academy was established in January of 2016 to provide continued support for EmpowHer Girls Academy alumnae as they transition from middle school and navigate through high school. Our program has since expanded to offer both alumnae and high-school girls new to our programs with mentorship, guidance with college and career planning, workshops that help build confidence and leadership skills, healthy dating relationships, self-care, social entrepreneurship, social justice advocacy and community organizing skills, and field trips that provide real world experiences. The goal of EmpowHer Leaders Academy is foster leaders who boldly break ceilings while remaining community-minded.

EmpowHer Leaders Academy meets weekly for two hours. Our girls get the benefits of:

• 1 on 1 Mentoring With Professional and Business Women
• Sisterhood
• Monthly Field Trips
• Weekly Workshops on Relevant Topics
• Access to College Scholarships
• Access to Internships and Summer Jobs
• Job Shadowing
• Leadership Opportunities
• Social Justice Awareness
• Financial Literacy Training

EmpowHer STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) exposes girls early and often to college and career opportunities in fields where girls of color are underrepresented. We aim for girls to see STEAM a viable area of study and/or career option. For this reason, we collaborate with dozens of organizations, including Google (LA); SpaceX; Southern California Edison; National Center for Women in Information & Technology (NCWIT) and UCLA’s Advancing Women in Science and Engineering (AWiSE), to provide opportunities for EmpowHer girls to participate in STEAM related workshops, projects, summer camps, and conferences.