Founded in 2017, Phenom Girls was established in order to provide young women of color with an environment in which they can reach their fullest potential and embrace the phenomenal woman within!
FWM: You are the Director of Trainings and Programs for Jenesse Center, Inc., the oldest domestic violence intervention program in South Los Angeles. Why is this so important to you?
Working in the field of domestic violence intervention and prevention was not something that I ever planned on doing. I become aware of Jenesse Center when I was assigned to write a story about the organization by the newspaper that I was working for. I must admit, that like most people when I heard the word “shelter,” I thought I was going to some depressing place with a bunch of cots. I was shocked to see such a beautiful facility that had classrooms, childcare, even a boutique for clients who needed clothing. I also just connected with the Executive Director, Karen Earl. I wrote the story, and really didn’t think much about it, until almost two years later when Karen called me. She told me that when we met she felt like I was a person who was meant to work at Jenesse, and asked me if I was interested. At the time, I was unhappy with the company I was working for and I said yes, thinking that it would only be for a year, that was 15 years ago.
I didn’t know much about domestic violence when I started this work, but I knew that I wanted to help people, and it wasn’t long before I understood that the work I was doing was actually saving lives; that’s a powerful responsibility and a great privilege. It’s a humbling revelation. I wanted to do right by our families in any capacity that made sense. I have always had a soft spot for kids, so I gravitated to the children in the shelter, creating a summer camp, facilitating year-round projects with them, and creating the Jeneration J program, to work with, and educate, youth in the community who may be at-risk for becoming victims and/or perpetrators of domestic violence.
FWM: Tell us about Jeneration J and the impact it is having on our youth.
Jeneration J is Jenesse Center’s healthy relationship initiative for youth ages 10-21. Through workshops, trainings, social media, and outreach events, we work to educate middle school, high school, and college/university aged students on how they can have healthy relationships in their own lives. We also teach them how to become peer to peer mentors so that they can teach their friends what they have learned. The effect that the program has had on the more than 10,000 youth we have reached since the program’s inception, 12 years ago, has been amazing. Some of the youth have even become domestic violence advocates, joining Jeneration J at 10 or 14, and continuing the work as adults. Jenesse is not interested in building more shelters. We understand that while domestic violence may always be with us, the numbers of victims can decrease, and we can guarantee that by breaking the cycle of violence with our youth, and ensuring that they never become victims or abusers, because when they were 10 or 14 or 16 or 21, they learned how to have healthy relationships.
FWM: You are the Executive Director of Phenom Girls. How is Phenom Girls helping young women of color? What are some of the initiatives that you are most proud of?
I created Phenom Girls to provide young women of color with the inspiration, tools, and cultural and social awareness they will need to become phenomenal women. The primary way we do this is through mentorship. It amazes me that so many young girls have never had a strong mentor in their life. You can’t be what you can’t see, and by connecting these young women with older women who they can bond with, and learn from, we are giving them a pathway to success that I wish I had at their age. My favorite session is “I Am Phenomenal,” in which we utilize vision boards and positive affirmations to encourage the girls to see their strengths and envision the life they want to have. I am always amazed by how big their dreams are. Our girls need us to spend more time nurturing their dreams, and less time feeding into the “you can’t”/ “you shouldn’t” narrative that makes them afraid to live their lives to the fullest.
I am also really pleased with some of the positive developments that have come out of Covid-19. I wasn’t sure how the program was going to continue, but moving some of the sessions online has created a lot of exciting opportunities that I cannot wait to build upon.
FWM: With your years as an Advocate, what have you learned?
I learned that the best thing you can do when you want to help/advocate for others is to listen and have empathy. When I first started this work I had very little understanding of the dynamics of domestic violence. I often found myself judging these women and men based on my own personal beliefs and biases. It wasn’t until I realized that I didn’t have to understand why someone did something, I just had to meet them where they were, and help them get to the other side, that I became a true ally to these survivors. Until you walk in someone’s shoes you cannot really judge them. No one wants to be reminded of their mistakes, told “I told you so,” or kicked when they are already down. Also, nobody wants to feel like a charity case. You really want to advocate for someone? Respect them and their life experiences and understand that you are offering them a hand up, not a hand out.
FWM: As the host of Nspired, an online news show and podcast, what are the key topics of today? Who would you like on your show?
Nspired is really my version of a “fireside chat,” where I have a friendly, and intimate conversation with people from all different walks life about what inspires them to follow their passions – be it personally, creatively, or socially. I am always looking for guests, people who are willing to just share why they do what they do. I think that there is such a richness to stories that come from “ordinary” people who are just doing what they can to make themselves happy and to make the world a better place. It’s a concept that we can all connect with, and hopefully, pun intended, be inspired by.
FWM: You are a successful Author. Tell us about, You Are Phenomenal: Quotes and Notes for Women who want to Change the World.
One of the things that I feel really passionate about is empowering young girls to feel comfortable in their own skin. Growing up, I guess I was what one would be considered a nerd, but this was the 80’s/90’s, before loving science fiction and fantasy was “cool.” I often felt judged for being different, but it was my experience as a young girl who didn’t fit the standard definition of “girldom” that made me the woman I am today.
One of the reasons that I wanted to write “You Are Phenomenal” was because I think that today’s young woman can benefit from “hearing” from iconic women who have made history by just being themselves. I want young women to know that they shouldn’t be measuring their beauty, success, and worth based on what social media or their peers are telling them “are goals.”
This compelling, self-help book is filled with quotes from, and profiles of, trailblazing women such as Former First Lady, Michelle Obama; painter, Frida Kahlo, poet, Maya Angelou; comedienne and talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres; activist, Malala Yousafzai; senator, Tammy Duckworth; author, Iyanla Vanzant; entertainer Lizzo, actress and advocate, Meghan Markle; and abolitionist, Harriet Tubman, among others. The book will be available on March 16, 2021.
FWM: Share your goals/projects in the upcoming months.
In the next few months, I will be publishing the second issue of GeneratioNext, a digital news magazine for Black youth ages, 12-17, that offers them a safe space to tell their stories and create their own narratives. I am also looking forward to releasing more episodes of Nspired, and continuing to expand the work I do with my Phenom Girls. I also plan on having some fun with my nerd girl roots and talking about my love for science fiction, fantasy, and writing, in my new podcast The Parkerverse. In 2021, I will be releasing, Like the Moon and the Stars, which highlights the importance of providing a culturally relevant service approach when working with Black women who are victims of domestic violence
Angela Nicole Parker
Official website: www.angelanicoleparker.com
IG: @ap925344
Twitter: @ AngelaNParker
GeneratioNext
Website : www.generationextonline.com
IG: @generationextonline
Twitter: @ generatioNextNewsMagazine
Phenom Girls:
Website: www.phenomgirls.org
IG: @Phenom Girls
Twitter: @ Phenom Girls
Nspired
Website: www.nspiredonline.com
IG: @Nspiredonline
Twitter: @Nspiredonline
