By Genoa Barrow | OBSERVER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Local girls got a huge boost recently, thanks to an older woman who wants them to see their own potential.

Kerri Herndon started Empowering Relationships. Inc. after overcoming her own ups and downs. Her desire is to bring change to women of all ages regardless of background and social status. Photo (c) Observer / Larry V. Dalton

Empowering Relationships, Inc., led by founder Kerri Herndon, hosted the 2008 Aspire Girls Conference recently at the Robertson Community Center in the north area. The event invited girls ages 8-18 to come out for a day of workshops and activities designed with them in mind. The theme was Wholeness: Mind, Body, & Spirit.

“Our desire was to bring the Aspire conference to an area where girls typically do not have the opportunity to attend events such as this,” Herndon said. “It is an underserved community. The idea was to provide a positive format for young women to expose other options for their future.”

The conference’s workshops were divided by age group. Regina Verdugo of the Salvation Army spoke to girls ages 8-13 about their dreams and goals and Marissa Simpson led a workshop on learning styles and techniques.

For the older girls, 14-18, there were sessions by Freda Robinson, vice principal of James Rutter Middle School, who focused on how to be socially savvy and Lupita Grimaldi of the California Proud to Wait Campaign.

The topic of sex was once taboo at events for youth, but with the realities of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, the conversation has had to change.

“Unfortunately we live in a hyper-sexed society. Sex is everywhere,” Herndon said. “Girls are projected as sexual objects as young as 10 years old. Today’s girls are being defined by their sexuality, and not by their intelligence or character through media, video games, music videos, music lyrics, advertisements, magazines, billboards and clothing.

“We have the ability to make a difference. That is what we are doing. We inspire girls to make decisions for themselves, not based on what others are doing. We shape our workshops around building self-confidence so that the individual girl makes better decisions for herself. We do not preach, we teach. We know that we cannot reach every girl, but if we are able to reach one, that is one less single mother, one less child growing up without a father in the home.”

The day’s keynote speakers were Herndon and Dr. Tameca Richardson, author and CEO of Much Luv 2 Give, LLC. Also participating were local radio personalities Lady Stephanie and Nakia from KBMB 103.5. The conference also featured a fashion show, featuring local youth as models and aspiring designers.

The conference welcomed 150 girls. For those who weren’t able to attend, ERI offers a number of ongoing programs.

“We are in the process of developing relationships with school districts and local community agencies. Our Phenomenal Transitions Behavior Modification Program does run in North Sacramento on Arden Way,” Herndon said.

A My Place Program encourages girls of all ages to obtain the necessary social, communication, education/life skills, by assisting the at-risk/high risk participants in setting, and achieving educational, career, personal goals and objectives. Project BLOOM, designed for the Delta Academy-Sacramento Chapter, will provide programs with purpose with an emphasis on life skills to at-risk young ladies through the Delta Sorority, to increase their chances of success as adults.

Phenomenal Transitions, which is currently enrolling participants for the spring, is a 12-week life skills curriculum focused on introducing concepts such as integrity, courage, and responsibility to help girls become who they want to be. The program educates parents and girls through identification of responsibility and boundaries.

For more information on ERI and its focus on girls, call (888) 870-7051.