On Tuesday we told you about Ohio conducting the first study in the United States dealing with young African American girls, the traumas or successes they experience in their daily lives.
Lima was one of four cities that participated in the study and local Rise Sister Rise program is looking at ways to use this information to help local girls rise up to their potential. 74 girls from the Lima area took part in the state's Rise Sister Rise study and the local program is looking at how they can use this information collected to help young African American girls. Because this is one of the first times, these young girls have been singled out to address "their" problems and successes.
The one area that some of the focus will be put on is violence. The study says nearly 56 percent of the girls have hit or beat someone up in the last year. 50 percent of girls have committed 3 or more acts of violence in the past year. Finding out the girls problems will help develop solutions. Organization like UMADAOP, have already programing in place for young girls and boys,like there summer day camp and girls circle, but with this study they can refine, change or add programing for the future to address the trauma African American
girls face, whether it's increased pressure to do well in school or an abusive home situation and deal with it, now and for the rest of their lives.
The Lima Rise Sister Rise program will be hosting event for around 30 agencies in mid September to talk about the study. They hope they will find people willing to step up and establish long term programs to deal with the traumas in African American girls lives.
