The Women’s Foundation is thrilled to announce the latest cohort of recipients for our 2023 Rock Star Fund, a program through our Young Women’s Initiative that embodies our commitment to empowering young women and gender-expansive youth of color ages 12-24 living in D.C.
This year, we are excited to have selected eight exceptional individuals, each with a unique vision and project that aligns with our Blueprint for Action.
By providing these young leaders with a one-time grant of $2,000, we aim to elevate their leadership potential and support them in making a positive impact in our community. We are inspired by their dedication and enthusiasm to create lasting change, and cannot wait to see the incredible impact they will have on our community.
Read more about each of these outstanding women below and learn more about their projects!
Name: Ronjai Beckwith
Age: 21
What inspired you to apply for the Rock Star Fund, and what does it mean to you to have received this grant?
I wanted to help younger, up-and-coming adults who don’t have resources.
Tell us about your project and how it will benefit our community.
I will develop a mentorship program for pregnant young mothers. A lot of young mothers in my community do not have the resources they need to help them, which makes them fall into depression and more.
If you could describe your project in one emoji, what would it be?
🙏🏽 – because we all are one, and we need to pray for each other.
What advice would you give other young women interested in pursuing a community-change project or initiative?
I would tell them to do it. Believe in yourself that you can make a change.
How do you see your project fitting into a more significant movement for women’s empowerment and gender equality?
I see my project helping a lot of young mothers who don’t have the support they need or the help and resources they need.
If you could have any superpower what would it be, and how would you use it to make a difference in the world?
I would love the ability to be able to make everyone happy.
Name: Nevaeh Bright
Age: 17
What inspired you to apply for the Rock Star Fund, and what does it mean to you to have received this grant?
I was inspired to apply for the grant because there are a lot of changes that need to happen in my community, and I want to be a part of it.
Tell us about your project and how it will benefit our community.
My project is getting high school students together to create care packages for homeless women and children. I also want to assist women in finding resources for permanent housing and jobs.
If you could describe your project in one emoji, what would it be?
🤗
What advice would you give other young women interested in pursuing a community-change project or initiative?
I would say go for it because one positive change at a time can create a ripple effect of positive changes toward making a safer environment for the next generation.
How do you see your project fitting into a more significant movement for women’s empowerment and gender equality?
It fits into a larger movement because people will see that it’s helping the community become stronger, and it’s also a learning experience for all who are involved.
If you could have any superpower what would it be, and how would you use it to make a difference in the world?
My superpower would be to teach youth to use their voices so they can be heard and teach people around them how to become better versions of themselves.
Name: Eris Aubrie Busey
Age: 13
What inspired you to apply for the Rock Star Fund, and what does it mean to you to have received this grant?
I am truly honored to receive the grant! My inspiration to apply to this grant was my passion for sewing and helping my peers find interest in creativity.
Tell us about your project and how it will benefit our community.
I will create a program that supports young women and fosters creativity through fashion. Our community is dealing with a lot right now, and I think having youth creatives come together for a fashion show, while earning their own income would show that there are plenty of opportunities to build!
If you could describe your project in one emoji, what would it be?
⭐️
What advice would you give other young women interested in pursuing a community-change project or initiative?
I believe the only way to see change would be through our generation. That’s where it starts, and we have to hold each other together on that.
How do you see your project fitting into a more significant movement for women’s empowerment and gender equality?
I believe my project would start the journey of entrepreneurship in youth.
If you could have any superpower what would it be, and how would you use it to make a difference in the world?
My superpower would definitely be teleportation. I would use this superpower to travel and share opportunities with the world.
Name: Aniya Coffey
Age: 16
What inspired you to apply for the Rock Star Fund, and what does it mean to you to have received this grant?
A teacher at my school – Mr. Strickland – inspired me to apply to the Rock Star Fund. He spoke to me about being a student leader in the community and getting connected with other programs, such as Community Enrichment Project. I learned how to be more involved in the community, and through this, I learned to connect passion with projects and ideas. As a result, I’m learning how to sew, design, and style clothes and accessories.
Tell us about your project and how it will benefit our community.
My project involves going into schools – starting with my school – and teaching students how to sew while being involved with their community. This project will include connecting advocacy with their project and connecting them to local designers. We will create a safe space for students; even if they may not have a background in fashion skills, they will have the foundational skills you need for post-secondary options in life.
If you could describe your project in one emoji, what would it be?
⚡️- it was more of spontaneous project when it came to mind, and I took it and ran with it.
What advice would you give other young women interested in pursuing a community-change project or initiative?
I would definitely say put your passion first. When you put your passion first, it guides you to the change you want to make in your community.
How do you see your project fitting into a more significant movement for women’s empowerment and gender equality?
I would definitely say my project teaches students how to be advocates in their community by learning leadership skills and how to express how they feel, and breaking down gender barriers.
If you could have any superpower what would it be, and how would you use it to make a difference in the world?
I would time travel to take ideas that I have now to influence the past!
Name: Destiny Daniel
Age: 20
What inspired you to apply for the Rock Star Fund, and what does it mean to you to have received this grant?
I was inspired to apply for the Rock Star Fund because these young women epitomize everything I am and aspire to be. It is imperative to me to prioritize civic leadership and global citizenship, to love and connect with people of a similar resolve, to never stop learning, and to use my platform to lift others. After reading through the projects and work of other young women, I was enamored by the service, leadership, and commitment to purpose they have in our DC community, and I know I have the power to make more of an impact.
Tell us about your project and how it will benefit our community.
Through the Rock Star Fund, I will create a platform, Being My Destiny, that will serve as a positive space for young women to find inspiring content on their journeys to becoming confident and purposeful women. It will elevate the voices of everyday women, who may be unemployed, working nine to five, or entrepreneurs figuring things out. Additionally, Being My Destiny will have three, three-month initiatives between July 2023 and April 2024 on education, politics, and mentorship. Education will consist of partnering with local student organizations to hold “confidence and creativity” workshops. Politics will consist of mass letter-writing to elected officials. Lastly, mentorship will consist of community organizing to provide young ladies with positive role models as mentors. The platform and campaign of Being My Destiny will help solve a growing issue in communities nationwide – civic detachment. By actively trying to educate young women and empower our community while monitoring the number of people who get involved in the project, I will be able to increase community engagement in youth lives, cultivate confidence and belonging to all stakeholders, and change the narratives of women who lack support or guidance into adult life.
If you could describe your project in one emoji, what would it be?
🦋 – it would be the butterfly because I want to inspire women to seek opportunities to grow their wings and believe in their ability to fly to greater heights.
What advice would you give other young women interested in pursuing a community-change project or initiative?
My advice would be to believe in yourself. When you stomp, the community shakes. I want young women to know they have all the power to shake up the world. In addition, it’s important to have people to lean on, especially other women, because together, we can shake up the world.
How do you see your project fitting into a more significant movement for women’s empowerment and gender equality?
By sharing stories, we empower others to create even better ones. By being authentic in our individual journeys, we inspire other women to do and become more. Being My Destiny will be a platform to educate, inspire, and create community action. Through the content and impactful programming that will empower women, it will fit into the larger movement to dismantle gender equality.
If you could have any superpower what would it be, and how would you use it to make a difference in the world?
If I had a superpower, it would be to heal. We can only create change in the world if we first start with our own individual healing. When we heal a part in ourselves, we also heal that part in the world. I know firsthand the generational diseases that affect families when traumas never heal. I would use this power to help people regain their wings after troubling times.
Name: Helina Deres
Age: 17
What inspired you to apply for the Rock Star Fund, and what does it mean to you to have received this grant?
I’m beyond excited and happy to have received this grant. This project means the world to me because I want to give others what I didn’t have—people like me that could help me with high school and beyond while keeping me close to my culture.
Tell us about your project and how it will benefit our community.
I will create a program that supports immigrant students by alleviating stress and helping them navigate through their education. Through my program, students like me will gain more confidence in their abilities. They will have resources to prepare for high school, college, and beyond while keeping in touch with their culture. I want them to have what I didn’t so they can reach their fullest potential.
If you could describe your project in one emoji, what would it be?
😌 – this will be the face people that join the program will make because they’ll feel relieved to find other people like them while getting the support they need in school.
What advice would you give other young women interested in pursuing a community-change project or initiative?
I’d tell other young women interested in pursuing their own community-change project or initiative to do something they wish they had. That way, you are really connected and engaged with the project.
How do you see your project fitting into a more significant movement for women’s empowerment and gender equality?
I see my project fitting into the larger movement for women’s empowerment and gender equality because my project will help students reach their fullest potential in school. To make a change in the world, being educated is very beneficial.
If you could have any superpower what would it be, and how would you use it to make a difference in the world?
If I could have any superpower, it would be the power to time travel. I would go back in time to help change inequalities in the world. One small step could lead to a big outcome in the long run; all it needs is time.
Name: Kyiniyah Graham
Age: 21
What inspired you to apply for the Rock Star Fund, and what does it mean to you to have received this grant?
I was inspired to apply for the Rock Star Fund by my mentor Lashonda El Thompson and motivated by my four-year-old son. Receiving this grant for my project shows that I am making progress in my steps to rebuild a village. Our youth don’t have the resources and skills necessary to have a voice without being “ intimidated” or using “ violence” to resolve the conflict.
Tell us about your project and how it will benefit our community.
My project is to host restorative justice circles for girls in DC to equip participants with skills to navigate issues, complete high school, and improve neighborhood safety by holding conflict resolution workshops and restorative justice circles. I believe that my project will make a huge impact in our communities. If we can manage to get youth to use their voices instead of using violence, we can have a conference based on principles of respect, compassion, and inclusivity.
If you could describe your project in one emoji, what would it be?
🤩
What advice would you give other young women interested in pursuing a community-change project or initiative?
To other young women who are interested in pursuing their own community-change project or initiative, I would say, “Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.” – Joel A Baker
How do you see your project fitting into a more significant movement for women’s empowerment and gender equality?
This project is beneficial for girls and women of color because people have a hard time understanding the hardship and circumstances of having restorative justice circles. I feel our generation and the upcoming generation are misunderstood. Everyone has a reason why they act or do things the way they do, whether it’s for survival or traumatizing reasons. With me understanding the many reasons “why”, I can help navigate through these emotions and transitions. I will speak life into these young women and use the tools I have to plan for better futures. Better visions for the future will help an overall better society, starting with my community.
If you could have any superpower what would it be, and how would you use it to make a difference in the world?
If I could have any superpower, I would be Wonder Woman because she is a powerful leader and warrior. Wonder Woman grew up in the Amazon, and learned warrior skills and lessons on love and peace. Wonder Woman’s mission was to teach peace and love during the dark days of the war. I would use Wonder Woman’s powers to make a difference in the world by using the healing our community hasn’t properly healed from—the trauma and suffering from the past.
Name: Taiyler Henderson-Thorpe
Age: 20
What inspired you to apply for the Rock Star Fund, and what does it mean to you to have received this grant?
What inspired me was actually living the struggle and still living it to a certain extent. A lot of times, with some of these resources available, people who don’t have the same struggles as you are talking to you and are receiving their good deed for the day. I know from personal experience a lot of us children in Black households have some trauma that has carried into our adult lives, whether it was on behalf of our parents or mistakes we made as children but never had an adult to trust to get the help we needed. I want to create a safe space, even if it’s for just a small number of girls, for a short amount of time, to show them that it is possible to see that light at the end of the tunnel, even if someone has to put it there for you. I have had some amazing women in my life who were not related to me help me because they saw something in me. For me, this is honoring them and our sisterhood. Just as someone opened a door for me, I want to be able to do that just in hopes they may do the same for someone else.
Tell us about your project and how it will benefit our community.
My project is MEET ME AT THE WELL, a 21-day challenge of US helping US to transform habits, practices, and ways of thinking.
- Three weekends of in-person Sister Circle gatherings at The Well at Oxon Run
- Interactive activities at The Well to engage mind and body (i.e. outdoor yoga, sound therapy, forest bathing)
- Casual engagement at The Well with leading females of influence in politics, business, education, etc.
- Daily virtual peer gatherings for early morning meditative moments & decision setting
- Weekly peer-to-peer check-ins with an accountability buddy via FaceTime or Zoom
- An online success tracker to encourage consistent personal commitment and measure connectedness
My project is a challenge for the youth, for us to connect, share resources, and work to better ourselves together. It will be about women’s empowerment and sisterhood. It won’t feel like a school or training. It will feel like a very important executive meeting where we are the board members who are in control to make decisions for us.
If you could describe your project in one emoji, what would it be?
🤣
What advice would you give other young women interested in pursuing a community-change project or initiative?
I would say go for it, but when you go for it, make sure it’s from the heart. Make sure it’s authentic because it matters. People can tell when you’re just looking for a photo opportunity. I would also say work hard on it, use your imagination, and be creative and innovative because what worked for you or someone else may not work for the next. You also have to use your perspective and put your feet in these people’s shoes. You can’t think of just one way to pursue community change projects.
How do you see your project fitting into a more significant movement for women’s empowerment and gender equality?
I see my project being one of the largest women’s network sources welcoming you into this space and getting the help you need. My project fits into women wanting to see women win, changing the narrative that girls and women can’t get along and that they are jealous of each other. It fits into creating that equal opportunity for women to get whatever job they want and providing the tools that help them get hired. It’s creating that safe space for women to take back their voice or power if it was taken away or if they believe it was never there.
If you could have any superpower what would it be, and how would you use it to make a difference in the world?
I would choose to read people’s minds. If I could read people’s minds, I could help them better. I think it would be really awesome. But I wouldn’t want to read everyone’s mind, just the people I’m trying to help.
