County official praises She Imprints’ She Leads training for educators serving girls of color

Jamaa Pittz, founder and CEO of She Imprints, told county officials that She Leads is a train‑the‑trainer program designed to give educators and youth‑serving professionals the tools and curriculum to better support girls of color.

"There usually is no focus whatsoever on girls and the ways that we develop educators," Pittz said, describing the program’s origins in her classroom experience and its curriculum rooted in wellness, justice and leadership. She said the model emphasizes centering girls' voices and gives facilitators materials they can implement directly in schools and organizations.

An agency official for Franklin County praised the initiative and said the county values programming that builds cultural awareness among educators. "I think it's important that we have organizations that equip our leaders…with cultural awareness but also what our youth are dealing with from trauma or understanding their own identity," the official said, relating support for the program to personal experience as a parent.

The conversation highlighted concerns about how schools respond to girls of color. Pittz and the official discussed "adultification"—the tendency to treat Black girls as older than they are—and how lack of trauma‑informed training can lead to disciplinary responses rather than support. Pittz said the program takes a holistic approach that includes mental and reproductive health, culturally responsive practices and financial literacy to reduce stigma and better meet students' needs.

Pittz said She Leads operates on a cohort schedule so educators can participate at different times of year. "The next iteration of the program is this July," she said, and added that there will also be fall and winter cohorts to allow flexible participation.

The county official said Franklin County has maintained investments in youth programs despite tight budgets and noted the board of commissioners supports initiatives that provide summer jobs, STEAM access and mentorship. The official said those investments include supports for educators' mental health and professional development but did not cite a formal motion, vote or budget line specific to She Leads during the session.

Pittz thanked the county for its support and emphasized the multiplier effect of training educators: "Even just one educator can serve hundreds of students." The meeting closed with mutual appreciation and affirmation of continued collaboration between She Imprints and the county.