01 Jul FASTell Girl: Shining Light on Black Girls Healing and Empowerment
FASTell Girl: Shining Light on At-Risk Girls Healing and Empowerment
The soul of FASTell Girl is an emblem of resilience and healing. Its roots lie in an unfortunate truth — the derogatory term ‘fast tail’ used within certain black communities to belittle young girls, usually those with a vivacious spirit and zest for life. These girls were often victims of unspoken abuse, their stories suppressed and their pleas unheard. Their vibrant personalities were misunderstood, their innocence exploited, and they were blamed instead of being protected.
As a survivor of such branding, I lived through the deep scars these words leave on a young girls soul. My loving free spirit was misconstrued, my light dimmed, and I was called ‘fast’. It was as if the energy radiating from me was too bright, too threatening to those conditioned to not see themselves as more.
This term followed me into my professional life as a counselor, echoing in rooms where supposed advocates continued to label innocent girls as ‘fast tail’. Even within an educational institution, I sat across an administrator who unwittingly branded the black girls of her school with this term, imprinting an identity on them without knowing their stories.
The Genesis of FASTell Girl Healing
Choosing to break free from the limiting mindset of oneself from such labeling, I chose to redefine the term ‘fast tail’. I decided to transform it into a beacon of empowerment and healing for ALL girls — and so, FASTell Girl was born.
‘F’ represents our ‘Friends‘, the dedicated college tutors who provide academic and career advice to our girls. ‘A‘ stands for our ‘Aunties‘, the professional behavioral management counselors that guide our girls on their healing journey, teaching them coping skills to manage behaviors, moods, and emotions. ‘S‘ signifies our ‘Sisters‘, mentors who unleash the creativity within our girls through creative and performing arts. ‘Tell’ encourages each girl to voice her story, to use her experiences as a testament to resilience, strength, and transformation.
Model2Mentor, a key initiative of FASTell Girl, is an accountability pillar, ensuring that everyone supporting our organization is committed to the growth and well-being of our girls. It represents the ‘Grace 4 Growth’ principle, recognizing that we are all a work in progress, continually learning from our past to pave a brighter future.
We at FASTell Girl believe in the power of transformation, changing the narrative from blame to healing, from silencing to expressing. We’re here to light the way for every young girl to unequivocally learn and love herself, fostering her growth into a resilient woman. We are FASTell Girl — the voice of healing for ALL girls.
Help us continue to change lives by donating. Your contribution will directly impact the lives of at-risk girls of Dallas county, providing them with resources, guidance, and support they need to thrive. Donate now.
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