About EmpowHERto
Our Story
EmpowHERto was founded so girls of color do not have to figure it out alone. Our story begins with one girl searching for guidance, and grows into a movement centered on mentorship, skills, and opportunity.
Growing Up Without Guidance
Growing up, I faced challenges that many young girls know all too well. There weren’t many women around me who could guide me, mentor me, or show me what was possible. Support was scarce, and opportunities to explore my passions or build confidence felt out of reach.
As I grew older, I noticed the same struggles repeating in younger girls—girls full of potential, talent, and ambition, yet lacking guidance, encouragement, and access to opportunities. I watched them stumble, not because they weren’t capable, but because no one had shown them the way.
Janeen Brown
EmpowHERto Executive Director
From One Story to a Movement
That’s why I founded EmpowHERto. Our mission is simple: to give girls of color the mentorship, skills, and opportunities I wish I had. From middle school through young adulthood, we provide programs in STEM, financial literacy, career readiness, and wellness, giving each girl the tools to thrive in a world that does not always make it easy.
We do more than teach. We stand alongside them. We give girls the guidance, tools, and boldness they need to step into spaces that were not built with them in mind. We nurture curiosity, build unshakable confidence, and turn ambition into action.
At EmpowHERto, no girl is left to figure it out alone. We show her the way, step by step, with a community that believes in who she is and who she can become.
This is not just a program; it is a launchpad. When a girl is seen, heard, and supported, she does more than make it through. She breaks barriers, builds her future, and lifts others along the way.
Next steps
Be Part of the Story We Are Writing Together.
When you join EmpowHERto—as a participant, mentor, donor, or partner—you help change what is possible for the next generation of girls of color.