Our Mission:
Our Legacy.
Giving young women the tools to become leaders, innovators, and advocates for their communities.
Our Mission
To lift and empower middle school-aged girls (our legacies), living in underserved communities. LOL, Inc. supports girls during their most formative years and helps them to find their purpose, know their value, and to live productive and purposeful lives.
Our Story
LOL, Inc., originally Raising Queens, was founded in 2009 in the Washington, DC metropolitan area by two local residents who recognized a need in their communities and thought they could do something to make a difference. Co-founders, Dr. Terrie H. Carter and Jonya E. Wagner, Esq., were college roommates in Norfolk, Virginia. It was through this friendship that they first discovered their joint passion for helping others, especially young girls who were not afforded the same opportunities and began a tutoring program.
In Washington, DC they each independently participated in various mentoring, reading and tutoring programs for students in the DC area. Recognizing that both had a commitment to helping children, they also realized that there needed to be a more intense focus on young girls in the underserved areas of the Washington, DC metropolitan area. In 2017, considering the direction of young girls in these communities, they advanced their purpose and partnered with local elementary schools and organizations — Lifting Our Legacies was born.
Our Programs
LOL, Inc. fulfills its mission through a combination of efforts organized around the following core strategic principles: building relationships; building trust; advocacy; direct services to address basic needs; to promote personal responsibility, and to build community partnerships. Our volunteers are women of all ages and backgrounds, dedicated to uplifting and serving our legacies who live in underserved communities. Our volunteers are the backbone of our success. Through our various mentoring programs and support efforts, our volunteers can assist in the development of necessary life skills; improved self-esteem; educational competence; improved self-confidence and self-awareness; and leadership skills.
Circle of love meetings
“Circle of Love” is a year-round program facilitated by our program mentors and volunteers both online and in person. We provide a safe haven and judgment-free zone where our girls can speak openly about their issues, concerns, and challenges. Our Circle discussions focus on areas such as peer pressure, setting goals, academic success, social media, bullying, relationships, self-love, and building self-esteem. It is a friendly and positive platform that empowers our girls to freely share their thoughts and feelings.
beyond the box
“Beyond the Box” is our program that is dedicated to developing opportunities for our girls to participate in activities and experiences that will expand their horizons. Our excursions include visits to places such as museums, movies, music recitals, plays, ballets, college campus activities, sports events, and cultural festivals. LOL, Inc. covers the cost of these events, the transportation, and the food for our girls.
one-2-one lift
“One-2-One Lift” is our one-on-one mentorship program. Our girls are paired with a certified mentor who is trained to focus on building trust, positive reinforcement, and encouraging excellence. Our mentors engage with their mentee and assist in identifying needs and resources that will help our girls succeed.
lifting others
“Lifting Others” is our community service program. While we are committed to lifting our legacies, we also want to instill in them the importance of giving back and lifting others. We host periodic food, toy and book drives that benefit our underserved communities. We also participate in community clean-up days.
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August 2013
As we look for strategies to “bolster” black boys, it’s important to acknowledge that African American girls are the fastest growing segment of the juvenile justice system, and need just as much attention.
The Washington Post/ Read Full Article