2025

Annual Report

Who We Are

Black Girls Smile centers Black women, girls, and gender-expansive youth—nurturing mental wellbeing, fostering belonging, and creating communities where they can truly thrive.

Need

Every decision we make is shaped by a clear sense of purpose. Our journey has been anything but ordinary. Through every step, we've focused on staying true to our values and making space for thoughtful, lasting work.

The Landscape Black Girls Navigate

Black girls are not the problem. The systems that fail to see, support, and invest in them are.

Black girls, women, and gender-expansive youth carry an extraordinary weight—not because of who they are, but because of how society has failed to show up for them. Research consistently shows that Black girls face compounding barriers to mental health support: they are more likely to be adultified, criminalized, and pushed out of schools and less likely to receive timely, culturally affirming care. Yet despite these systemic failures, Black girls demonstrate profound strength, creativity, and community—and they deserve systems built to match that brilliance.

Early/Root Forces

Middle/Compounding Forces

Gender Bias
Racial Inequity
Societal Pressures
School Pushout

Resulting/Downstream Forces

Lack of Resources
Lack of Prevention
Mental Health Crisis

Adultification
Parentification
Disinvestment

Letter From The Executive Director

Dear Community,

As I reflect on 2025, I know it was not an easy year for many of us. Across our communities and organizations, we experienced uncertainty, anxiety, and significant shifts. I saw how these challenges impacted our staff, partners, and fellow leaders—and the communities we all care so deeply about.

And yet—through it all—we stayed together, stayed aligned, and Black Girls Smile continued to thrive.

People often ask how we do so much. My answer is simple: we have a small but mighty team. I am deeply grateful for our passionate, steady staff who show up every day with care and commitment, and for our incredible Board of Directors who provide the leadership and support that sustain our work.

This year marked a milestone I will carry with me forever—the opening of our first community space in Brooklyn. Creating a physical home for Black Girls Smile has long been a dream: a place where Black girls and young women can gather, heal, learn, and simply be, held in community and care.

Another meaningful moment was our Junior Advisory Board retreat in Puerto Rico, where 14 brilliant young leaders came together to focus on mental well-being, leadership, and connection. Witnessing their growth and sisterhood was a powerful reminder of why this work matters.

I am also deeply thankful for our funding partners and collaborators who continue to believe in our mission and make this work possible.

Looking ahead to 2026, I feel both energized and hopeful. We will continue to grow—but more importantly, we will go deeper: in community, in care, and in our commitment to creating spaces where Black girls and young women can truly thrive.

It is the greatest honor of my life to walk this journey alongside you all.

With gratitude,

Lauren Carson

Founder & Executive Director

Black Girls Smile

How We Center Black Girl Joy

Black Girls Smile is built on the belief that when Black women, girls, and gender-expansive youth thrive, we all thrive. We walk alongside them — and the parents, caregivers, educators, and advocates who love them — toward healing, community, and lives where they can fully bloom.

1

Cultivate Healing & Joy

2

Build Community & Sense of Belonging

3

Lead & Advocate

School-Based Programming

We partner with Middle and High School girls and gender-expansive youth through small-group coaching, social-emotional learning, and workshops — while also supporting the adults in their lives through caregiver support groups and educator workshops, because whole-girl wellness requires a whole-community approach.

Programs

Wellness Workshops & Activations

We create interactive, healing-centered experiences that blend social-emotional learning with real community connection. From in-person activations to virtual offerings, Black Girls Smile partners with local communities and aligned organizations to bring responsive, joy-filled wellness where girls already are.

Therapy Assistance

The Charlyne McFarland Therapy Assistance Program provides free individual therapy for girls and gender-expansive youth seeking clinical support. We connect participants with culturally and gender-responsive providers and fund 3–6 months of care — because access to healing should never be a barrier.

Community Third Space

In Fall 2025, Black Girls Smile opened our first community third space in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. Co-designed with community youth, young adults, and local leaders, it's a weekly gathering place for yoga, meditation, community dinners, movie nights, and SEL workshops — a home base for healing and belonging.