Our School & Community Offerings
Black Girls Smile provides programming available exclusively to schools and community centers which include the following components.
School-Based Programming
Programs
Programs
Black Girls Smile provides culturally responsive school-based and community-based programming that offers direct access to mental health education, therapist-led support, wellness workshops, and healing-centered gatherings that nurture emotional well-being and foster belonging.
By meeting Black girls where they are—in schools, in community, and in relationship—BGS is not only addressing immediate mental health needs, but investing in long-term care, leadership, and generational well-being.
School Based Programming
Black Girls Smile provides mental health education, emotional wellness resources, and supportive programming for Black girls and young women ages 13–26. As part of our school-based programming, BGS offers an eight-week group coaching curriculum designed to promote emotional and mental well-being.
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Emotional awareness and expression
Stress management and self-care
Healthy relationships and boundaries
Confidence and self-esteem
Coping skills and resilience
Community, belonging, and peer support
Community Based Programming
Black Girls Smile extends its impact beyond schools through community-based programming designed to create accessible, affirming spaces for Black girls, young women, and caregivers to prioritize their mental health. Through in-person and virtual offerings, BGS provides culturally responsive support groups, interactive workshops, and intimate community gatherings that center connection, healing, and collective care
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Safe Space Saturday — where participants engage in mental health literacy workshops, connect directly with licensed therapists and social workers, and participate in restorative wellness sessions such as yoga and breathwork
Kitchen Table Talk — a roundtable-style discussion series where Black women and girls come together for honest, intergenerational conversations about the issues most impacting the mental health and well-being of our community
Support Groups that offer consistent, therapist-led spaces where participants can process shared experiences, build coping skills, and find community among peers who understand their lived realities. These groups reduce isolation while strengthening emotional well-being.
Therapy
Assistance
The Charlyne McFarland Therapy Scholarship seeks to break down financial and systemic barriers to mental health support for Black women and girls, specifically those aged 16 to 25—a critical period marked by life transitions, identity exploration, and emotional challenges that can impact well-being.
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This program provides culturally competent therapy access to young Black women and girls facing financial hardship or other obstacles that prevent them from receiving the care they deserve. By offering direct financial assistance for therapy, the scholarship empowers participants to prioritize their mental wellness, build resilience, and equip themselves with tools for self-care, healing, and personal growth.
Join a Support Group
You don’t have to navigate life alone. Black Girls Smile offers therapist-led support groups designed to create safe, affirming spaces where Black girls and young women can share openly, process their experiences, and build meaningful connections with peers.
Our groups are grounded in cultural responsiveness, emotional safety, and community care. Whether you're seeking tools to manage stress, support through life transitions, or simply a space to be heard and understood, there is a place for you here.
Explore upcoming groups and find the one that’s right for you.
