Sisters of Nia | A Cultural Enrichment Program to Empower African American Girls

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Faye Z. Belgrave | Valerie Rawls Chery | Deborah S. Butler | Tiffany G. Townsend

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Sisters of Nia presents a unique cultural enrichment program designed to reinforce and bring out African American preadolescent and adolescent girls' strengths. In the Kiswahili (Swahili) language, the word nia means purpose or goal. This group program helps girls plan and achieve their future goals as they transition from elementary to middle school and from middle to high school. Group sessions cover African and African American culture, positive female role models, leadership, relationship skills, analyzing community and media messages, health, and education. The program helps girls achieve the direction, identity, and critical consciousness that leads to more positive self-esteem and relationships with others, greater ethnic pride, and higher expectations for the future. ​