F.Y.R.E. Initiative

Empowering girls of color to drive change.

The F.Y.R.E. (Fierce Youth Reigniting Excellence) Initiative is an empowerment and leadership program for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) middle-school girls and gender-expansive students in the Greater Boston area.

As early teens explore their identities and value, our program equips them with the skills and knowledge to understand both their personal needs and the needs of their community.

By the end of the in-school/after school program, they will be prepared to assess racial and gender inequities, foster a strong sense of self-empowerment, and increase their capacity to engage in effective advocacy.

What we do during F.Y.R.E.

F.Y.R.E. consists of weekly 1-hour sessions.

Section 1: Learn

Students deepen their understanding of oppression, institutional power, and people power as they relate to their  own lived  experiences.

Section 2 - Plan

Section 2: Plan

Students utilize group decision-making and problem-solving skills to research and identify issues within their school communities.

Section 3 - Act

Section 3: Act

Students implement Community Action Projects that address the community issues they have identified during the “Learn” and “Plan” sessions.

Throughout the program students:

  • Use critical thinking to assess racial and gender inequities in the City of Boston
  • Learn about historical and current movements for racial and gender equity
  • Increase their capacity to engage in advocacy and policy change and lead others to act on issues important to them
  • Understand how identities intersect and are impacted by systems of power
  • Build problem-solving skills that help them to identify and react to community needs

What students gain

Two young girls smiling

Knowledge to assess racial and gender inequities within Boston

A woman writing on a white board

Build a sense of self and empowerment

YW Boston Annual Academy of Women Achievers Luncheon 2024

Increase their capacity for engagement in advocacy

YW Boston Gender Inclusion Statement

We are committed to providing comprehensive and inclusive programming that uplifts the experience of all girls regardless of their assigned sex at birth. The F.Y.R.E. Initiative maintains gender equity by welcoming cisgender girls, transgender girls, and gender expansive individuals who experience oppression and discrimination based on their gender, gender identity, and gender expression.