Girls Night Out!

The Akwesasne Coalition for Community Empowerment is a group of programs working across “borders” to combine their resources and provide better services for the entire community. Members of the coalition include the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe’s Family Support Program, Teen Women Health Mental Health, Indian Child Welfare Act, the Let’s Get Healthy Program, Alcohol and Chemical Dependency Prevention Program and St. Regis Mohawk Police. The Mohawk Counsil of Akwesasne’s Holistic Health and Wellness, Akwesasne Child and Family Services Community Support Unit, the Akwesasne Mohawk Police and Justice Program are also members, as well as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. On March 5 and 6, the coalition hosted a Girls Night Out at the family support building for girls ages 11-18 to boost self-confidence and provide health education in a fun way.

The first Girls Night Out was created by Diane Boots after realizing the need for health education and self confidence boosters among young girls during one of her daughter’s sleepovers. Her daughter, Tracy Cook, now in her 20’s volunteers as a mentor for the Girls Night Out and was amazed at how far the program has come.

“It’s really great to see how it’s evolved and is still growing and still successful,” said Cook. “ Great people run it and now I’m working it. It’s awesome! I’m proud of (my mother) for starting it. Look how much fun they are having.”

The girls made self-esteem masks from plaster casts of their own faces. They had a lot of fun making them and once dried they got to decorate the masks in their own unique ways. The girls also listened to guest speakers talk about important issues concerning girls in their age range, and learned about social etiquette and how to be a more confident individual. They relaxed with movies and snacks and listened to a mind and body relaxation CD before bed. The group sent the girls off the next morning with one last energy boosting presentation before they entered the world more knowledgeable and confident than ever.

Girls Night Out is just one of the many ways that the Akwesasne Coalition for Community Empowerment works to provide better services for all of Akwesasne.

Photos by Mary La France