Feel Good Friday - Oasis for Girls

Today’s Feel Good Friday post highlights a local organization, well local if you live in the Bay Area, Oasis for Girls. 

Founded in 1999, Oasis for Girls began as a Friday night Girls Group a at a Teen Center in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood. While the programs have evolved, the mission remains the same - to “partner with young women of color, aged 14-18, from under-resourced communities in San Francisco to cultivate the skills, knowledge, and confidence to discover their dreams and build strong futures.”   

Oasis for Girls offers three after school programs that are both culturally relevant and gender-specific. These programs are designed to empower the girls and equip them with life skills while they build a sisterhood through shared experiences.

RISE focuses on developing life skills. Girls can explore personal identity, mental health, and social justice issues. Examples of classes in this program include cooking, self defense and yoga. It culminates with the participants planning a direct action project to make a positive change in their community.

CREATE is focused on arts and activism. Workshops include learning about visual, performance and digital art and how they can be used to address social justice issues. Field trips can include different art venues and events.

ENVISION is focused on career exploration. Workshops help girls develop skills such as interviewing and networking, while also introducing topics like workplace discrimination and code switching. Visits to job sites, networking events and internships at the UCSF Department of Neurosurgery expand the girls’ career awareness.

All of the programs are taught by Program Coordinators who mirror the girls’ backgrounds and serve as allies and mentors throughout their high-school years. If you know a girl who would be a good match for the programs, applications for the summer sessions open in mid-May. Fill out this application form to get started.

If you’d like to support Oasis for Girls and help girls in San Francisco discover their dreams and build strong futures, there are many ways to do so. Volunteer your time, donate your money, and amplify their message on social media. Like the Oasis for Girls Facebook page and follow them on Instagram and LinkedIn.