G.R.I.T.S continues to reshape the view of success for minority girls

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Finding a space to feel comfortable and inspired can be difficult for some teens, so Girls Rocking In The South (G.R.I.T.S.) is trying to end that problem.

Dozens of local teenage girls crowned in tiaras spent their Saturday at the Martin Luther King Center in Wilmington learning how to improve their health, become leaders and even entrepreneurs.

Naiya Graham attended last year’s empowerment expo and was motivated to become a member.

“It just really motivated me a lot,”‘ Graham said. “Last year was like an okay year for me, so I had to find an outlet that made me feel better about myself and that’s what G.R.I.T.S. did for me.”

Just a year later, she is now the organization’s treasurer and has her own business.

“It gave me that extra push to go ahead and do it and now I know I don’t have to wait until a certain age to do it, but I can do it now,” Graham said. “It’s called Aaliyah’s Essentials and I basically make sugar scrubs and the sugar scrubs help get the dead skin off your body. It’s very calming and relaxing. Later on, I think I want to add more things to it.”

Our very own Meteorologist Monique Robinson answered questions about her career journey in the She Rocks panel, during the day long event. She was joined by Wilmington’s own Reality TV star Ursula Douglas from Oprah Winfrey’s network’s “To Have & To Hold: Charlotte” TV series, a family nurse practitioner, an attorney, teen entrepreneurs, and local educational leaders.