Black Girl Magic

Black Girl Magic is a holistic leadership development program that supports Black female students at Franklin High School. We are focused on empowering and fostering a deep and genuine relationship with African American and East African girls by providing them a safe space to gather and build engagement. We strengthen connection by volunteering at the Esperanza House, an assisted living home located in South Seattle. We focus particularly on African American, Latina, and Indigenous women and those who are living in low-income environments. 

We provide programming to teach life skills, problem solving, critical thinking, and self-awareness. Black Girl Magic prepares students for college, as well as long-term success. We showcase communication skills that support personal growth, and encourage girls to express themselves through community activism, youth leadership and overall resilience.

This program is run by the amazing Ms. Shay Shay Lyons, a full-time teacher’s aide at Franklin High School. In addition to her support in Franklin classrooms, Ms. Shay Shay is completing her practicum and is scheduled to complete her master’s in social work from Grand Canyon University in Arizona. Ms. Shay Shay is also a Quaker parent, with her youngest daughter currently attending Franklin as a Junior.

In addition to offering programming and bimonthly meetings, Black Girl Magic endeavors to provide for basic hygiene and personal needs for the girls. You can help this effort by providing new items to stock the Black Girl Magic Care Closet. A wish list of the items can be found on Amazon using the QR code below. Fulfilling items from that list, sending Amazon Gift Cards, or providing cash donations would be greatly appreciated.

Please contact Ms. Shay Shay directly (rclyons@seattleschools.org) if you have questions about the Black Girl Magic program or if you are interested in supporting Black Girl Magic’s mission.