Hi StrongHER TogetHER; we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
StrongHER TogetHER is a Durham, NC-based program initiated to help girls embrace what it means to stick together, no matter how different they are. We aim to offer programming that elevates outcomes and introduces girls to community and social justice while organically fostering a sense of collective power.

The StrongHER TogetHER concept was developed in 2016 when co-founders Dr. Veshana Ramiah and Stacey Donoghue found themselves confronted with a series of small moments that made them realize girls and women are not always the greatest at supporting one another! The duo was prompted to do something, so together, they crafted a program framework that would allow time to instill this notion of network and community among girls from an early age while simultaneously accomplishing a lot of personal, academic, and social growth along with the way.

Today, StrongHER TogetHER girls represent nearly thirty schools in Durham. Together, they engage in community service, mentoring initiatives, anti-racism workshops, positive mental health activities, literacy programs, leadership development, higher education preparation, summer camp fun, and more! The girls are in the program for eight years, and during that time, they meet with their group about every four to six weeks.

The StrongHER TogetHER girls have been exposed to countless experiences, ranging from meetings with the Governor’s Chief of Staff to clinics with World Cup champions to sewing pillows and decorating pumpkins with nail polish in parks! They have played board games with the families of sick children, hosted hurricane victims, decorated lunch bags for food distribution, and made bead bracelets for homeless women and teens. And beyond all this, they are also going to one another’s concerts or plays; they are connecting in times of crisis, and forming everyday, grassroots friendships with one another, despite their different schools, backgrounds, cultures, and socioeconomics! Wow, we are so proud of the girls in our program! They are seeing possibilities for themselves, and yes, yes, yes! Learning to celebrate each other, too!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our program is as grassroots as it gets. When we started, none of us had non-profit management experience, and now it’s funny to think of the things we did that were so “off” in terms of management and so boot-strapped in terms of money. We can remember talking with a consultant who was working with us early on because we had received funding for developing some strategic plans. When the consultant saw our budget numbers for the previous year, she was stunned. How are you doing all this (she motioned to our Instagram on her phone) with this, she asked, gesturing toward our dismal income statement. Until that moment, we had truthfully (and perhaps, ignorantly) never thought about it for a second. All we knew was that (1) we were determined to offer a quality program and (2) next-level-thrifty was key in getting there.

We don’t operate any differently today because we have grown so much in the past six years, and we have to work daily to keep up! Funding and volunteer recruitment are always top-of-mind back office worries of almost any non-profit. And we are no different. But the good news is Durham is a rock star city that embraces our mission, and because of this, we have been able to enlist the support of a leadership team who is all in! No matter how bumpy the ride, StrongHER TogetHER is led by a team of smart, innovative, solution-oriented volunteers who are excited about what we’re building. We all want to create an impactful program that stays solid for years to come. We are laser-focused on ensuring that these early years set the stage for many years of uniting powerful girls who will become powerful women!

Contact Info:

  • Website: stronghertogether.org
  • Instagram: stronghertogether
  • Facebook: StrongHER TogetHER
  • Linkedin: StrongHER TogetHER