Hundreds of girls attend 13th annual Chicago Day of the Girl at South Shore Cultural Center
CHICAGO (CBS) —The South Shore Cultural Center was filled with girls from across the city and south suburbs participating in activities that aimed to empower them.
It was all part of the 13th annual Chicago Day of the Girl, hosted by the Girls Like Me Project.
Participants engaged in various activities, including learning new dance moves and jumping rope.
"It was really fun, and it stretched out my muscles a lot," Jakayla Jones said.
Some panted portraits of missing Brown and Black girls, like Chicagoan Kelly Juanita Staples, who disappeared in 1980.
"I love painting, and getting her name out there is very honorable," Kynnadee Curtis said.
Others even honed their on-camera and interview skills for a live talk show. These are just some of the activities girls and teens enjoyed at the annual Chicago Day of the Girl event at the South Shore Cultural Center.
It's the 13th year the Girls Like Me Project has hosted this event for girls ages 10 to 18 from the South and West Sides of Chicago and the south suburbs.
This year's theme was "My Voice. My Future." The goal was to bring 300 girls together to introduce them to new experiences and opportunities through community organizations and corporate sponsors, and positively impact their lives.
"I talked to one of the people about self-care and mental health awareness and how it's important to work on yourself," Alanna Morgan said.
This event has been eye-opening for the girls here in so many ways. For some, it's the first time they've left their communities and come to the lakefront.
"It's really beautiful over here. The waves are really pretty and gorgeous. Everything, the weather is perfect!" Cyan Smith said.
Girls Like Me Project Executive Director and Founder La'Keisha Gray-Sewell said it was a vision come to life.
"To actually see girls, engaging in that way, to see girls, just getting intuned and grounded with nature and seeing the water and it being a space that they just go to, for a little peace of peace, that's the vision. That's the vision, come to life," she said.
CBS News Chicago proudly sponsors the event.