The summer of 2021 has been a summer of finding adventure and joy in safe spaces, and we have plans to extend it!
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Do you remember that feeling when you first learned how to ride a bike? The wind in your hair, the empowerment you felt. We are so excited to share that moment with the Mariposa girls again this summer. Though biking has been a part of our summer camp programming for the last 5 years (thanks to the generous donation of bikes from Red Robin), for many of our girls this will be their first experience on a bike. We know now more than ever our girls need to feel this sense of freedom. After such a challenging year on so many levels, it is crucial not only for their physical well being, but for their mental health as well. We know that exercising in the open air, in a sport that naturally provides social distancing is the perfect solution.
As you walk through the corridors of the Mariposa Center for Girls, you can’t help but be inspired by the beautiful artwork throughout. We are proud of our conscious decision to create an inspirational space where the art on our walls reflects the power of our mission. Throughout the years, we have worked with mosaic artists, painters and graffiti artists to create a visual, artistic hub of girl empowerment that tells a story and teaches the importance of sharing their voice and their perspective.
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We believe that ocean accessibility is one essential element to maintaining the mental health of the Mariposas as they feel more and more isolated. As is true in every community, stress levels are high as they try to cope with the challenges they face. Many of us can relate to the need to be near water to center us, to offer us a respite from the world, to give us perspective, and to move our bodies. Now more than ever it is vital to get the Mariposa students safely to the beach and out on the water surfing, SUPing or swimming. This requires significant planning and logistics to make sure the Mariposas can remain physically distant in vans and that we have more qualified staff for the much smaller groups, but it is absolutely worth it.
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When we closed our doors we promised that on the day that we could safely open our Center again, we would.
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At the Mariposa DR Foundation part of our mission is to inspire the international community to join the global girls movement. One of the many ways we have done that is by hosting international visitors. Through their experiences and their advocacy work, the Mariposa girls demonstrate to the visitors how girls are the world’s most powerful force for change and create lasting friendships. Since traveling is not feasible amid the pandemic, we are continuing this aspect of our mission through the newly created Mariposa Virtual Volunteer Program.
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As humanity faces unprecedented obstacles, we at the Mariposa DR Foundation are working on the ground with our families and girls.
Read the story “How a butterfly takes flight”
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On November 25th, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, people around the world gather to show solidarity with women and girls who continue to be victims of brutality, whether physical, emotional, legal, political, educational. In almost every sphere somewhere in the world females are languishing under unjust systems which perpetuate their lack of opportunity and agency. It’s why we need to show up on this day and every day in support of just systems for all people.
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Have you given much thought about what it's like to be a 12 year old girl in the Dominican Republic? I don’t mean in terms of statistics, like the fact that the Dominican Republic ranks extremely high in adolescent pregnancy and child marriage in Latin America and the Caribbean, with over 40% of girls becoming teenage mothers and 36% of girls marrying before 18. I mean, have you thought about how that translates to the day-to-day experience of a girl living in Cabarete?
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