Erica Vernet Knowles
May 28, 20203 min
Updated: Jul 7, 2020
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What do girls need? What do girls need in light of COVID 19? What kind of support do girls need? How can you help girls right now? What type of encouragement do girls need? How can I support my daughter’s mental health? Do girls need male role models?
In this interview with Thema Campbell, Founder & CEO of Girl Power Miami she answers these questions and more. This episode is the second of a series of episodes that is sponsored by the Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA and will highlight the creative women business owners in their community.
Here are a few things that we discussed:
What Thema is passionate about She is passionate about giving the best of her. Praying, meditating, and being mindful of the people in her life. She emphasized that it's important to honor what your body needs, especially during this pandemic. So don’t beat yourself up if you have a lazy day on the couch, watching tv all day, kind of day. But going back to mediation is something she goes back to “because it’s steady, it’s reliable, and you can see the benefits of it in your life”.
What the women in her life taught her Thema is from Georgia and had multiple women in her life that brought different things into her life. They taught her the importance of being physically active and how to cook. Most importantly, they taught her the importance of honesty. She learnt about the importance of touch from another friend. “It takes a lot to make who you are today. I think that’s why I do the work that I do, because I see women and girls, especially women who I know that they did not get what I got in life.”
How does Thema show up as the CEO of Girl Power Miami It’s important for Thema to be the best boss that she can be. To pour positive energy into her team. She tries to be mindful of how she affects her team.
What do girls need “Girls need support, they need love, they need validation, they need to know that they are someone special, and they are enough as they are”. It’s important that girls have a strong male / father figure in their life.
How is Girl Power Miami supporting girls in light of COVID19?
They stay in constant contact with the girls
They send care packages
They’ve gotten laptops donated to the girls that didn’t have them
Their mentors have also been in contact with the girls
They have continued to have virtual workshops with the girls
How can you support Girl Power Miami right now
Make a donation on https://www.girlpowerrocks.org/
Designate Girl Power Miami as your Amazon Smiles organization https://smile.amazon.com/
Donate items such as Feminine Hygiene products, art, board games, mindfulness coloring books, journals
The Girl Power Miami Choir The choir is part of the fundraising arm of the organization. But it gives the girls that participate an opportunity to to experience music. It’s also provides Girl Power with the ability to have more time with the girls.
Thema’s favorite travel experiences Visiting the Great Wall of China, going to Capetown, South Africa, and spending time in Cuba. Thema loves to travel, she enjoys connecting with people and learning more about cultures. She’s looking forward to traveling again when it’s safe.
Thema’s favorite places in Overtown, Miami, FL
The Little GreenHouse Grill https://www.lilgreenhousegrill.com/
Williams Park
The Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater https://www.bahlt.org/
Driving down 3rd avenue and looking at the trees
Live jazz music: Maryel Epps http://maryelepps.com/ & Nicole Henry http://www.nicolehenry.com/
Her question for women How do you think we as women can change this world to make it better for our children?
Thema’s definition of a woman A woman is the life source of the planet … We are the first teachers of men and women.
Get in contact with Thema and Girl Power Miami
https://www.girlpowerrocks.org/
https://www.instagram.com/girlpowermiami
https://www.facebook.com/girlpowermiami
https://www.girlpowerrocks.org/
Where to find Erica and Collective Drift:
https://www.instagram.com/collectivedrift/
https://www.facebook.com/collectivedrift
https://www.collectivedrift.com
https://www.youtube.com/collectivedrift
Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA
http://experienceovertown.com/
https://instagram.com/miamicra
The Collective Drift platform was created by Erica Knowles to celebrate all women, the beauty of their cultures, and international travel experiences. I believe that women possess magic, that gives them strength and grace to change the world. We learn how to tap into our power in various ways based on our cultural backgrounds and our journeys. Join me and an amazing collective of multicultural, multiethnic, and multigenerational women that are artists, cultural leaders and travel enthusiasts as they tell their stories about their culture, their tribe of women, their passions, their art, and their favorite international experiences. Welcome to Collective Drift.