Kylie didn’t always feel like she belonged.
Not originally from the Quad Cities, she was navigating a new place, new people, and doing it mostly on her own. By her own admission, she was “very anti-social,” unsure of how to connect or even start a conversation.
That began to change when a friend introduced her to the YWCA’s ThePlace2B program.
“It changed a lot for me mentally, honestly,” Kylie shared.
At first, she wasn’t sure what to expect. But something shifted when she met the other girls.
“When I got with them, I felt completely comfortable,” she said. “I didn’t feel that before.”
That sense of comfort and the need for more of it is exactly what led to the creation of Girls’ Club.
Launched within ThePlace2B, Girls’ Club was designed with the intention of creating a space just for girls to connect, grow, and be themselves.
“We saw that in our everyday programming, some of our girls kind of kept to themselves,” said Edwin Salazar, Director of Youth Engagement and Development. “They would go to a quiet space and just be together. So we thought, why not create something just for them?”
Now, every Tuesday, the girls gather for activities they help design themselves. From crafts and journaling to movie nights and field trips, Girls’ Club is shaped by the voices of the girls who attend.
And once a month, they take it a step further; the entire program becomes a girls-only space, giving them full ownership of the environment.
Recently, the group took that sense of connection beyond their usual space with a trip to Chicago in celebration of Women’s History Month.
They explored the Chicago History Museum, diving into exhibits that highlighted the contributions and stories of women throughout history. Later, they attended the La Femme Dance Festival at the Harris Theater, an evening of powerful performances celebrating equity, representation, and the influence of Black women in dance.
Experiences like these aren’t just outings; they’re opportunities for the girls to see themselves reflected in the world around them.
At its core, Girls’ Club is about more than what’s on the schedule. It’s about creating an environment where girls feel heard, supported, and empowered.
“Our mentor KiKi has been doing a really great job creating that environment,” Salazar said. “It’s important that our girls know we’re here for them and that when they speak up, they’re truly being heard.”
That sense of ownership has made a noticeable difference. Salazar says he’s seen a shift in the group dynamic, stronger connections, deeper trust, and even the ability for the girls to work through conflicts on their own.
For Kylie, Girls’ Club has become something she didn’t realize she was missing.
“Girls’ Club means being with other girls and figuring out not only yourself, but also other women,” she said. “We’ve had our ups and downs, but at the same time, we always come together. We always have each other’s backs.”
What started as a quiet need for connection has grown into something much bigger: a community.
A place where girls can show up as they are, lift each other up, and grow into the women they’re becoming together.
“At the end of the day, we are all women,” Kylie said. “We should empower each other, build each other up to be the best women that we can be.”
