Girls Inc. lauds members at annual luncheon

DANVERS – Latoyia Edwards held tight to a red napkin that perfectly matched her red dress throughout the Girls Inc. 25th annual Celebration Luncheon that honored six “Girl Heroes.””This is my favorite part, and I cry all the time,” the New England Cable News anchor said Thursday as the Girls Inc. choir took to the stage. “Every time I see those little girls come up and sing – they’re so delicious, aren’t they?”Edwards emceed the event that packed the ballroom at the Danversport Yacht Club and celebrated 70 years of helping young girls become strong, smart and bold.View a photo galleryGirls Inc. began in New England during the Industrial Revolution but didn’t get going in Lynn until 1943, according to Annalisa DiParma, president of the board of directors. She said back then the focus was on arts, crafts and domestic sciences; today the focus is on literacy, leadership skills, career planning and life skills.”?Wow, how far we’ve come,’ you might be thinking,” she said. “Look at how much we’ve changed, but look how much we’ve stayed the same.”DiParma said the goal of Girls Inc. has always been to give girls a safe place to land and to be their steadfast advocates, which it has done for seven decades.For Lynn English High School seniors Daniella Enoh, Rebecca Fils-Aime and Jané Kennon-Bryan, and Lynn Classical seniors Messeret Kebede and Carolin Frias, and junior Eseosa Asiruwa, each needed a safe place to land. All six Girl Heroes were awarded national scholarships during the luncheon, however, Kebede and Asiruwa were not present. Kebede was not present because she is in South America on a school trip and Asiruwa is the wrong age.”This is only for seniors, so we’ll hear from Asiruwa next year,” Edwards noted.Edwards first cried when the choir sang Alicia Keys’ “This Girl is on Fire” and Katy Perry’s “Fireworks” but it was Frias’ story that really broke her down.Frias, a self-described timid-to-the-point-of-antisocial child, came from the Dominican Republic at age 12 to the states and struggled to adapt. Even when she found Girls Inc. she said she didn’t think it was for her, but she was wrong.”I felt safe, like I could be myself. I didn’t feel judged, shy or not,” she said while apologizing for her tears. “Without Girls Inc. I wouldn’t be able to speak here today even though I’m a mess.”As she left the podium Edwards caught her by the arm and asked to share a personal note.”My daughter is you,” she said sobbing openly. “She is so shy and is bullied at school ? but she will find a place where she is safe, like Girls Inc., like you did.”Enoh, orphaned at 5 years old, came from Cameroon on her own at age 15 and found a home at Girls Inc. one year later.”They really believed in me, Daniella, the young woman in front of you who is strong, smart and bold,” she said.Fils-Aime said she remembered her first day at Girls Inc.”I didn’t want to talk to anyone because I thought they would make fun of me because of my accent,” she said.A native of Haiti Fils-Aime came to the U.S. when she was 12 and struggled to adapt. A visit to Girls Inc. changed that.”I went from a girl too shy to talk to anyone to talking in front of elected officials and 1,200 people at a rally at Faneuil Hall,” she said.Kennon-Bryan turned her life around after she overheard an adult state that the then 13-year-old probably wouldn’t make it through high school. Girls Inc. gave her a job and showed her the way to a positive future, she said.Judy Vredenburgh, president and CEO of Girls Inc. National, was also awarded the Strong, Smart and Bold Award for her work with the organization.”It’s my honor to accept this award from a stellar high performing affiliate,” she told the crowd of over 300 supporters. “You set the benchmark for the rest of the country.”Chris Stevens can be reached at [email protected].