Dear Black Girl Series Featuring: Keisha
What is your name, tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Keisha Montfleury, I am a proud mother of 3 beautiful kids. I love to do things with and for my family like going hiking, supporting the kids with their passions such as sports and art. I am also a believer in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and have started an organization based on sharing the love of Christ to young girls so they will know that they are loved. I believe my purpose and passion is to plant the seeds of encouragement into our young girls so they will not give into negative behavior such as self-harm and bullying. Not only did I start a non profit for our girls, but I started a company called HandiWork that is dedicated to supporting our girls through their journey.
What were some positives and negatives that you remember growing up as a young black girl ?
One of the negative things that I remember as I was growing up as a black girl is being called names at times or people not getting my name correct. One of the positive things that I remember growing up as a black girl is getting my hair done and I
always LOVED my skin color.
What's one thing you know now that you wish you would have known when you were younger?
One thing I wish I would have known when I was younger is how valuable I am. I really wish I had
known that at a young age, I believe that I would have possibly made some different choices. That is why I do what I do; to make sure that young girls know their value and worth, so they make sound, wise decisions in every area of their lives.
How do you think society and our community views black girls and why?
I kind of get mixed messages in the way society and our community may view us. On one hand I see many messages where they are showing black girls as strong, independent and smart (it can be very encouraging). But the way that they treat us at times communicates something else. I think it could be confusing to our girls, and there needs to be more of an effort in making sure that our girls see positive messages of self.
Dear Black Girl, you are ___________.
Fill in the blank with a word of affirmation or a positive attribute.
VALUABLE
How and where can people connect with you?
You can check us out on Facebook & Instagram : @keishashandiwork
Website: www.keishashandiwork.com