Atlanta Falcons Youth Fund Teams Up with GEM

Girls Empowering Movement (GEM), an Atlanta Falcons Youth Fund (AFYF) grantee, was recently featured on FOX 5 Atlanta’s Falcons Friday segment. The segment included interviews with Sherry Griffith, GEM Adult Facilitator and Health/Physical Education Teacher at Mary Mcleod Bethune Middle School in Decatur, Georgia, and Alicia Weaver, a 10^th grade student at Arabia Mountain High School and member of the GEM Leadership Team.

Since 2019, GEM has been encouraging girls to be leaders in creating and implementing physical activity programs that meet their unique needs and serve as change agents in improving the health and wellness of their communities.

“Being a GEM Ambassador means being the light for other girls like me. It means everything to me that I am able to give girls opportunities to have resources and a community,” said Alicia Weaver. “The GEM program gave me a sisterhood and so many opportunities I could never imagine having. I really enjoy being physically active and being a part of a program that is helping young girls do the same.”

“It’s an honor to be a part of a support team for girls that empowers them to be or do anything they hope, believe, wish or imagine,” said Sherry Griffith. “The impact of the GEM program at my school has been like a renaissance. There’s been an awakening. Teachers are raising expectations and students are rising up to meet them.”

AFYF, an associate-led giving committee of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, is proud to support the work GEM is doing for girls in the community. Since AFYF awarded GEM a six-year, $4 million grant in 2019, GEM programming has engaged more than 18,000 girls at more than 100 sites across Georgia through organized sports, non-traditional physical activity and play.