Girls Circle

Maintaining healthy friendships can sometimes be challenging due to exclusion, intolerance, and feuding. One Circle Foundation’s Friendship Activity Guide is a comprehensive curriculum that addresses ... Read More

September 15th – October 15th is National Hispanic Heritage Month, when Americans celebrate the “histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.” One Circle Foundation is dedicated to ensuring equal access to Circles for all youth, including Latine youth, who often face higher than normal rates of depression, alcohol and drug abuse according to the American Addiction Center. To create a safe and supportive environment for these young individuals, we... Read More.

Nancy Roldán Johnson, the Interim Executive Director of One Circle Foundation (OCF), is an active participant in the Community Leadership Program (CLP). Recently, Nancy was interviewed by Lara Herscovitch, the co-creator and editor of the CLP blog, The Circle. In their insightful interview, they delve into discussions about personal values, leadership philosophies, and ... Read more.

As a Trainer for One Circle Foundation, I have the incredible opportunity to travel to different communities and share our models of structured support groups. The people I meet along the way are always amazing, and Michelle Maliniak is no exception...

Getting youth to engage in support groups can be challenging, especially throughout the Summer. So how do you get youth to WANT to be a part of a support group?

A circle is a universal symbol of inclusivity and belonging. Sometimes when we are new to a community, you may feel like you are out of that communal circle. It can be challenging to see where you fit in. Where do you belong?

“If we are working toward equity by making a protected space in our groups for the experience of queer kids, we also need to ask ourselves if we are allowing these same queer kids to come with their racial identity, their socioeconomic status, their ability status, their gender identity, their religious affiliation, and everything else that makes them who they are”.

I went through Girls Circle Facilitator Training in 2017, and had the privilege of being trained by the wonderful Victoria Mahand. I remember going up to her after the training and asking her, “How do I do, what you do?” I was referring to her charismatic, inclusive, effective facilitation style. What she did next was model what a facilitator does. She didn’t give advice, she told me, “Danielle, go out and do.” So, that’s what I did for 5 years. I ran circles and grew our program within our community. However, I struggled those first few years with

16 years ago I was intimidated, excited, nervous, and honored to be given the opportunity to facilitate my first Girls Circle with eight 16-17-year-old girls, all of whom were on probation. They were required to attend as a condition of their probation and we met in a classroom on their high school campus right after school each Wednesday. Going into that first session, I did all of the extra things that I could think of

... Through my work, I am lucky and blessed to help enrich and empower girls and young women to pursue their intellectual pursuits with confidence, curiosity, and agency. This is my purpose! This is what I was born to do. Just today at our Circle of Peace, which is a daily community gathering amongst students and staff, I recited the Horizons pledge to remind our scholars that we are all sisters in this:  I promise to lift other girls up, have their backs, and make it safe for them to be exactly who they are. Every time I look in the mirror, I’ll remind myself that I am not alone, that I am beautiful, that my voice matters, and that I am enough. To anyone and everyone, including all of the young women that I have served and will serve, THANK YOU for making a difference in my life! Though that imposter syndrome creeps up every now and then, you all are the remedy that treats me every time! I am enough and so are you!  Next week, we will celebrate all things GIRL and everything that we have accomplished, persevered through, and fought for. It is a day where we uplift girls and women all around us, all over the world, those who are silenced and those who have amplified, past and present, here and now. What a day to celebrate women and girls! I challenge you to make a promise and commitment to continue to make an impact in a girl’s life.