BOYS BOYS BOYS

Girls Dialogue with Positive Young Men about Love, Sex, Trust & Relationships

A local youth mentoring program is taking a unique approach to tackle a sensitive subject with teenage girls. Cinnamongirls, Inc.’s mission is to empower and inspire at-risk girls to realize their highest personal and professional aspirations. CGI works with girls of color in the Elmhurst district of East Oakland, one of the most challenged neighborhoods in Oakland.

On February 25th, 2006 CGI will host “Boys, Boys, Boys,” a dialogue for the Cinnamongirls to open up their questions regarding boys, sex, love and relationships among themselves and then listen to a panel discussion of successful boys and men and how they view women, sex, love and relationships.

Renèe Richard-Smith, founder and executive director of CGI, says the discussion will provide an honest male perspective of how boys and men view relationships, trust, sex, and love. For many of girls this exchange of information could serve as a total shift in her perspective.

“We want girls to have a clear perspective of how boys of different ages feel about, sex and love,” said Richard-Smith.

The panel will consist of 4-6 boys and men that the girls view as successful, positive, and hard-working between the ages of 15-23.

“Because of the nature of this subject, we will have a discussion with each parent of the girls so that they are clear as to the content of the discussion we will have with their daughters,” Richard-Smith said.

The event will also include a visit from a female OB/GYN to talk to the girls about their bodies, health, and hormonal changes. The day will end with the panel discussion with the young men about their views on relationships, love, respect, and trust.