Along with their meetings held twice a month, BePolished seeks out special events for
their members to attend around the community, such as keynote speakers, visiting
museum exhibits, taking college tours, and even the occasional trip to a theme park. If
somebody shows interest in a career field or type of study, they seek out the
professionals in that discipline to meet with them and provide consultation. Not only do
the extra-curricular activities provide educational opportunities, but they serve to form a
sisterhood by bringing the girls closer together.
Tr u s t i s h u g e w h e n d e v e l o p i n g
relationships through BePolished, a task
that isn’t always easy with middle-
schoolers. “It takes time to build that
trust. And sometimes, the girls can come
in with a little attitude, (believe it or not).
But you stick with them.” For Porsha
and Rasha, being a mentor is more than
meeting with a group of young women
e v e r y o t h e r S a t u r d a y. I t i s n o t
uncommon for them to reach out to the
girls before big events in their lives such
as a test, concert, or sports match, even
showing up for support whenever
possible.
Often, Porsha and Rasha get creative
with finding ways to build that trust,
such as listening to the hot new artist all
the kids have been talking about, or
studying up on the latest craze—
anything they can do to relate to a new
member. It’s one of the major factors
that has led the program to become
successful.
And this year, BePolished will be
coming up on its 5th year anniversary.
Although reaching the 5-year mark is a
significant accomplishment in itself, for
Porsha and Rasha, it signifies another
important milestone. This will be the
year they see their first class of members
graduate from high-school.
Though it may be the end of BePolished
for some, it doesn’t mean it’s the end of
their relationship, as Porsha and Rasha
still plan to play instrumental roles in
these ladies lives in
It’s a bittersweet moment for the ladies
of BePolished. Over the past 5 years,
they have guided these young girls into
adulthood and have witnessed stark
changes in their lives. any way they can.
It also signals the beginning for new
stories, experiences, and opportunities
as fresh faces enter the program. Not
only are they excited to teach their new
members, using all the lessons they’ve
learned over the past 5 years, but they’re
constantly looking towards the future.
Their goal is to expand to other cities
and reach out to even more girls, all the
while keeping the family structure and
relationship building intact, key tenants
that have been central to the growth of
the girls.building intact, key tenants that
have been central to the growth of the
girls.