Meet Erika Harp

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Harp. Them and their team share their story with us below:

Erika Harp, a proud Jacksonville native; born, raised, and educated in the land of seven bridges, is better known to most as Duuuval! Erika has a desire and passion for not only her city but more importantly to her, the young girls in it.

Growing up extremely active; involved in educational, church, and community activities, her desire to address issues and help others began at a young age. Erika developed a heart for volunteering and the non-profit sector prior to understanding what it even was.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While employed at her first non-profit organization, as a Prevention Specialist, basically the new D.A.R.E., young and still exploring life herself, made for interesting lessons, lectures, and discussions.

Covering various topics like conflict resolution and decision making… while dealing with conflicts and poor decisions herself. She used her knowledge and skills obtained, to greatly contribute to developing, implementing, and evaluating Health Education programs in the Duval County Public School System.

Erika’s gift to network and cultivate relationships led to her working with several individuals and organizations. Erika has served as a dedicated volunteer within various organizations until embarking on her personal journey to start her own nonprofit.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Erika learned being a brilliant, beautiful, black woman holds more value when you add three principles with it; knowledge of self, self-respect, and self-esteem. Erika learned from both the lack of as well as the knowledge of these three skills and life with the knowledge has been much better.

In 2016, Erika embarked on the journey to start, a nonprofit, GirlPower1440 Inc. to teach and share lessons/workshops directly focused around instilling valuable principles. The nonprofit has had a great impact on several young girls’ lives and the goal is to impact many more.

Since 2016 (except during the COVID-19 peak) we have conducted monthly workshops on various lessons; hair care, finances, self-care, fashion/sewing, hygiene, dating, peer pressure, self-defense, and various other topics. GirlPower1440 Inc.

Future plans include, but are not limited to continued monthly workshops, published curriculums, workbooks, and city-wide events covering relevant discussion topics with relatable activities.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
GirlPower1440 has been a true grassroots non-profit and the community has been vital to the growth of the organization.

We are able to continue to help our girls from volunteers, sponsors, and instructors that invest in our girls. We also seek individuals, businesses, and corporations to support our efforts through sponsorships and volunteerism.

Contact Info:

• Email: girlpower1440@gmail.com
• Website: https://girlpower1440.org/
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/girlpower1440
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/girlpower1440
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/girlpower1440

Image Credits
Thomas Mclain, IRM Studio, Janice Box, and J Box Studios Photography