Written By JR Robinson

Memphis has always been a city of grit—where resilience rises amid hardship and community is forged in the fires of adversity. Yet for thousands of young girls across Memphis, childhood is shadowed by poverty, trauma, and the daunting expectation to overcome challenges before their time. In the midst of these realities, I AM SHE—Memphis All Girls Mentoring, led by Executive Director Vanessa Caswell Rodgers—stands as a voice calling girls to rise, discover their worth, and claim their futures.

From Vision to Purpose: The Story of I AM SHE

The journey that led Vanessa Caswell Rodgers to found I AM SHE in 2018 is an affirmation of faith and purpose. As she recounts, the seed was planted by a series of vivid dreams—a vision of a banner emblazoned with “I AM SHE.” At first, Vanessa tried to dismiss this mysterious message, but its insistence compelled her to pray, fast, and reflect. Soon, girls began to reach out to her for advice on things only a woman could teach: relationships, self-image, and personal goals. Realizing that her calling was to serve the young women of Memphis, she answered the summons—transforming her testimony into leadership and opening her life and home to youth in need.

Programs Designed for Today’s Challenges

I AM SHE operates with a clear belief: girls need more than academic support—they need affirmation, advocacy, and community. The organization serves youth ages 8 to 18 through programs addressing pressing issues like low self-esteem, domestic violence, and trauma. Group mentoring, workshops in etiquette, peer support, goal-setting, and self-confidence classes are structured to guide girls in discovering purpose and resilience. Vanessa describes the mentorship as a sisterhood—a network of encouragement, wisdom, and compassion that stands in the gap where schools and families cannot always reach.

One signature initiative is teaching the basics of etiquette and table manners, ensuring girls are confident whether dining at community tea parties or aspiring for careers that require public polish. “We want to pour all those services into them,” Vanessa says. “A lot of them have walked in with low self-esteem and their heads hung down. But we make it a point, when I enter the room, to always keep my head up. We want them to be self-confident knowing that they are she.”

Beyond etiquette and self-esteem, I AM SHE has expanded to include I AM HE, serving young men with mentorship through partners like Pastor Sledge in South Memphis. Boys are not left out—they learn the value of leadership, responsibility, and the importance of becoming providers and positive community forces.

Addressing Trauma and Building Resilience

The realities of Memphis, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, have laid bare the vulnerabilities of local youth. As the world shut down and families compressed into tight living quarters, stories of abuse, neglect, and trauma surged. Girls, some stuck at home with abusers or feeling isolated, found in I AM SHE a listening ear and a safe space to heal. Vanessa recalls the aftermath: “After coming out of COVID, they were able to open up when they didn’t want to talk to parents. They opened up to myself and my organization.” Through connections with therapists and support networks, the organization walks alongside girls through therapy, recovery, and the rebuilding of hope.

Pushing Beyond Stereotypes and Rewriting the Narrative

For too long, society has focused on “fixing” boys—casting young men as the root of the city’s troubles. But Vanessa insists girls face equally pernicious pressures. “We always want to say the boys are the issue. But to be honest, a lot of girls are doing the same thing the boys are... robbing, setting up individuals, being enticed to join gangs. They don’t know their purpose.” I AM SHE is here to change the script, guiding girls away from violence and crime towards self-discovery and achievement.

Trades, Careers, and Empowerment

Recognizing that college isn’t the only path to a meaningful life, I AM SHE introduces girls to the possibilities of trades, entrepreneurship, and professional careers. Cosmetology, nail tech, mortuary sciences, and real estate are presented not as fallback options, but as avenues for dignity and prosperity. Collaborations bring in professionals—salon owners, nail techs, funeral home directors—to inspire girls with hands-on experiences and real-world mentorship. Vanessa dreams of one day supporting girls with their own nail shops, salons, and business ventures, cultivating independence and confidence.

The Ultimate Dream: Safe Haven and Home

Vanessa’s “championship game”—the organization’s ultimate vision—is bold and deeply compassionate. She dreams of securing a building, not a shelter but a true home, outfitted with beds, bedrooms, and everything for a dignified, joyful life. Many girls who come to I AM SHE, especially those in Frayser, have endured homelessness, unsafe homes, and loss. Vanessa wants to give them what they have never known—a safe space with therapy, mentoring, and love.

Ideally, this home would be more than a residence: a place of transition, study, community, and belonging. Picture an old hotel transformed into cozy apartments, with a café space for study, group sessions, and moments of connection. “I want them to leave each morning out of their house to go to college, or to school, or to finish college, to be what they desire—leaving out from a safe haven.” Every detail is imagined with care, from transportation to support for entrepreneurship. If fulfilled, this dream would radically reshape what is possible for Memphis’s vulnerable girls.

Collaboration is the Key

Vanessa recognizes no organization can do it all alone. Partnering with groups like Operation Taking Back 901, local churches, and other youth programs, I AM SHE is committed to collaboration—challenging the whole city to get involved. “It takes the whole city,” she says. Unity, rather than competition, is the path to lasting change.

Daily Affirmations, Lasting Change

At I AM SHE, every mentoring session begins with affirmation. “Get up and say: I am great. I am smart. I am happy to be alive. I could be anything anybody else could be.” It’s more than rhetoric—Vanessa leads her girls to envision a life beyond survival, to affirm their own greatness every day, and to embrace possibility.

Memphis needs this. In a city where generational trauma, cycles of poverty, and the threat of violence are all too common, I AM SHE is a refuge and springboard for young girls to heal, grow, and thrive. Its impact ripples beyond its participants, reshaping expectations, dreams, and the future of the city itself.

In the words of Vanessa Caswell Rodgers, “If I could save even one, my living would not have been in vain.” Thanks to I AM SHE, hundreds of girls in Memphis are discovering self-worth, developing leadership skills, and building lives of meaning, security, and hope—for themselves and for their city.