Positively Empowering and Restoring Ladies Self-Esteem (P.E.A.R.L.S.) will be celebrating five years of service in Cleveland with an anniversary dinner on Saturday. P.E.A.R.L.S. is a community-based nonprofit that provides fun and engaging opportunities for girls in Cleveland.

Brittney A. Smith, founder of P.E.A.R.L.S., reflects on five years and how far she and the organization have come.

A call to action

“I was working at Harvey Rice [Wraparound School] in 2013, and I was seeing a lot of the problems the girls were facing,” Smith said. “They were always fighting or there was always some type of issue. In my mind, I thought that was very unnecessary.”

Smith began to think of different ways she could serve as a support to the girls. 

“I’m a call-to-action type of person. I thought to myself, ‘What can I do in this space to help bring some type of resolve to the lives of these young ladies?’” Smith said. 

Smith eventually settled on the idea of an after-school group for girls to focus on loving themselves and each other. When COVID hit, she pivoted to a more community-focused model. Smith officially launched P.E.A.R.L.S. in March of 2020, something she feels was one of her most impressive accomplishments.

“The world shut down, so we couldn’t do anything in the schools. It was a very uncertain time for everybody, but I really just felt like it was the right time,” Smith said. “We got creative with how we provided the services, we did a lot of things outside. It took me seven years to finally get the organization up and running, but we’ve been rocking and rolling ever since.”

Shop till you drop

P.E.A.R.L.S. offers group and individual mentoring sessions while encouraging members to participate in community service projects. From gifting prom dresses and clothes to giving out more than 100 bookbags, Smith hopes to expand the services P.E.A.R.L.S. provides.

“We pride ourselves on the Pro Girls Closet. It’s our most popular service” Smith said. “Girls come in and get hygiene products or clothes free of charge. They get a shopping experience, and they really love it.”

There are currently four closet sites. They are located at A.B. Hart Elementary School, Glenville High School, Facing History New Tech and the Malachi Center. The closets have served more than 3,500 young women and girls. 

Alexius Lundy, 16, is in her fourth year at P.E.A.R.L.S.

“I joined because all the people I met in P.E.A.R.L.S. had good vibes,” Lundy said. “I love that we have been able to help other girls with their self-esteem and make them feel confident.”

Lundy hopes more girls in Cleveland will join the group as they continue to grow.

“I think other girls should join to have someone else to talk to or a safe space to go to. We are here to love and support one another.”

Precious Collins, 19, shares similar sentiments to Alexis. She has been a member of P.E.A.R.L.S. for 5 years.

“I really enjoy when we go out to dinner and getting the chance to bond with the other girls,” Collins said. “I think everyone should experience what it’s like to be a part of a team in a safe space.”

A night to remember

Smith invites the community to attend the five-year celebration on Saturday. 

“We have planned a very nice, intimate experience for the community. We will showcase some of the things P.E.A.R.L.S. has accomplished throughout the years,” Smith said. “There will be food, a raffle, music and other activities that I think people will really enjoy.”