Ep. #27 - For #UnderHer co-founder and executive director Shaye Brooks, the organization’s "we could have been her" tagline is personal. Like many women in the Washington, D.C. area, at one point the divorced mother of four found herself struggling with poverty and adversity. Brooks co-founded with her daughters Emiya, and Ayana in 2017, when they became aware of how difficult it was for girls and women to receive basic personal necessities. One in three women in the United States lives in poverty and many of them are single mothers. For these women, affording personal care products when food and shelter are scarce can be challenging and can lead to embarrassing situations. The matter became personal for them after helping a young woman in need with housing, feminine care resources and high school support. Brooks has participated in many grassroots initiatives and programs that work to lift up young women and girls, instilling dignity and respect. She volunteers with local nonprofit organizations and recently served as a surrogate foster mother for her teenage daughter’s best friend. The experience of fostering a child provided the inspiration to help and serve more young women and girls in need and led to Brooks, with her daughters, to found #UnderHer. Website - https://www.underher.org/ Femly (Arion Long) - https://femlybox.com/ Interview with Arion Long - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L17T5ap6R-A Black Business Ad - http://hollacheerdancemagazine.com/