Pink background with a gold crown and laurel wreath, and the text "BGE" with the slogan "Empowering Black Women" underneath.

BlackGirlsEmpowered

Events
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BGE Community

Where we foster wellness through community-building.

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BlackGirlsEmpowered

BlackGirlsEmpowered (BGE) began as a grassroots space for Black women to gather, connect, and care for one another. What started as a social group quickly grew into a movement — a place where shared stories sparked healing, inspiration, and purpose.

As the community deepened, we recognized that conversation alone wasn’t enough. The barriers facing Black women — in wellness, economic potential, and opportunity — required more than connection; they required action.

That realization inspired BGE to evolve into a social enterprise: a mission-driven organization dedicated to creating equity, access, and authentic spaces for Black women to thrive.

Today, we bridge community and impact through wellness programs, professional growth opportunities, and culturally responsive initiatives that affirm who we are.

While our structure has grown, our heart remains the same: community, authenticity, and empowerment. We’re still rooted in community, we’ve simply expanded how we serve.

Seven women with dark hair and diverse skin tones posing in front of a vibrant, colorful mural featuring large flowers on a brick wall. Some women are standing, others are crouching or sitting, and they are dressed in white and neutral-colored outfits with high heels.

Upcoming events

  • Get-Active: Hike at Acacia Reservation

    11/08 2:00-4:00PM

    Join us for a hike at Acacia Reservation. We will meet at the Acacia Reservation Picnic area.

    RSVP

  • Virtual Empowerment Circle

    11/23 2:00-3:30PM

    Please join us for our virtual Monthly social circle.

    Come connect with us!

    RSVP

  • Virtual Book Club: Red at the Bone

    12/13 1:00-2:30PM

    Please join us for our Bimonthly Virtual Book Club. We will be reading Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson.

    RSVP
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Meet the Founder

Kayla Merritt, M.S., is the Founder of BlackGirlsEmpowered (BGE), a social enterprise dedicated to advancing wellness, equity, and opportunity for Black women. With a background in research and healthcare, and degrees in Biology (B.S. and M.S.), Kayla experienced firsthand how underrepresentation and lack of support often shape the experiences of Black women in academic and professional spaces. Those realities became the catalyst for her work to build what she wished had existed: spaces of belonging, wellness, and empowerment.

What began as a small social circle for connection and care has grown under her leadership into a dynamic community-driven enterprise. Through BGE, Kayla leads initiatives that bridge community care and structural change, from wellness programming to professional development and social impact partnerships. Rooted in authenticity and purpose, Kayla’s vision is to see Black women thrive holistically, supported in community, and positioned to lead and shape the systems that affect their lives.

Kayla Merritt
Founder

Contact us.

Email us: hello@bgecommunity.com


North Canton, OH 44721

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