OUR MISSION & VISION
The mission of NATAI GIRL is to provide inspiration, motivation, and direction to school-age (5-18 years-old) girls by nurturing positive self esteem; encouraging educational development and supporting social awareness within our communities.
The vision of NATAI GIRL is to make a positive impact on the lives of as many girls as it can. NATAI GIRL purchases books monthly and has sponsored art classes & personal training sessions for its members. We want to help the girls that participate in NATAI GIRL, to excel personally and educationally. We want them to graduate from high school with a plan for the future. It is the hope of the founder that the lives of the girls that NATAI GIRL touches will take what they learned and pay it forward. NATAI GIRL has only existed for a couple of years, but it has made a significant impact in the lives of its members. NATAI GIRL will strive to ensure that every girl knows that they are fearfully & wonderfully made by improving our community, one girl at a time.
The vision of NATAI GIRL is to make a positive impact on the lives of as many girls as it can. NATAI GIRL purchases books monthly and has sponsored art classes & personal training sessions for its members. We want to help the girls that participate in NATAI GIRL, to excel personally and educationally. We want them to graduate from high school with a plan for the future. It is the hope of the founder that the lives of the girls that NATAI GIRL touches will take what they learned and pay it forward. NATAI GIRL has only existed for a couple of years, but it has made a significant impact in the lives of its members. NATAI GIRL will strive to ensure that every girl knows that they are fearfully & wonderfully made by improving our community, one girl at a time.
OUR HISTORY
God gave Archita L. Graves, United States Army veteran, the vision to start a female youth organization called NATAI (Not Afraid To Admit It) 2006; however, she didn’t feel that she was worthy to carry out a vision of that magnitude. In 2012, after living a little and healing a lot, God reminded Archita of the NATAI vision He’d given her years before. She called her husband, who was serving overseas, about her vision and he agreed to support emotionally and financially. Feeling confident in who she was and with her husband’s blessing, Archita embarked on the journey to get NATAI up and running. She believed at the time that NATAI was supposed to start in her hometown of Sanford, North Carolina; therefore, she asked women from her hometown to join her in the NATAI movement. She enlisted the help of former high school classmates, friends, and her sister, Shindy Taylor. Each had something significant and special to bring to NATAI which made Archita hopeful for the future of NATAI. In January 2013, NATAI had its first board meeting at Archita’s house in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Upbeat and optimistic, they left the meeting feeling excited about what impact they could make in the lives of young women in their hometown. Within the next couple of weeks, Archita got an employee identification number from the IRS for NATAI. She also changed the name to NATAI GIRL (Not Afraid To Admit It – Gifted Intelligent Royal Lady).
By the summer of 2013, NATAI GIRL was well on its way to having everything in place to move forward with its mission. On July 23, 2013, NATAI GIRL was incorporated by the state of North Carolina and around the same time NATAI GIRL received an exemption for a solicitation license from North Carolina as well. The ladies would encounter opposition when trying to establish NATAI GIRL in their hometown; thus, they established NATAI GIRL in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Ready to introduce itself to the community, Archita rented a vendor booth at the 2013 Women’s of Worth Conference and used it as an opportunity to inform people about NATAI GIRL. During that weekend (August 1st-3rd), NATAI GIRL collected over $200 in monetary donations and received over 50 volunteer applications. Unfortunately, only 3 out the 53 applicants made good on their promise to volunteer. Nevertheless, NATAI GIRL moved forward and held its first Meet & Greet to recruit participants. NATAI GIRL hosted its first Book & Tea on September 28, 2013 at the Cumberland County Headquarters Library with an amazing turn out. The girls and volunteers enjoyed lunch and were given October 2013’s readings “The Skin I’m In” by Sharon G. Flake and “One Crazy Summer” by Rita Williams-Garcia. It was truly an amazing day and it set the standard for all the Book & Teas to follow!
OTHER IMPORTANT NATAI GIRL HISTORY TO REMEMBER
· NATAI GIRL was established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in June 2014.
· NATAI GIRL hosted its Inaugural Purple Gala January 31, 2015.
· 2015 NATAI GIRL of the Year was awarded RaVin Musser.
· 2015 NATAI GIRL Founder’s Award was given to Alysia Allen.
· 2016 NATAI GIRL of the Year was awarded Kiarah Witherspoon.
· 2016 NATAI GIRL Founder’s Award was given to Zharia Sykes.
By the summer of 2013, NATAI GIRL was well on its way to having everything in place to move forward with its mission. On July 23, 2013, NATAI GIRL was incorporated by the state of North Carolina and around the same time NATAI GIRL received an exemption for a solicitation license from North Carolina as well. The ladies would encounter opposition when trying to establish NATAI GIRL in their hometown; thus, they established NATAI GIRL in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Ready to introduce itself to the community, Archita rented a vendor booth at the 2013 Women’s of Worth Conference and used it as an opportunity to inform people about NATAI GIRL. During that weekend (August 1st-3rd), NATAI GIRL collected over $200 in monetary donations and received over 50 volunteer applications. Unfortunately, only 3 out the 53 applicants made good on their promise to volunteer. Nevertheless, NATAI GIRL moved forward and held its first Meet & Greet to recruit participants. NATAI GIRL hosted its first Book & Tea on September 28, 2013 at the Cumberland County Headquarters Library with an amazing turn out. The girls and volunteers enjoyed lunch and were given October 2013’s readings “The Skin I’m In” by Sharon G. Flake and “One Crazy Summer” by Rita Williams-Garcia. It was truly an amazing day and it set the standard for all the Book & Teas to follow!
OTHER IMPORTANT NATAI GIRL HISTORY TO REMEMBER
· NATAI GIRL was established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in June 2014.
· NATAI GIRL hosted its Inaugural Purple Gala January 31, 2015.
· 2015 NATAI GIRL of the Year was awarded RaVin Musser.
· 2015 NATAI GIRL Founder’s Award was given to Alysia Allen.
· 2016 NATAI GIRL of the Year was awarded Kiarah Witherspoon.
· 2016 NATAI GIRL Founder’s Award was given to Zharia Sykes.
