Jelani Girls Helps Women And Girls Reimagine Greatness Through Travel And Service Throughout The Diaspora

Travel doesn’t just give you a break from your day-to-day surroundings, it exposes you to new ideals, perspectives, and ways of life. But many young African-Americans aren’t afforded the opportunity to experience the privilege of traveling the globe. Ashley N. Company wants to change that.

Company had been climbing up the corporate ladder, having been a District Manager with PepsiCo, when she got bit by the travel bug. She left her title and career comforts behind to follow her dream to see the world and now she wants to give others that same experience.

So, Company, who has a long history of mentoring and community organizing, created Jelani Girls, Inc., a non-profit organization aimed at turning urban young women into global citizens. Jelani Girls accepts young women ages 14-18 for its international cultural enrichment program. The organization’s primary purpose of the girls’ travel experience is to engage their African peers and explore a locale different from their own backyard.

Company, 30, has visited and volunteered in more than 60 countries and territories, raised over $200,000 for Jelani Girls Cultural Enrichment Program, and impacted the lives of more than 2,000 underprivileged children. In December 2013, Jelani Girls had its first International Youth Service Project in Ghana followed by a second group of young women traveling to Trinidad and Tobago six months later.

In 2014, Company launched Jelani Women as a way to engage adults to work with Jelani Girls, Inc. as  supporters and also as a way to introduce more women to international travel.

Company, who once served in the rank of Captain as a Human Resources Manager in the United States Army Reserve, graduated cum laude from Hampton University where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management. In addition to being CEO of Jelani Girls, Inc., she is also a member of the African Leadership Network, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and the World Affairs Council. Here she told us why it’s crucial for young Black women…

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