RICHMOND, Va. — Local nonprofit Girls For A Change will host "Gym Jam — For A Cause" on Friday, June 12, from 6 to 10 p.m. at Studio Two Three, a fundraiser aiming to send 18 Richmond-area girls on a two-week cultural immersion trip to Ghana in July.
Every ticket purchased and dollar raised will support the organization's "Her Journey Home: Ghana" campaign, which is designed to give young women the opportunity to explore their ancestry, culture, leadership potential, and global connections in West Africa.
"This is going to be a celebration for a cause," said Charles P. Taylor, treasurer and board member for Girls For A Change. "It's going to be a Richmond old-school party. We're about to get down, but we're celebrating for a cause."
The event will feature live entertainment, dancing, food vendors, drinks, and Grammy Award-winning DJ Mad Skillz. Attendees can expect a live musical performance from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., followed by an old-school dance party.
The fundraiser is a partnership between Girls For A Change, UnlockingRVA founder Dr. Faith Wilkerson, and Kelli Lemon, founder of Like the Fruit.
Taylor said his own trip to Ghana inspired him to bring the girls.
"As a board member, I got a chance to go to Ghana, and when I went, I immediately called and said we have to take the girls to Ghana," Taylor said. "It's a life-changing experience."
For many of the participants, the journey will mark their first time traveling internationally. In preparation for the July trip, organizers say the girls have already begun learning about Ghanaian history, culture, and language, and have played an active role in fundraising and community outreach.
Watch: Richmond nonprofit Girls for a Change plans life-changing Ghana trip
Girls For A Change serves Black girls throughout the Richmond region through programs focused on leadership development, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, advocacy, and community impact. Through initiatives known as Girl Action Teams, participants work on projects that create positive change while developing confidence and leadership skills.
"Our mantra is that we prepare Black girls for the world and the world for Black girls," said event host and Girls For A Change National Trainer Nickey McMullen. "We are breaking the concrete ceiling. People talk about the glass ceiling, but for Black girls, it's often a concrete ceiling. Our job is to open up the borders universally for them and let them know they can be everything they want to be."
McMullen said she hopes the Ghana trip offers participants something deeper than a passport stamp.
"I want healing," McMullen said. "Healing intergenerational trauma, reconnecting with your roots, knowing where you come from, and grounding yourself in that foundation. I want that for our girls."
Taylor said the experiences the girls bring back will have a lasting impact on both the participants and the broader community.
"They're going to be able to document their experiences through photos and videos and bring those stories back to the community," Taylor said. "To have a passport at that age with a stamp on it is going to change the trajectory of these young girls forever."
Kelli Lemon, who is also a board member at Studio Two Three, said the event carries significance beyond the fundraising goal.
"Supporting Girls For A Change and these girls' journey to Ghana is about helping create memories, leadership, and connections that will stay with them for the rest of their lives," Lemon said. "As board members of Studio Two Three, it feels even more special to see this space used to pour back into the next generation in such a meaningful way."
Taylor said the Gym Jam event represents one of the final opportunities to raise the funds needed for the trip.
"This is one of the last opportunities we have to raise funds to help send the girls to Ghana," Taylor said. "The best way to do it was to have a party."
He added that the event is also a call to the broader Richmond community to invest in young people.
"If you care about your community, investing in a Black girl is investing in a better tomorrow," Taylor said. "When you see young people doing positive things and preparing themselves for success, that's something worth supporting."
McMullen encouraged attendees to come ready to participate.
"Come with your sneakers," McMullen said.
Gym Jam for a Cause is open to adults 21 and older. Tickets are available through Eventbrite, and donations can be made directly to support the Ghana trip and other Girls For A Change programs.
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