Today we’d like to introduce you to Latasha Robertson-Crump, MSW.
Hi Latasha, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey truly began in high school when I realized there were very few support groups and opportunities for students outside of academics. During that time, I watched classmates drop out of school, become teen parents, and struggle with limited family support. While that was not my personal experience, I often found myself wondering, if those students had access to the support system, encouragement, and opportunities that I was blessed to have, would their outcomes have looked different? That question stayed with me and planted the seed for the work I do today.
That passion continued during my time at Kuyper College, where I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Biblical Studies along with a minor in Communications. During college, I was able to begin bringing that vision to life, and in 2013 I founded Girls Growing II Women with the goal of creating a supportive space where young girls could grow, heal, feel empowered, and build lifelong sisterhood and support.
I later earned my Master of Social Work from Grand Valley State University and worked as a school social worker for eight years before transitioning into leading GG2W full time.
It has always been deeply important to me that youth have access to safe spaces, judgment-free support, mentorship, resources, and community. So many young people are overlooked, and I truly believe every young person deserves to feel seen, heard, supported, and valued. My work continues to be centered around creating opportunities and environments where youth can thrive emotionally, socially, and personally.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely has not been a completely smooth road. Building something meaningful while balancing school, work, personal responsibilities, and life challenges came with many obstacles along the way. There were seasons that required a great deal of sacrifice, perseverance, and faith.
I founded Girls Growing II Women in 2013 and led this work for eight years before becoming a mother. Becoming a mom added a new layer of purpose, but it also required me to make adjustments and learn how to balance motherhood, leadership, and the demands of growing an organization while still showing up for the youth and families we serve. It challenged me to become more intentional with my time, create stronger boundaries, and redefine what balance looked like in different seasons.
During that time, I was also working full-time as a school social worker and was deeply invested in supporting students every day while continuing to grow GG2W outside of work. Balancing both roles could be challenging and at times exhausting, but my passion for youth kept me motivated. Despite the demands of balancing school social work with the growing needs of the program, I am proud that I was able to utilize available tools, partnerships, and resources to create safe spaces and meaningful support for all of the students and families I served.
Looking back, every challenge, sacrifice, and adjustment has been worth it. Watching GG2W continue to grow, expand programming, create new opportunities and resources for youth and families, and deepen our impact in the community has been incredibly rewarding. Seeing youth grow in confidence, build healthy relationships, break cycles, and realize their potential continues to remind me why this work matters so much.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Girls Growing II Women, Inc.?
Girls Growing II Women is a youth mentoring and empowerment organization created to provide girls and young women with a safe, supportive, and judgment-free space where they can grow emotionally, mentally, socially, and personally. Since founding GG2W in 2013, the mission has always been centered around helping youth feel seen, heard, valued, and supported while equipping them with the tools and resources they need to thrive.
One of the things that makes GG2W especially unique is our Continuum approach, where we focus on supporting the whole person and creating long-term community and connection. We offer groups and support for middle school students, high school students, graduates, and even parents, allowing us to walk alongside youth and families through multiple stages of life and development.
In addition to our mentoring and empowerment programming, GG2W is also active inside schools and through summer programs, allowing us to meet youth where they are and provide consistent support throughout the year. Our programming focuses on social-emotional learning, confidence-building, leadership, mental wellness, life skills, healthy relationships, communication, coping skills, and sisterhood. We also provide tutoring sessions, therapy sessions, and driver’s training stipends to help remove barriers and ensure youth have access to both emotional and practical support services. I am also proud that we have a resource pantry for youths when emergencies happen. Our program works hard to ensure that girls feel supported beyond our strong programming.
Another thing that truly sets GG2W apart is the lasting impact and relationships that have been built over the years. Every one of our graduates has returned to GG2W in some capacity, and all of our staff members are former graduates of the program. That is something I am incredibly proud of because it speaks to the genuine connection, trust, and sense of belonging that youth experience within our organization. Our graduates are proud to return and pour into the new participants, they are forming a generational sisterhood across the cohorts.
GG2W is more than a program, it is a community and a support system. Our goal is not only to help youth navigate challenges, but also to create spaces where they feel empowered, understood, and inspired to grow into confident leaders who eventually pour back into others themselves.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My biggest advice for anyone starting out is to stay connected to your purpose and do not let fear stop you from beginning. You do not have to have everything figured out right away. Growth comes through consistency, learning, and experience.
Building something meaningful takes sacrifice, long hours, and commitment, but the impact makes it worthwhile. It is also important to work with people who truly align with your mission and values because having the right team and support system can make all the difference.
Most importantly, stay authentic, remain teachable, and never lose sight of why you started.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.girlsgrowing2women.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gg2winc?igsh=M3d4M240MHE3YW5n
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GG2WINC
