An Interview with Grace Essuah-Mensah
Grace Essuah-Mensah is founder of Girls Who Lead, and a senior at Chesapeake Math and IT Academy in Prince Georges County, Maryland. Grace was born and raised in Maryland, and has family from Ghana, Liberia, and Senegal. She is a member of the National Honors Society, tutors fellow high school students, and serves as a Peer Leader with College Summit. Grace is also a team leader with Teens with Heart Songs, whose mission is to raise money for the Children’s National Housing Foundation.
What inspired you to start Girls Who Lead?
As an African-American woman, my dream of one day becoming prominent in the healthcare field is often overlooked. There are many girls in my community who would like to pursue a career similar to my interests, but also lack role models due to the significant race and gender gap in healthcare professions.
During my research, a statistic stood out to me, “Nearly 80 percent of healthcare workers are women, yet they hold fewer than 20 percent of key leadership roles.” I was inspired to do something about this. My solution was to provide high school girls passionate about a career in healthcare with inspirational stories, motivation, and connections to help make that passion a reality. Girls Who Lead is a reminder to us young girls that we can accomplish anything we put our mind to.
Realizing that the role models you wanted were not readily available, you set out to find them – for yourself, and for other women in your shoes. Tell me more about Girls Who Lead.
“Girls Who Lead” is a virtual community for high school girls interested in pursuing a career in healthcare. Our goal is to educate the girls on the variety of occupations available in the healthcare field, encourage them to pursue a leadership position in healthcare, and promote a growth mindset through the advice and expertise shared by successful women in healthcare.
So far, students have met a pharmacist, an obstetrician and gynecologist, a cardiologist, and a nurse anesthetist. Each speaker discussed what led her to this career, her academic trajectory, and the obstacles they faced along the way – along with words of encouragement and advice.
Congratulations on your success so far with Girls Who Lead! What is next?
The next phase of Girls Who Lead will include a scholarship program and mentorship program for high school girls interested in medicine. I hope to host leadership workshops led by women in healthcare as well.
Entrepreneurship is often as much about failures and setbacks as it is about success. Describe a moment when you’ve failed and what you learned.’
For a brief moment, I found myself discouraged by the pandemic. I originally imagined my venture to be in-person, but quickly realized that it wouldn’t be possible due to the current state the world was in. Instead of giving up on my vision, I pivoted, realizing a virtual format would actually make it easier for guest speakers to share their experiences and would allow more students, from more schools, to learn. This taught me that I’m bound to face obstacles along the way but as long as I use my creativity and stay motivated i’ll be fine.
How has being part of LearnServe shaped the way you approach your work, or see the world?
Before LearnServe, I knew the change I wanted to see in the world but lacked the confidence and resources to initiate that change. LearnServe showed me that my voice and opinion in this world matters. Thinking skills such as the “LearnServe Method” have set me up to be successful in my current and future social ventures. Now confident in my leadership skills, I am determined to make the world a better place tackling one social issue at a time. I am grateful to my LearnServe family for believing me, without them, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I am ready to face any challenges or obstacles that come my way.
I am inspired by the high school girls whose lives we are impacting through our work at Girls Who Lead. It brings me joy to see how happy they are to know they are not alone in their healthcare journey.
Thank you! I’d like to conclude with one more question: What advice do you have for LearnServe students or other young social entrepreneurs who are just starting out?
In times of discouragement and self-doubt, Do not give up! Think back to what inspired you to create your social venture in the first place. Your LearnServe family will always be there for guidance and support!