From Participant to Program Coordinator: La’Breuna’s Girls Inc. Journey

For La’Breuna (Bre) Merity, Girls Inc. of Chattanooga isn’t just where she works; it’s where her story began.

Bre is a proud Girls Inc. of Chattanooga alumna. Years after coming through the organization’s doors as a participant, she returned as an intern, drawn back by an organization that had already shaped who she was becoming. Now a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, she has spent the past three years serving as a full-time Program Coordinator, turning the guidance she once received into guidance she now gives.

Today, Bre oversees several middle school programs, including Girl E3, where she teaches participants to build business plans and develop products to sell. It’s hands-on work that goes far beyond the basics of entrepreneurship. Through this experience, the girls she mentors build confidence, sharpen problem-solving skills, and discover just how capable they are.

Reflecting on her own path, from participant to intern, and then to Program Coordinator, Bre sees Girls Inc. as the foundation for everything that’s come since.

“Girls Inc. helped me achieve my aspirations, make a great impact in my community, and be of service to those in need,” said Bre.

That full-circle journey is what makes her story so powerful: the same organization that once invested in her is now the one she invests in every day, passing that belief on to the next generation of girls coming through Girls Inc.’s doors.