Never underestimate the power of being seen. The power of someone recognizing the quiet obstacles you carry and the anxieties you keep tucked beneath the surface. For thousands of young women, myself included, entrepreneur Tola Lawal has been that person. Over the last 11 years, her non-profit organization Gyrl Wonder (GW) has carved out an innovative professional pipeline for ambitious young women of color. However, for Lawal, the organization represents so much more.
“It’s the manifestation of a younger version of myself who was full of ambition, curiosity, and creativity and figured out how to gain access to the rooms and resources to explore that creativity,” she told theGrio. “GW is a reflection of what happens when you decide that ‘figuring it out on your own’ shouldn’t be the standard for the next generation. Gyrl Wonder is community. It’s access. It’s exposure. It’s that moment when a young woman realizes that her dreams are not only valid, but actually possible, and that there’s a path to get there.”
An embodiment of faith, resilience, and responsibility, Gyrl Wonder has served over 3,500 “gyrls” through its annual leadership academy, programming, scholarships, and more. This month, that impact took center stage at its inaugural Women of Impact Gala, a night dedicated to both celebration and investment. Honorees included Gayle King, Jordan Chiles, Danessa Myricks, and Asia Milia Ware, alongside standout young women from within the organization.
“The Women of Impact Gala represents the next chapter of Gyrl Wonder,” the founder shared. “As we celebrate 11 years, we are not only honoring women who have broken barriers — we are investing in ensuring the doors they’ve opened remain accessible for the next generation.”
She continued: “For years, Gyrl Wonder has been doing the work, creating real impact, often without the visibility or funding that work like this truly deserves. This moment is us stepping fully into our next chapter and saying, this work deserves to be seen, funded, and celebrated at scale.”
Inside the room filled with executives, students, and early-career professionals, there was a shared understanding. Whether you were looking at someone else aspirationally or seeing your own younger self in the woman standing in front of you, nearly every woman there knew what it felt like to be overlooked despite her potential.
“Sometimes the world takes a minute to catch up to the vision you have for yourself. Programs like Gyrl Wonder help shorten that distance,” Chiles shared. “[Remember] you do not have to wait for permission to step into your power. Your voice is needed, your creativity is needed, your leadership is needed. The world changes when you decide to show up fully as yourself.”
“I’m connected to what it feels like to not be considered, to not feel seen. This brand [Danessa Myricks beauty] is truly a response to the people who find themselves outside of conversation, not seeing themselves represented in any ways,” beauty innovator Myricks told attendees as she accepted her award. “I hope my presence here tells a story of possibility for you.”
There was something uniquely special about watching King take notes while talking to the girls in the organization or hearing The Cut’s beauty editor explain how Lawal’s affirming words years ago gave her the confidence to stay the course when she thought she was “too much” for the industry. It was a reminder that at the end of the day, as Black women, we are all girls doing our best to make our dreams come true in a world that tries so hard to box us in.
“The journey has been both beautiful and incredibly challenging,” Lawal explained. “Building a nonprofit as a Black founder often means you’re navigating systems that weren’t necessarily designed with you in mind. You’re constantly proving the value of your work, advocating for equitable funding, and pushing against barriers that aren’t always visible from the outside.”
As DEI commitments shift and, in some cases, roll back, those challenges have only intensified, leaving fewer resources for the communities that need them most. Still, Lawal remains grounded in the impact.
“It’s the emails from girls who landed internships they once thought were out of reach. It’s seeing someone walk into a room more confident because of what they learned through our programs. It’s watching our alum come back and pour into the next generation,” she added. “That’s where my strength comes from: the community, the transformation, and the responsibility. Because when you know the work is changing lives, giving up isn’t really an option.”
Supporting Gyrl Wonder, is more than just a charitable act. A donation funds a young woman’s seat in the Leadership Academy. It brings executives and industry leaders directly into her orbit. It removes the barriers that have nothing to do with a lack of ambition and everything to do with a lack of access. But the truest return on that investment is generational
“But beyond the immediate impact, what that support really sets in motion is generational change. You’re helping a young woman walk into her first internship confidently. You’re helping her negotiate her first salary. You’re helping her believe she belongs in rooms where decisions are made. And eventually, you’re helping her become the woman who opens the door for someone else,” she concluded. “That’s the ripple effect of showing up for Gyrl Wonder. It starts with one ‘gyrl,’ but it never stops there.”
