Meet Carmen Foy | Founder/CEO PurityGirl, Inc.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carmen Foy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carmen, the decisions we make often shape our story in profound ways. What was one of the most difficult decisions you’ve had to make?
The most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make was the decision to retire from Southwest Airlines after 22 years of service to oversee my nonprofit organization. I love Southwest Airlines – the people, the culture, and the company itself, so it was very difficult to leave. I learned a lot of critical key strategies while working at SWA; things such as overseeing/operating a business, leading and serving people, how important it is to leave a legacy, and how important it is to know your business. To this day I call Southwest Airlines my “training grounds” and my ‘launchpad” into purpose. I’m so grateful to God for this company and its leadership.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
PurityGirl, Inc. is a “Girl Advocacy” organization with a purpose to Educate, Empower, and Advocate for young girls on social issues of today (bullying, teen pregnancy, human trafficking, identity crisis, self-image/esteem, etc.) regardless of their socioeconomic status. Social issues have heightened in our world today and seem to have gotten worse – therefore, it is beyond necessary to educate our girls on these issues because knowledge is power. Since its conception in June 2013, Purity Girl Inc. has answered the call by impacting the lives of thousands of girls from different communities and in various cities. With initiatives rooted in educating girls on what lies ahead of them in society so that they are empowered to make better choices and decisions, we’ve hosted Abstinence & Celibacy workshops, Health & Wellness seminars, and Teen Girl Roundtables – just to name a few. In addition to traveling to the country of Belize to do missions work with Sowing Seeds of Joy Missions Ministries (Dallas, Texas), PurityGirl Inc. launched a campaign called #EducateHER in which the organization would go on to make this initiative our mantra for the year, focusing on Self Worth, the Identity Crisis, Anti-Bullying, and even partnering with the Traffick911 organization (Dallas) to educate Girls on the world’s most powerful epidemic – Human Trafficking. Purity Girl, Inc. believes that empowering girls to use their voices and stand for what they believe in provides them ownership and reminds them that they do matter. Our organization’s desire is to passionately support and educate our Girls – be the voice they seek to find, and the change they seek to have. Girls just want to be a part of something, and it’s up to us to make sure that what they are a part of is both empowering and life-changing. The road has not been easy at all! Most currently, let’s talk about the year 2020 when the world changed so drastically that we were forced to do things we never thought we’d have to do. Our entire summer was planned with lots of in-person events and activities for the girls, but all of that changed when the Coronavirus pandemic hit and CDC guidelines were set in place with instructions to social distance, avoid gatherings, wear masks, quarantine at home, and a host of other things to slow the spread. In addition to the pandemic came the onset of recession and civil unrest – however, we did not give up. It was actually even more critical and crucial that we continue to move forward due to the mental impact on not only the girls, but also the women who lead them. As a result, we took to YouTube and other virtual formats to host online roundtables, workshops, panels and the like. Everyone wanted answers and advice; and although we didn’t have all of the answers, we had the desire to listen and collaborate. What’s even more interesting was that due to being virtual, our reach spread as far as Nigeria and South Africa! The road has not been easy at all, but definitely worth it. We are about to launch an exciting program this coming Summer (2021) for girls ages 8 to 14. We’re currently working on the curriculum for the program, and what sets us apart is the ability to identify, understand, and pursue the power of Social Emotional Learning. SEL revolves around key skills that increase prosocial behaviors such as kindness, sharing, empathy, and positive attitudes. And although school is one of the primary places where students learn social and emotional skills, it’s important that organizations like PurityGirl, Inc. act as a secondary reinforcement to train and maintain the momentum. Girls can expect to experience SEL in our curriculum for this upcoming program. It’s going to be epic! More to come!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If a friend was visiting Dallas for the first time and I was in charge of the itinerary, I would definitely take them to visit the beautiful Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Its displays of flowers, trees, plant collections, etc. are a sight to see! And also while we’re there maybe we can catch a concert, festival, or art show! From there we’d need to honor our history and visit The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza and the John F. Kennedy Memorial. As for the food, drink, and the nightlife Deep Ellum would definitely be on my list, as well as the Reunion Towers. Oh, and let’s not forget to pay homage to the Dallas Cowboys by hanging out at the STAR in Frisco (Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and practice facility). Fan or not, gotta respect the BLUE when you’re visiting the D!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Wow! First I’d like to give a shoutout to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Without him I am nothing. I’d also like to give a shoutout to my wonderful husband, Barak Foy who is my champion and biggest supporter. He serves as the Vice-President of PurityGirl, Inc. and is as business savvy as they come. I’m so blessed. Love you, Babe!

My family, my AMAZING Board of Directors Team, our volunteers, Ambassadors, and PG Supporters; you are the heartbeat of this vision and I appreciate you more than you’ll ever know! #PGNation!

Lastly, I’d like to give a shoutout to the National African American Leadership Institute (NAAWLI) for inspiring me to do what I’d been called to do for as long as I was old enough to know better. The Lord placed a purpose in my heart to serve girls, but unfortunately I didn’t know where to start or which avenue to take until I was nominated by Southwest Airlines to attend a seven month program with NAAWLI. NAWWLI is a premier leadership and professional development program for women of color that focuses on key leadership tenets that support professional women. The program exposes participants to the crucial issues within the workforce through lectures, discussion groups, simulations and other leadership development activities. One of the many things we were required to do to complete the program and become a NAAWLI Fellow was to individually create, organize, manage, and oversee a community service project that would impact the community and provide a full report which included stats and a full blown presentation after the fact. As a result I decided to host an Abstinence/Celibacy conference for teen girls at Southwest Airlines corporate headquarters in Dallas, Texas. The impact was so powerful that from this event, PurityGirl, Inc. was birthed, formed, and incorporated. Thank you for the push, NAAWLI!

Website: www.RatedPurityGirl.org

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