Pittsfield — Rites of Passage & Empowerment, known as ROPE, will hold a fundraising dinner at 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 8, at the Berkshire Innovation Center to support its global leadership and cultural exchange program, ROPE World.
The Pittsfield-based nonprofit provides mentorship, academic support, travel opportunities, and leadership development for girls of color and young people identifying as female or nonbinary. Founded in 2010 by longtime youth advocate Shirley Edgerton, the organization aims to help young people recognize their potential as they transition into adulthood.
ROPE’s programming is divided into three groups: “Ambassadors” for participants ages 8 to 11, “Scholars” for ages 12 to 18, and “Alums” for graduates. Members meet monthly with peers and mentors, take part in skills-development workshops, and attend annual retreats. The organization also facilitates college visits, service-learning opportunities, and international travel, including cultural exchange programs in Africa. Financial assistance and ongoing mentorship continue for graduates pursuing college or professional pathways.
The program’s mission, Edgerton said, is to equip young people with the skills, confidence, and support networks they need to become independent, responsible, and community-minded adults. “We want our girls to discover their voices and understand that their futures are both possible and promising,” she said.
Edgerton founded ROPE after recognizing a gap in support for adolescent girls in Berkshire County. She observed that in mixed-gender youth spaces, girls often stepped back, allowing boys to take leadership roles and attention. She also saw limited opportunities for young women of color to interact with professional women who shared their cultural backgrounds and experiences.
“In Youth Alive, it became apparent that girls often didn’t focus on their own development and relegated themselves to secondary roles in the presence of boys,” Edgerton said, referring to “Youth Alive,” the arts program she helped lead beginning in 1995. She and other community leaders launched ROPE with the support of the Women of Color Giving Circle and the Pittsfield Public Schools.
ROPE began in 2010 with 15 high school students who met twice a month with psychologists, educators, and artists. Among the early instructors were psychologists Dr. Maria Sirois and Dr. Tameka Gillum, educator Claudette Webster, and anthropologist and dancer Marla Robertson. Youth Alive alumni Akilah Edgerton and Brett Westbrook served as program liaisons.
In its first year, programming focused on self-esteem, personal development, cultural identity, women’s history, college awareness, and the arts. In 2013, students requested year-round programming, and the organization expanded accordingly. Today, ROPE continues to support students through college, helping them pursue internships and entry-level employment.
Since its inception, ROPE reports that all participants have graduated from high school and avoided many of the social challenges facing their peers. Alumni often return to volunteer, mentor new participants, and contribute to the community.
Edgerton said the fundraising dinner will support continued travel and educational initiatives. “Exposure changes lives,” she said. “When our young people see the world—and see people who look like them succeeding in it—it strengthens their confidence and expands their possibilities.”
Tickets to ROPE’s fundraising dinner at 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 8, are available here.
