As Chicago prepares for the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, some South Side organizations are already seeing its impact.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 11:45AMAs Chicago prepares for the opening of the Obama Presidential Center , some South Side organizations are already seeing its impact. One of them, Black Girls Dance, is helping young girls build confidence and opportunity through movement and mentorship.
There are 225 girls, ages 3 to 18, part of Black Girls Dance who not only receive dance instruction here but holistic, career, and educational development, too. Its founder, Erin Barnett has been giving hope to young Black and brown girls here in Chicago for years. And her efforts, getting some presidential shine from a fellow South Side native. Before any performance, there's preparation.
And for Erin Barnett, that life skill goes beyond a properly pointed toe. Her journey from Chicago's South Side to the world stage, performing with Broadway's The Lion King to Beyoncé, was paved with sacrifice, rhythm, and her determination for change.
"That seed was planted that if I got an opportunity, I would create a space for girls of color where they can get that downtown training on the South Side," Barnett said. "So, I was like, well, I can mentor them. I can use my relationships to help connect them to jobs and contracts," Barnett said.
"This program has made me more confident in myself, like, expressing myself," Black Girls Dance member Leia Gilkes. For now, rehearsals are at the Mayfair Arts Center in Calumet Heights where Barnett got her start and another alum of the dance studio is taking notice.
"When a girl is empowered, she doesn't just change her own future," former First Lady Michelle Obama said. The non-profit group, joining forces with First Lady Michelle Obama and the Obama Foundation's Girls Opportunity Alliance, receiving more than $17,000 in grant money.
"To see that they really, really invest, and ask leaders, how can we support you? To me, that means everything," Barnett said. The dance company is also gaining access to workshops, events and more with the future Obama Presidential Center, serving as the network's hub on the city's South Side. The future Obama Presidential Center is expected to serve as a major hub for community programming and youth engagement on the South Side.
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