Today we’d like to introduce you to Star Starks.
Hi Star, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Though I love Knoxville, TN, I was born and raised in Memphis, TN. I love my hometown. The culture, the music, the food, and the people all shaped me into the person that I am today. Growing up, my mother gave us the best of what she had. Though we weren’t considered wealthy, she always ensured we had what we needed. In my family, financial security meant getting a job with the City of Memphis. My grandparents, my mother, and my uncles all worked for the City of Memphis.
It was like an unspoken expectation. I remember hearing about college for the first time during my freshman year of high school. I told my parents that it sounded like a good idea. I could further my education and make more money. At that time, my only goal was to get a job that paid enough to get me my own safe place and keep my lights on. After sharing this newfound plan, my father sat me down and told me that if I wanted to go to college, I would need to figure out a way to pay for it. We weren’t in a position to add an expense like college when we were barely making ends meet. Figuring out what to do next was completely on me.
I asked my counselor what I should do and she told me to make good grades. That’s exactly what I did. My mom stood in the Board of Education line for 3 hours to request a transfer to a school with more resources. It was a creative and performing arts high school called Overton High. Navigating the college process was difficult. Though I did work hard through high school and maintained good grades, I had no idea how to apply to college or how to complete the FAFSA.
I did not know that college scholarships existed either. I applied for college and The University of Tennessee offered me a scholarship that would cover full tuition for 4 years. I accepted it. I came here sight unseen in 2006. I’m not sure if my decision would have been the same if I saw the hills I would need to climb first, lol. I thought after I got into college it would be smooth sailing. It was not. I learned that what was considered a good school back home, failed in comparison to the education my peers received. I found myself studying harder than before to learn information that others already seemed to know.
I sought out campus resources like the writing center to grow my skills to be a better student. Even with all that support, it was still hard. Not to mention, I worked full-time at a restaurant to support myself. For my school major, I chose accounting. I loved numbers, so I thought accounting would be perfect for me. It would also get me the financial security I had been seeking since freshman year of high school. However, after an internship, I discovered it wasn’t for me at all. I was bored and unhappy. Although I didn’t enjoy it, I was almost at the finish line and didn’t want to quit.
Then one semester, a friend of mine told me she was switching her major to social work. I was confused thinking, “what is that?”. She invited me to take the class with her. In the first few classes, I realized just how much I loved it. The idea of helping others was something I already loved doing. How could this be a college major? The decision to take Social Work 101 would be the best decision of my life. My professor, Dr. Stan Bowie, was and still is the greatest influence on my career. Whether he knew it or not, he greatly impacted the trajectory of my life. His passion for the field of social work, his dedication to his students, and his support of the African American community resonated so much with me.
After every class, he always had a wise word, a piece of encouragement, or general life advice. If it had not been for his influence, I could not say where I would be in life. I finally found a career that fulfilled me. After graduation, I knew I wanted to serve families. It wasn’t long before I found Girl Talk, Inc. I started mentoring with Girl Talk, Inc. in 2015. I wanted a way to give back. A way to support and love others in a way I wish I would have received as a young girl. I faced not only academic challenges in life but also different forms of abuse. If I could prevent a child from that heartache, I would feel like I’d done my part.
I started as a school-based and community mentor and loved it. The mission and vision of the organization spoke to my heart. When a position became available, I took it. I started as an Admin Assistant in August of 2018. In January of 2019, I became a Program Coordinator of the 1:1 Mentoring & Signature Events Program as well as The Girl Talk Life Prep Academy Program. In December 2020, I was promoted to Program Director. It has been quite a journey, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. My dedication to creating the world I want to see is not limited to the girls I serve within Girl Talk, Inc.
In my efforts to make a change in our community, I serve as a member of the Police Advisory Review Committee. The purpose of PARC is to strengthen the relationship between community members of the City of Knoxville and the Knoxville Police Department, by providing a timely, fair, and objective review of community complaints while also protecting the individual rights of police officers. I also serve on the Site Steering Committee for Beaumont Magnet Academy. The Steering Committee monitors the progress of the school, identifies opportunities to support it, and troubleshoots challenges as they arise.
I continue to sit on panels to discuss the mental health challenges that plague youth and the African American community. I volunteer with organizations such as KAMR, VMC, and the Love Kitchen. There is a quote by activist Edward Everett Hale that guides my life. “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When I was in 7th grade, my cousin had some struggles as a young mom of 3. My mother received a call from DCS one night that said if she did not take my cousin’s children they would be divided up and placed into foster care. We didn’t have much, but my mom believed that you never turn your back on family. She took in my cousins, and we went from a family of 3 to a family of 6, overnight. I was the oldest and quickly took on a parent role.
My mom worked 2.5 jobs to take care of us. It was my responsibility to make sure homework, bath time, and dinner were handled. I became a middle school parent and it remained that way for the 4 years they were with us. I lost some major childhood moments and had to grow up way too fast. Growing up in a low-income family, you don’t always have the option to be a child. That’s a hard truth we often look away from. There are children with responsibilities that are necessary for their home to function. I was that child.
There were times we almost lost our home, times we didn’t have lights, times we were short on food. Trying to deal with that while also trying to go to school and do well can feel almost impossible. But my mom was strong. Her strength always let me know we would be okay. I trusted that. As soon as I could, I gave it to my home. If I got any sum of money, I offered it to my mom. I started cleaning homes with my grandmother at 15, I got my first job at 16 and worked both through high school.
I am a first-generation college student. I had no guidance on what to do. Neither did my mom. It took us several days to do the FAFSA. The college application process was daunting. We didn’t even know we could visit the school. Coming to college showed me the differences in the education system for low-income families. I worked twice as hard as my classmates to get the same 4.0 GPA. High School had done little to prepare me for the real world. The issue is, they gave me the best of what we had. It is a flawed system.
I faced major challenges in knowing my worth. I endured several forms of abuse that made me question my value. My goal of going to college and getting a “safe place” derived from a feeling of being unsafe. Embarrassingly, college was initially an escape plan. A way to build a life that I dreamed of. I chose a major based on funds and not inner peace.
Many children who grow up in low-income families pick careers based on finances. We often don’t have the mental space to consider finding careers that we actually love. It wasn’t until I found Social Work that I learned I could have a career I loved that also provided income. Ha! I would never change any obstacle I faced. It made me who I am. It gave me the heart for the people that I have. It propelled me toward purpose.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the Program Director with Girl Talk, Inc. Our mission is to empower girls to become their best selves by reducing the likelihood of teen pregnancy and helping them to advance educationally. My specialty is in the name. I build and oversee programming at Girl Talk, Inc. We offer 3 programs: our School & Site-Based program, our 1:1 Mentoring and Signature Events Program and The Girl Talk Life Prep Academy.
I am most known for my work with The Girl Talk Life Prep Academy. It is the program that I still actively coordinate. Community members often reach out about the curriculum that Girl Talk, Inc. has created in ensuring high schoolers succeed. We focus on a holistic approach, addressing mental, physical, and emotional growth toward preparing for life. We remove the burden of finances to ensure every girl has an opportunity to succeed.
We focus on identity, rightful relationships, college, and career exploration, financing college applications, tackling the FAFSA, and so much more. Each grade level has its own curriculum. Every year of high school has its own needs, and we want to make sure that girls are gradually growing toward readiness. We launched Life Prep Academy in 2018 with 16 participants. We currently serve 46 participants in the program. We have maintained a 100% graduation rate and a 100% college enrollment rate.
The thing I am most proud of is my work is seeing the manifestation of planted seeds. We often plant seeds that we may never see the fruit from but being with these girls allows me to see the growth. It’s definitely not all sunshine and rainbows, but the end goal continues to be achieved. I have the opportunity to watch girls grow, move on to graduation and then enter into college.
After girls go off to college, they always call. We share successes like finishing freshman year on the Dean’s list or joining a new program. We also share frustrations like irritating college roommates and walking up The Hill on the UT campus. Last week, a girl called because her computer crashed and she was trying to recover her paper. Having those continued relationships helps girls not feel alone. Girl Talk, Inc is a resource for life.
What sets me apart is relationship building. I often hear that when I talk with others, they feel a sense of comfort. I always address others with love, kindness, empathy, and compassion. Everyone deserves that. I also always make people laugh. Laughter truly is good for the soul. I never approach students as a contractual obligation through my work. I focus on building a family. I go to their games, award ceremonies, community speaking engagements, etc.
If they do it, I make it a point to be there. I don’t just want to say I believe in you, I want to show you. I stay connected with the girls and even make it a point to visit.
The other thing that sets me apart is that I put my all into my work. If you hear a conversation with me and any close friend, you’ll hear a common theme. “Take a break. Slow down.” I know what it feels like to tackle the world alone and I never want the people I serve to feel that way. I work hard to stay current on research and provide the best information possible. I build a curriculum based on the needs of the girls we serve.
If a resource is needed, I work hard to make it possible. For example, during the pandemic, mental health concerns were at an all-time high. Girl Talk, Inc. provided mental health resources to its participants and continues to do so today. We also added mental health supports to the Life Prep Academy curriculum.
I’m proud of the work we do.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
The COVID-19 Crisis affirmed the importance of connectedness and how our identities (especially youth) are connected to those we surround ourselves with. The drastic disconnect that COVID caused brought about a skyrocket in depression and suicidal ideation. It taught us how much we need each other and the value of human life. We take life for granted and overnight we lost the very things we didn’t realize were so precious.
The Crisis also exposed the gaps in care for those with a lower socioeconomic status as well as people of color. We learned that most families did not have savings to depend on. Despite the dangers of COVID, they did not have an option not to work. This forced many to choose between life and death. That is a hard pill to swallow. If I don’t work, I will lose the little that I have and if I do work, I could contract a disease that has the potential to kill me.
At Girl Talk, Inc., we did our best to combat COVID-19 by amplifying resources. We held virtual hangout sessions. We dropped off fun activity bags for families. We applied for more funding to offer mental health services. We stayed connected with community resources to help aid families in financial relief.
We continued to love on our families.
Contact Info:
- Email: star@girltalkinc.com
- Website: https://girltalkinc.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girltalkincknox/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GirlTalkIncKnox
