Pace In the News
Over the last 28 years, Pace Center for Girls has transformed the lives of over 8,500 girls across Broward County. Our purpose has been to help girls heal from traumas and develop life skills; our statewide program has helped over 40,000 girls graduate high school, move on to secondary education or find careers. These girls are often our most vulnerable girls in their community who find themselves in negative circumstances outside of their control, such as parental divorce, incarceration of a parent or family member, severe depression, substance abuse or traumas brought on by violence or forms of abuse. Girls that come to Pace are facing systemic issues that hinder progress toward complete gender equity.
As part of the Magic and Steve Clifford’s continuing efforts toward social justice reform, he created the Social Justice Game Changer program to honor one local leader who has made a difference in the realm of social justice issues.
An energetic, innovative, and results-oriented executive leader passionate about building strong communities and improving the lives of girls, children, and those with disabilities, Johnson has worked in just about every realm of education and child development. Since 2017, she has been the Executive Director at the Pace Center for Girls, which provides girls and young women an opportunity for a better future through education, counseling, training, and advocacy.
Local artists have been hard at work to support Pace Center for Girls, Broward. Each artist has added their unique talent and inspiration to the Center's Empowerment Project, creating visions of empowerment, love, and hope. Artists like Talia. “It is my hope that this project will start public dialogue about the girls here at Pace,” says Talia Ore, a Miami-born artist specializing in custom creations from large to small scale. “My mural depicts a princess reading a story. The pages are illuminated and read: ‘This princess writes her own fairytale. I want every girl to know that her voice... can change the world.’ It is meant to empower young women to take charge of their destiny, speak up, and know [that] the weight of their impact here on the world can be great!” Talia joins other local artists for the Believing in Girls Empowerment Project.
Pace Center for Girls, Polk was able to purchase equipment for the center’s new science, technology, engineering, art, music and math (STEAM) room thanks to a donation from Nick and Ashley Gibson Barnett. “We’ve been inspired by the work Pace is doing for girls, and we’re incredibly honored to contribute to these efforts by funding this makerspace for STEAM learning," said the Barnetts.