Black Girls In Michigan Become First Eagle Scouts In State

Kimani Brame and Pheonix Moyer hope to inspire other girls to take part in the inclusive Eagle Scouts.

Two Black girls in Michigan are making Eagle Scout history. Kimani Brame and Phoenix Moyer are the first in the state to reach the status for the all-gender Scouts .

The high schoolers in Grand Rapids earned at least 21 merit badges to achieve the new ranking. The girls were encouraged by their fathers, troop leaders themselves, and older brothers who took part in the program. This accomplishment became possible only after the Boy Scouts of America expanded into the gender-inclusive Scouts in 2019.

The historic Eagle Scouts spoke to People about their journey in the organization. They stated they did not know they would make history like this.

“We did not plan to be among the first. We didn’t know that we were one of the first until my ceremony, when they actually talked about it,” shared Moyer. “When we were doing our project, earning all of the merit badges, we didn’t know. That was not even a thought in our minds. We were just doing what our dads encouraged us to do as Scout leaders, and what our older brothers did anyway….We knew that there’s not a lot of Black female Scouts, but we didn’t even think that we’d be newsworthy. We had no idea.”

In celebration of their achievement, Congresswoman Hillary J. Scholten congratulated the East Kenwood High School students for their ability to “break barriers.”

“I know what it’s like to break barriers and to be the first, but you’re blazing a trail for so many women to follow…And I couldn’t be more proud of you,” shared the Michigan Representative.

The duo, however, don’t want to be the only ones to become Eagle Scouts. They hope their journey inspires other girls to take part in the organization.

“We’re also trying to encourage more young girls. It’s pretty much Phoenix and I against the world right now,” expressed Brame. “I love Phoenix to death, so I am just fine being us, but since it’s kind of us who are in the higher positions as females, we’re trying to start over again to get some of the littles [to join].”