Imara Roose Inc. is a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) mentoring program for girls of color, by women of color. 

It was launched in 2011 by Halima Adenegan, Esq.

at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, MD.

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Given her experiences as a black woman and first-generation American,

Halima was inspired to return to her alma mater and create Imara Roose

as a means to inspire, empower, and uplift girls in her community. 

Imara (ee-mah-rah) is Swahili for strong and resolute—

key characteristics black and brown girls must embody to excel

in a society where they will continue to face countless barriers to equitable access and opportunity

because of their race and gender.

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Roose, pronounced “rose”, is a pun on the school’s name, and representative of the flower, which denotes beauty.