“I’m accessorizing!"
" I love it.”
Chatting about outfits in the library, Phoenix Moyer and Kimani Brame sound just like any other teenage girls, but together they earned something special.
They are the first black female Eagle Scouts in Michigan, the top rank in the Boy Scouts of America.
When word got out, the two kept hearing the same thing.
“Wow, I would have thought there would have been some already, and I’m like, me too! I would’ve thought there would be more because you don’t see them often but you think: they gotta be there, right?”
They’re also asked: why not be a Girl Scout?
“We’re in scouting because our dads are in scouting. My mom is a scout master. Our brothers are Eagle Scouts. So it really felt more natural than going out of our way to join another organization. Girls Scouts are still great."
"I’m also a Girl Scout!"
" Yeah, Phoenix is!”
To attain the Eagle rank, a Scout must earn merit badges, display leadership and outdoor skills, plus complete a special service project in the community.
Phoenix created a native plant garden at her church; Kimani organized a feminine hygiene closet at the local women’s resource center.
They say going through scouting together made all the difference.
“Being in a group of guys is hard, especially because sometimes they’re nasty and weird but Phoenix isn’t, so it was much easier.”
Earning Eagle Scout means the two look to future goals with renewed purpose.
“I know I can do other things. I can get other accomplishments. Because I’ve done this, I know what I’m capable of.”
“It does make me look at it in a different way. I didn’t realize it would be such a big thing. And it feels like I’m part of history.”
