MEET OUR FOUNDER

“Every girl I serve reflects a piece of my own journey — who I was, who I am, and who I’m still becoming.”
— Thea Lopez

Hello, I’m Thea Lopez — a Wilmington native, community organizer, and Program Coordinator for a local nonprofit dedicated to environmental education and youth development. My life’s work is rooted in cultivating community, advancing equity, and empowering the next generation of leaders.

Service runs deep in my family. My grandfather, William “Hicks” Anderson, was a leading community activist in the 1970s whose legacy of advocacy continues through my father a social worker, turned State Representative and former City Council member. From them, I learned that true leadership is about showing up, standing up, and serving others.

My advocacy for Black girls and women grew from my own journey of self-discovery — navigating multiple identities and experiences that shaped who I am today. I met my father at nine years old and was raised by a mother in recovery, lessons that taught me both resilience and empathy. When I first learned about the concept of adultification in 2015, it gave language to what I had lived — being expected to carry the weight of adulthood far too young.

That realization sparked Girls Like Us (G.L.U.) — a prevention-based empowerment program that helps Black and Brown girls heal, grow, and lead. At G.L.U., we introduce the concepts of intersectionality and adultification, encouraging girls to embrace their layered identities as strengths rather than struggles. Our mentors — women who share similar backgrounds — show what’s possible when truth becomes transformation.

Through experience, education, and opportunity, we help girls not just survive Blackgirlhood, but thrive in it — building protective factors, resilience, and purpose along the way.

Community & Civic Leadership

Beyond G.L.U., my work extends across Wilmington — advocating for community safety, education, environmental justice, and youth opportunity through multiple leadership roles:

President, Harlan Park Civic Association
1st Ward Chair, Delaware Democratic Committee
Member, Brandywine School District Parent & Citizen Advisory Council
Member, National Coalition of 100 Black Women Delaware Chapter (NCBWDE)
Northside Food & Culture Market - Advisory Committee Member
Board Member, I Can Do 26.2 Kids Running Series
Board Member, Delaware Pacem in Terris
Village Hilltop Foundation - Board Member
Community Organizer, Network Delaware – Ella Baker Program
Member, Mary Ann’s List (MAL)
James H. Gilliam, Sr. Fellow
Justice Outside, Rising Leader Fellow

Education: B.S. in Integrated Marketing, Bloomsburg University

Guided by Purpose

I believe in building bridges — between people, between communities, and between what is and what can be. Whether planting seeds in green spaces, mentoring youth, or shaping policy, my purpose remains the same:

“When girls thrive, communities rise"