Khayriyah Berry, Outreach and Recruitment

Khayriyah Berry has been a resident of Brookline Housing for 11 years and is a mother of 2 children who attend Brookline Public Schools. She is a Licensed Cosmetologist and a Licensed Real Estate Professional in the state of Massachusetts. As a former hairstylist, she believes that women feel their best when they look their best. She has hosted self care and braiding classes for her fellow BHA residents in hopes of teaching them different ways to care for themselves.

Khayriyah was introduced to Women Thriving through the BIPOC Leadership program in October 2023. This is a job training leadership program that helps BIPOC women learn about their leadership skills using the Kouzes and Posner Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership model, while teaching them job-seeking skills and building confidence to obtain a job either in Brookline or in nearby communities. After completing the Leadership Program, she interned with the Brookline Housing Authority under the guidance of Danielle Mendola, the Resident Services Program Coordinator for BHA. Since then we have been happy to welcome Khayriyah as one of Women Thriving’s Leadership Corps members. She is now collaborating with her fellow Leadership Corps member, Ericka Pierribiato, to plan and organize the second annual BHA/Women Thriving Summer Wellness Challenge, which will be held in August of 2024. She hopes the summer Wellness experience will inspire many women to take the challenge and make self-care a priority in their lives to better both themselves and their families. Khayriyah hopes that her journey will be an example to other women and give them the confidence to take that first step and try something new and not be afraid to fail, because you never know where a new path will lead.