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“We are a space to elevate those marginalized voices that may not have other opportunities to see themselves in that space of cheerleading,” she said. “You cannot be what you cannot see. It’s important to see yourself in anything so you can connect to it and you know it is possible for you.”

In the Facebook group, members celebrate each other's accomplishments, ask questions and discuss issues within the sport. Richardson shared that one of the biggest issues that black girls face in cheerleading is their hairstyles. Although there aren’t any official rules in cheerleading pertaining to hair, Richardson expressed that there is pressure for team members to conform to a uniform look.

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A post shared by Black Girls CHEER! (@officialblackgirlscheer) on Feb 11, 2020 at 4:43am PST

“It can take a lot of time to achieve those hairstyles and sometimes you’re using products or techniques that are not healthy for your hair,” she explained.

Richardson also noted that it can also be expensive for parents because sometimes they need to take their children to a salon to achieve certain looks.

Today, the Facebook group has more than 10,000 members from all over the country and has expanded to other social media platforms, such as Instagram, where it's attracted nearly 120,000 followers.

“We started off as a social media group, but we’ve outgrown that,\" she said. \"I feel very confident that we’ve had an impact across the cheerleading industry. We are a movement.”

Black Girls Cheer has also organized scholarships for cheerleaders, group meetups and fundraisers for cheer events.

It recently partnered with Double Good, a company dedicated to supporting charities through fundraising initiatives, to produce a documentary film titled “Black Girls Cheer.” The film highlights the success Philadelphia-based Dynasty Spirit Elite All Star Cheerleading that made history as the first all-black team to win the coveted Varsity Triple Crown.

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A post shared by Black Girls CHEER! (@officialblackgirlscheer) on Aug 3, 2019 at 5:58am PDT

“Dynasty Spirit Elite wasn’t prepared for the final bid that they won for the triple crown and the Black Girls Cheer community came around them to raise the funds for them to go to the competition, so it just really shows the power of what that community can do,” Ben Vogel, the film’s director, told “GMA.” “I think that’s what Black Girls Cheer is all about, that everyone has a fair shot and the opportunity to be themselves without any unnecessary hurdles.”

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A post shared by Black Girls CHEER! (@officialblackgirlscheer) on Dec 22, 2019 at 3:31pm PST

The Black Girls Cheer movement continues to grow and empower cheerleaders of color.

“It was for my girls but I knew that this thing was bigger than just my girls,\" Richardson said. \"It’s bigger than just me, so this is a way to start a movement that will hopefully continue for generations until, hopefully, we don’t need it anymore.”

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