What is Dear Mixed Girl®?
Multicultural Girls & Parental Figures Coaching, Workshops, and Speaking
Dear Mixed Girl® offers transformational coaching programs, workshops, and speaking engagements for girls (ages 12–18), their parental figures, and those who serve them. Speaking engagements can be tailored for various audiences and events—including conferences, schools, and children-centered organizations. The work centers identity development and addresses concerns such as external judgment, belonging, and self-worth, while equipping families and leaders to navigate diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural proficiency with care and clarity.
All programs, workshops, and speaking engagements led by Dr. KayLa N. Allen-Young are grounded in evidence-based approaches—including positive psychology, cognitive behavioral theory (CBT), and positive intelligence coaching—and delivered with a blend of professional insight, personal experience, and just the right dose of gentle but tough love.
Learn more about services here.
Who Created Dear Mixed Girl®?
Meet Dr. KayLa N. Allen-Young
Dr. KayLa is a certified health and well-being coach, speaker, and the founder of Dear Mixed Girl®. As a biracial woman with lived experience and an academic background in public health, psychology, and trauma-informed care, she brings heart, expertise, and authenticity to everything she does. Her work is rooted in empathy, identity development, and a deep belief that everyone deserves to be fully seen, supported, and celebrated.
She leads with intention, serves with love, and always keeps things real—with a touch of sparkle and a whole lot of purpose.
What You Will Learn From The Dear Mixed Girl Coaching Program?
Whether you’re a parent, educator, school leader, or mixed girl yourself, Dear Mixed Girl® is here to transform how identity is understood, nurtured, and celebrated.
Here’s what you’ll experience through our services:
Coaching That Meets You Where You Are
Our coaching options provide layered, intentional support for mixed girls (ages 12–18) and their parental figures—including parents, grandparents, step-parents, and guardians.
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Monthly Weekend Group Cohorts offer shared growth and connection through themed virtual gatherings.
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Individual Coaching for Mixed Girls focuses on emotional clarity, confidence, and identity development.
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Parent + Mixed Girl Programs include all-joint sessions that strengthen communication, deepen understanding, and shift the home environment to better support her growth.
Every experience is grounded in emotional intelligence, self-empowerment, and positive psychology—designed to uplift both individual and family healing.
Speaking Engagements That Shift Perspectives
Dr. KayLa’s speaking engagements blend lived experience, academic expertise, and compassionate storytelling to inspire transformation. Her most-requested topics include identity development, cultural proficiency, and mental health for biracial families. She presents at girls’ conferences, child/family events, and professional gatherings for leaders working in children-serving environments—including schools, nonprofits, and community organizations.
Workshops That Build Bridges
Interactive and insight-driven, our workshops are designed to ignite change. Whether you’re supporting students, training educators, or equipping parent organizations, every session delivers practical tools for cultivating identity-safe environments and building the kind of inclusive, empowered communities every child deserves.
Why This Matters
Mixed girls often face invisible barriers: questions about where they belong, who understands them, and how to show up fully in a world that doesn’t always know how to see them. Parents and caregivers want to help—but often don’t know where to start. Educators or community leaders are hungry for tools that go beyond surface-level DEI.
Dear Mixed Girl fills this gap with research-informed, soul-rooted support that equips everyone involved. We’re not here to fix anyone—we’re here to help you grow with her, advocate for her, and co-create spaces where she can thrive.
Explore our full range of services here.
Ready to level up and help create a future where you and your mixed daughter/the mixed girl in your life? Click the button below to contact Dr. KayLa and start this journey today!
How Did Dear Mixed Girl® Begin?
From Dr. KayLa N. Allen-Young, the creator of Dear Mixed Girl:
I guess things truly started with my story. I am a bit of a woman of the world. I hate the applications and paperwork that ask me to identify my race and ethnicity because I do not “fit” into a box, which I’m sure many of you can relate to. Nonetheless, I am the daughter of a Black mother and a Hispanic (Mexican family history) father. I grew up with a single but strong mother in Houston, Texas. I struggled with my identity in school and life throughout my childhood years, but after finding friends and spaces where I could be myself from time to time, I could be free. I am what one would call a “self-taught” Spanish speaker; I am indeed not fluent, but I have come a long way from my “Tex-Mex” and “Spanglish” that I picked up in the barrio and from the love of family friends! Lol.
I grew up in very diverse areas of town, and at times, this meant that I heard things like “You aren’t Black enough” (even though I loved chitlins and I grew up knowing nothing except what it meant to be Black). I also heard things from random whispering people in the stores listening to my conversations, saying, “Why is she speaking Spanish?” To this day, I still run into people being so bold as to ask me when I am ordering (in Spanish) my food at the taco stands or IN Mexico “Where are you from?” or “Who taught you how to speak Spanish, because you speak so well?” I had to face the reality that I was different and that would always be a part of my life.
Throughout my teenage years and into young adulthood, I struggled with my cultural and ethnic/racial identity, my hair, culture, personal growth, and beyond, but where I faced difficulties, I had to grow through them as well. Love and relationships were and are, in some ways, surely a part of my journey, and learning what it meant to be more than a pretty face and understand what beauty inside and out were powerful tools that I gained in due time. It wasn’t until I became an adult that I learned anything about the other side of my family and this opened a new world for me in terms of clarity, history, and some new relationships. All in all, with my education and experiences, I empowered myself to gain pride, clarity, and learn about my true greatness so that I could grow into greater versions of myself over and over again.
In 2019, I decided to create a space where girls and women felt heard, knew that their experiences were valid, and could seek ways to become better versions of themselves without being judged, mistreated, invalidated, or disrespected because of who they are or how they look. I knew that writing about some of my experiences in a “real” way may be important, as others probably had similar experiences. From childhood through adulthood, there were and still are many experiences faced and lessons learned, so I wanted to use those things in combination with my education to empower others…and that is what I have done and will continue to do.
Does this snippet of my story resonate with you? If your answer is yes, then you know that you have found a space that will be of much value to you and your family, no matter where you are in your journey.
Why Does Dear Mixed Girl® Matter For You?
Your identity is made up of so many beautiful layers—your family, your culture, your hair, the music you love, the clothes that make you feel most like you. However, when life gets real—when you’re navigating change, handling judgment, responding to family dynamics, walking into new spaces, or trying to hold your ground in a world that doesn’t always understand—you need more than self-expression. You need support, tools, and truth.
That’s where Dear Mixed Girl® comes in.
This is a space where identity isn’t questioned—it’s honored. Here, you’ll find practical strategies to grow into your next version of self, strengthen your support systems, and show up boldly without apology. Whether you’re a mixed girl seeking clarity, a parent wanting to show up better, or a leader working with diverse youth, Dear Mixed Girl® helps you move with confidence, pride, and purpose.
What Has Made Dear Mixed Girl® What It Is Today?
Dear Mixed Girl® began as a personal offering from Dr. KayLa N. Allen-Young—born from lived experience, professional insight, and a deep desire to uplift girls navigating the complexities of identity, culture, and belonging. What started as heartfelt letters to her younger self has grown into a movement grounded in coaching, emotional intelligence, and purpose-driven truth-telling.
Through coaching, community, and courageous conversations, Dear Mixed Girl has reached children, parents, educators, and national figures alike—including a personal acknowledgment from Vice President Kamala Harris. This work is a testament to what happens when we speak with honesty, lead with compassion, and build support systems that affirm every layer of a person’s identity.
There’s no single path to healing and growth, but with dedication, faith, and soul-deep intention, Dear Mixed Girl® continues to create powerful ripple effects in families, schools, and communities around the world.
You can read some of the original letters—and see the Vice President’s response—on the Dear Mixed Girl® Letters page.
Do You See Yourself Reflected Above?
Whether you’re a mixed girl, part of a multicultural family, or someone who supports youth navigating identity and belonging—Dear Mixed Girl® is here for you. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and we honor the complexity and beauty of every journey.
If you’re ready to begin coaching, request a personalized letter, or explore a speaking engagement, workshop, or collaboration with Dr. KayLa, we’d love to connect.
Click the button below to visit the contact page and take the first step toward something meaningful.