Inside Girlfriends Boston: A Community for Women Who Want Genuine Connections

In a city where it’s easy to feel alone in a crowd, Girlfriends Boston was founded to help women find their soul sisters in real life. The CEO and founder of the community, Ana Baptista, shares how one woman’s idea grew into a thriving movement that helps women find real connection and friendship in Boston.

It all started as a way to host fun events, but after quitting her day job in 2021, Ana realized she wasn’t the only one struggling to make new connections. “I was inspired to start Girlfriends Boston because I myself was finding that making friends after college was extremely hard.”

That year became a turning point. Ana noticed that the challenge went far beyond her own experience — many women were craving real connection. With her background in organizing events, she realized she could make a difference by helping others navigate the same struggle.

Communities like Girlfriends make it easier to find people with similar interests. Women who are part of the community are committed to building friendships in an organized setting. The stigma of looking for friends fades when everyone shows up with the same intention of meeting new people. Girlfriends also gives members the space to simply focus on connecting without the stress of planning or hosting.

The core vision behind Girlfriends has remained the same since its beginning in 2018: a genuine and welcoming community of friends. Ana thinks of community as a space where you can be yourself and feel safe. Feeling seen and accepted as you are is at the heart of Girlfriends. Shared activities give women the chance to explore new sides of themselves and to connect with others doing the same. “Girlfriends tends to be a very genuine space, where you can come as you are. But you do need to put yourself out there,” Ana says.

Being open to meeting other people is the first step. The community offers optimal conditions to meet like-minded women, but the real magic happens when members take the initiative themselves.

When asked about the most rewarding part of building Girlfriends, Ana doesn’t hesitate. It’s not all the successful events she has led, but something more meaningful. “It's actually seeing posts on social media of people hanging out because they met through Girlfriends. Seeing the actual goal come true — which is to make friends.”

Over the years, Girlfriends has sparked countless friendship success stories. Ana recalls people telling her they went to London together after they clicked at Girlfriends events. Other girls booked a trip to Miami to see Taylor Swift. Members are constantly organizing their own, unofficial events like girls’ nights out. The best part is, everyone’s always welcome to join. Still, the most precious thing is hearing that members have established such warm friendships that they’ve become bridesmaids at each other’s weddings.

Ana has found deep friendships through the community, too. One of her best friends to this day is a girl she met in 2021 through Girlfriends. “I’m actually going to a bachelorette party for someone I met through Girlfriends,” Ana says. “There will be about ten of her friends there — three of them from Girlfriends. It’s very special.”