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Connecting with My Sisters in Guatemala

20 Apr

“I know now that I can be a change agent, a force of change,” Vivian, one of the many passionate, empowered young women we met today told us. 

During the course of the day, we met with Mayan adolescent girls and their mothers in different communities in Totonicapan, Guatamala. These communities are often far from health clinics and secondary schools and are hard to reach even by car because of the terrain. The joint programs that Girl Up supports are the first programs in these communities dedicated to empowering adolescent girls and providing them with safe spaces. 

Each community we visited has implemented a different type of program based on the needs of that community, but it is clear from all the girls we met that these programs are making an incredible impact on the lives of Mayan adolescents in Guatemala. These programs are helping girls understand the power of their actions, their rights, and the ability they have to be a leader and make a difference. While the change must come within them, the programs are giving the girls the tools they need to be empowered and empower those around them. 

One of the many ideas that resonated with me today was how similar my passions and dreams are to those of the girls that we met. We both desire to have our voices heard and our opinions valued. We both seek acceptance and validation at a time in our life when we are searching for our purpose.  Most of all, we both have visions of change and of hope for our future and for the future of our world. 

I often talk about how Girl Up has given me a platform to use my voice. Being involved with Girl Up has given me the chance to stand up for my rights and the rights of other women around the world. What I realized after meeting with the young women is that these programs are doing the same thing for them as Girl Up has done for me. Programs like these are helping girls in Guatemala to be leaders in their community and the protagonists of their own stories. 

The girls we met with today who have faced unimaginable violence and discrimination inspire me with their stories of courage, strength, and conviction. They do not label themselves as victims, but rather as fighters.They are not only fighters for themselves and for their rights, but also for young women in their communities. 

What’s their message to young women in the United States and around the world? These young women are urging us to hold hands and stand up for ourselves and for our sisters because together we can create a world in which girls and women are equal.

 

This post originally appeared on GirlUp.org

Me with girls from Santa Maria Chiquimula in a Girl Up-supported program (INSIDER IMAGES/Stuart Ramson)

Me with girls from Santa Maria Chiquimula in a Girl Up-supported program (INSIDER IMAGES/Stuart Ramson)

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Thinking Outside The Box

28 Mar
Students promoting the recycling drive to benefit Girl Up.

Have you ever found yourself at a loss for fundraising ideas for an organization or cause that you are passionate about?

As teens, it can be frustrating when we find causes that we care deeply about but struggle to find the “right way” to ask other teens or members of our community to make monetary donations. While bake sales, penny drives, and candy-grams can all be effective ways to raise money through a school community, thinking outside the box and utilizing your networks and resources to mobilize a larger group in support of a cause can be a very powerful tool when it comes to grassroots fundraising.

Last month, the Girl Up New York Regional Coalition had the privilege of partnering with Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the largest electronics recycler in the nation to support and raise money for Girl Up, a campaign of the United Nations Foundation. As I have previously blogged, Girl Up mobilizes teens in the U.S. to raise awareness and funds for the world’s hardest-to-reach-adolescent girls. Through ERI and the Girl Up New York Regional Coalition, we set up drives in seven different schools in NYC to collect unwanted small electronics such as laptops, cellphones, tablets, e-readers, cameras, gaming devices and ipods. Electronic Recyclers International reconditioned the small electronics collected for resale or recycling in an environmentally proper manner utilizing their certified processes. The profits will go directly to help keep girls safe, counted, educated, and become leaders in their community.

Students promoting the recycling drive to benefit Girl Up.

Students promoting the recycling drive to benefit Girl Up.

Although we still must determine how much was raised through this fundraiser, I believe it was already a success because it brought schools together with the common goal of raising awareness and funds by providing an environmentally friendly service to our respective communities. Instead of asking for money, we asked for people’s old electronics that were sitting in desk drawers or under their beds so that we can help girls receive the opportunities they so often lack in many countries around the world. Seems like a no brainer, right? This model of combining the efforts and resources of different people and organizations allows for funds to be raised more easily by larger groups while simultaneously raising awareness about a cause.  Always remember that while alone we are strong, together we are stronger.

**Stay tuned for a toolkit so that you too can organize an electronic recycling drive in your community to benefit Girl Up**

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Opportunity for NYC Students

5 Jan

Rise Up with Girl Up at a sneak peak screening featuring one of Girl Up’s partners, 10×10. Girl Rising is 10×10’s soon-to-be-released feature-length film about the strength of the human spirit and the power of education to change the world. The film uses the power of storytelling and leverages strategic partnerships to deliver a single message: educating girls in developing nations will change the world.
Girl Rising tells the stories of 10 extraordinary girls from 10 countries, written by 10 celebrated writers and narrated by 10 renowned actresses, including Meryl Streep, Kerry Washington, Alicia Keys, and Selena Gomez. The film will be released on March 7th so this event will be an exclusive opportunity for Girl Up supporters and friends before the Red Carpet Premiere.

Join students from across New York City who are passionate and determined to help ensure that all girls have access to stay safe from violence, see a doctor, receive an education, and be a leader for a very special screening of this film that will not be in theaters until March 7, 2013. A panel discussion will follow the screening. More details on panel to follow.

Date: January 25, 2013
Time: 6-8pm
Where: The Hewitt School (45 East 75th Street)

The event is organized by the Girl Up New York Regional Coalition, a collaboration of all the Girl Up clubs in the metropolitan area and who are living Girl Up’s motto,
“While we are strong, together we are stronger.”

Girl Up is a campaign of the United Nations Foundation that works to mobilize teens here in the U.S. to raise awareness and funds for the world’s hardest to reach adolescent girls. www.girlup.org

Please RSVP to Sofia.Stafford@mac.com. I hope to see you there!Girl Rising image

 

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Invest in her Future!

31 Dec

Although my passion and dedication to girls and women’s issues led me to my role as a teen advisor for Girl Up, I would not have had the opportunities I have had without the investment my English teacher, Dr. Maureen Burgess, made in me. Beginning with a blog project in English class, she realized how interested I was in getting involved with an organization that would allow me to work on mobilizing teen girls to raise awareness about issues that girls our age face around the world.  She introduced me to Girl Up and has always been there for me to support my work with the campaign. Dr. Burgess inspires me every day and has shown me that by believing in the power of my dreams, I can make a difference.Dr.Burgess and Sofia

Khadija is just like me. She also has a teacher who believes in her. The difference is that Khadija is a 15-year-old girl in Malawi who was supposed to get married to a man much older than her.

Right before Khadija was forced to marry, one of the teachers at her school intervened and worked with a local organization that Girl Up supports to prevent Khadija from an early marriage.

Both Khadija and I are able to do well in school and positively impact our futures because of the investments our teachers made in us.

So what can you do?

When you give to Girl Up on Crowdrise this holiday season, Dell will double your gift! Donate today and make your contribution twice as nice.

With your help, we can double the important work being done through United Nations programs that provide education, leadership programs, and health services.

Invest in a girl. Invest in the future!

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International Day of the Girl article

17 Oct

Below is an article I wrote with my friend and fellow Girl Up teen advisor, Ines Renique for the Huffington Post. Although it has past, it is still an important day for everyone to know about and to understand the importance of empowering girls to position them to be the next generation of women leaders.

 

Why October 11 is not a Normal Thursday

Every morning we wake up to the sound of our alarm. We get dressed, grab some breakfast and less than 20 minutes later we are at school. The two of us may live in different states, attend different schools, and be passionate about different things, but there is one common denominator we share: the opportunity to receive an education. It is something that every child in the United States is guaranteed, and it is the key to success. The education we have both received has given us a foundation on which to stand and reach our full potential.

But not all kids are as fortunate – 143 million children to be exact. There are currently 143 million out-of-school children, more than half of who are girls. It is a staggering number, but one that by working together, we can reduce.

Our generation needs to help the world understand the value of a girl in society and how crucial it is to educate everyone, but especially girls. Educating girls is the key to ending the cycle of extreme poverty, and the ripple effect is clear. When a girl in the developing world receives seven or more years of education, she marries four years later and has 2.2 fewer children (United Nations Population Fund, State of World Population 1990). An extra year of primary school boosts girls’ eventual wages by 10 to 20 percent; add to that an extra year of secondary school and her eventual wages are boosted to 25 percent.

This issue is not just grim statistical matter, it is a problem that can be solved. We can and will bring the number of children lacking an education down to zero. Steps have already been taken; global conversations have already been sparked. We know that way forward and all about ensuring girls are counted, receiving an education, staying safe from violence and accessing healthcare. From Malawi to New York, youth, policy makers, NGOs and IGOs are using their prevalence on the global platform to speak out against social injustices. In doing so we are providing a way for girls to speak up and have their words heard around the world. But there is so much work left to do and so many voices needed to reach our goal.

Given our role as Teen Advisors for the UN Foundation’s Girl Up campaign, we are working to get other people involved in solving this global issue. This upcoming week is a special week and October 11 is not just a day, but a movement. It is bigger than any one issue, organization, or even country. And that’s because last year, The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to establish the first annual International Day of the Girl on October 11, 2012.According to the U.N. this annual day will “help galvanize worldwide enthusiasm for goals to better girls’ lives, providing an opportunity for them to show leadership and reach their full potential.” This movement allows everyone to speak out against gender bias and advocate for girls’ rights on a global level.

This day can be the catalyst for people throughout the world to educate their communities on the challenges girls and women face, as well as to commemorate girls and our potential. International Day of the Girl is not just for girls, but it is an opportunity for fathers and brothers alike to participate and learn about different perspectives on gender stereotypes, discrimination, and opportunity.

We invite and encourage you all to celebrate this day whether by taking a few minutes to educate yourself about these issues, hosting an event at your school or making a quick donation. Let’s use this day to help create momentum around this movement. It is a day to be grateful for the opportunities we have had living in this country and for all the people in your life that have given you the opportunity and the confidence to follow your dreams and passions. Just like your parents, friends, and teachers have empowered you, we must continue to empower all girls so that they can act on their dreams and have the options that come with receiving an education. Together, we can give them a chance at a better future.

We hope that you think about the 143 million children without education past this day, and that you take a pledge to reduce this number. When 143 million children wake up and are able to go to school, only then will the job be complete. But until that day it is both our responsibility and opportunity to ensure that that they all receive the one thing that will no one will ever be able to take away from them: an education.

We may all be from different countries, speak different languages, and have our own traditions, but we are a part of a global team of problem solvers and equity creators and together we will leave our handprints on the world.

To learn more and find out what you can do this International Day of the Girl, check out www.girlup.org.

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Educate a Girl, Change the World

14 Oct

“Educate a Girl, Change the World”

This phrase, although simple, when turned into action has a profound effect on our world and resonates with me today as we celebrate International Day of the Girl.

Wednesday night, I had the pleasure of attending a 10×10 event  at the Paley Center in New York City with four other Girl Up supporters.

In honor of International Day of the Girl and in anticipation of their feature film, Girl Rising, advocates from all over the world spoke about their firsthand experiences unleashing the power of girls’ education.

The 10×10 campaign includes their feature film, Girl Rising, and a social action campaign. The campaign uses the power of storytelling to deliver a single message: educating girls in developing nations will change the world.

Through partnerships with organizations such as Girl Up, 10×10 is creating momentum around the movement to promote education for girls around the world.

At the event, we heard from several inspiring speakers including Christiane Amanpour, Azure Antoinette, and the two writers for the film, Shabana Basu-Rasikh and Marie Arana, who are education advocates in their respective countries.

It was an incredibly moving experience to hear from women with different backgrounds, different perspectives, and different voices, but that all shared a common thread of advocating for girls.

No matter who and where we are in the world, we can and must take action to ensure that we give girls a platform to use their voices and tell their stories.

The key to helping girls find this platform is through an education. As Ms. Amanpour said when she opened the event, “This cause is something that is personal to all of us.”

For me, it is what has allowed me to pursue my passions and find my purpose, and it all comes back to my grandmother. She believed that if we invest in education for girls, we can create a world that is more aware and better informed, a world that will give us all voice.

Like Shabana Basu-Rasikh said tonight and like my grandmother used to say, “What you have in your head, no one can ever take away from you.” 

The most valuable gift we can give and receive is an education. Join me in celebrating International Day of the Girl!

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Join the Conversation: Social Good Summit

24 Sep

Join the world’s largest conversation on how technology can grow communities and improve life for all of us as we move toward being a networked society. The Social Good Summit in New York City takes place September 22 – 24, 2012, but you can tune in from anywhere to be part of this global covnersation that will continue long after this conference. I will be representing Girl Up as a teen advisor on a panel this afternoon, so make sure to tune in!

Watch the live stream here.

 

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Progressive Girls Voices 2012: Changing the Media Landscape for Women

4 Sep

This summer I had the privilege of attending The Women’s Media Center’s Progress Girls Voices, the premier media and leadership training program for girls in the country. Founded in 2005 as a non-profit progressive women’s media organization by Jane Fonda, Robin Morgan, and Gloria Steinem, The Women’s Media Center makes women visible and powerful in the media. They work to ensure that women’s stories are told and women’s voices are heard through media advocacy campaigns, media monitoring for sexism, creating original content, and training women and girls to participate in media.

This experience and training has taught me how to construct and spread my message and how I can best leverage change. My favorite part of the program, however, was meeting 10 other inspiring and motivated young women who are working to make women’s stories and voices heard in the media and in their communities. Together we received training and tools to position ourselves as media spokespeople in our fields, thereby changing the conversation on issues that are important to us. I learned how to develop my message so that I can deliver a clear and powerful call to action and how to use social media to leverage those media opportunities. I even learned what to wear and what not to wear on camera! In addition we heard from young feminists who are working to get their voices and other feminists’ voices heard in the media. My most important take away was how important it is to “own your expertise” and not be afraid to put yourself out there whether it be on camera or through an op-ed piece. We cannot wait for others to change the media landscape for women, we must begin to change it ourselves.

Throughout the three days, we worked with Chris Jahnke, media trainer and founder of Positive Communications, who has helped women prepare for public appearances, including First Lady Michelle Obama for her International Olympic Committee speech. We also met many of the wonderful WMC’s staff members including Jamia Wilson, Madeleine Gyory, and Elisa Kreisinger. I left the training feeling empowered to continue a call to action for teen girls to help close the gender inequality gap in education for our sisters around the world. I never considered myself “qualified enough” to share my message past my school environment, but with the tools and training I received at Progressive Girls’ Voices, I know that if I fight hard enough with others who are fighting the same battle, our voices can and will be heard.

I am forever grateful for the opportunity to participate in this program, and I know that whatever road I chose to take in life, this program will leave a lasting impression.

Progressive Girls’ Voices Media and Leadership Training in action. (photo credit: Women’s Media Center)

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The Half the Sky Movement

21 Aug

Have you ever heard the Chinese proverb, “women hold up half the sky?” While simple, it is a powerful phrase that when explored shows the power that women in this world should hold, but really don’t.

The Half the Sky movement started as a result of the Pulitzer Prize winning book, Half the Sky, by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (first married couple to win a Pulitzer by the way) who passionately call our world to action against our era’s most pervasive human rights violation: the oppression of women and girls in the developing world. The book illustrates how a little help can transform the lives of women and girls abroad. Although their book shines a light on the many obstacles girls and women face, that at this day in age should never have to face, Half the Sky also portrays the message of hope. We follow Kristof and WuDunn as they travel and meet extraordinary women struggling in Africa and Asia. We meet the Cambodian girl who eventually escaped from her brothel and, with assistance from an aid group, built a thriving retail business that supports her family. The Ethiopian woman had her injuries repaired and in time became a surgeon herself. A Zimbabwean mother of five, counseled to return to school, earned her doctorate and became an expert on AIDS.

Through these stories, Kristof and WuDunn help us see that the key to economic progress lies in unleashing women’s potential. Unleashing that process globally is not only the right thing to do; it’s also the best strategy for fighting poverty.

I have read the book twice now and am still amazed by the power it has to capture readers. If you want to “ACT BOLD”, Half the Sky is a must-read. These social justice issues are something that I believe every citizen should be well educated on, whether they choose to take action or not.

Also, make sure to tune in to PBS on October 1st and 2nd for the film Half the Sky, based on Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s novel.

Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

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Photo Friday

21 Jul

The Women’s Media Center cites media influence as one of the most powerful economic and cultural forces today.  ”By deciding who gets to talk, what shapes the debate, who writes, and what is important enough to report, media shape our understanding of who we are and what we can be.The problem is that we only rarely use half of our talent and usually hear half of the story.”

Check out this video from the Spark Summit showing examples of the sexualization of women in the media from TV and magazines to music and even cartoons and its affect on girls. Learn more at the Women’s Media Center and how you get involved in changing the media landscape for girls and women.

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