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Teens will present advocacy projects and hear from keynote speakers at 6 p.m. May 27
PITTSBURGH (May 24, 2021) — The Women and Girls Foundation will recognize graduates from its GirlGov civic engagement program during an online ceremony, which will feature addresses from Rep. Joanna McClinton, Pennsylvania House Democratic Leader, and Wendy Chun-Hoon, Director of the U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau, among others. The event, which will be on Zoom, will include teen girls and femmes from GirlGov’s Pittsburgh chapter and graduates from its Chester County chapter.
The goal of GirlGov is to ignite in high school-aged teens a passion for social justice and to help shape the next generation of voters and leaders. Throughout the year, GirlGov participants worked in groups to complete advocacy campaigns tackling issues they’d like to see addressed in the world. The groups and their topics included:
● The Environmental Justice Group: Championing for the end of fast fashion
● The Racism is Real Group: Ending the adultification bias of Black girls and teens
● The Immigration Reform Group: Advocating to shut down Berks Detention Center
● The Curricular Reform Group: Ending white supremacy in school curriculum
● The Mental Health Group: Increasing mental health resources in schools
● The Our Bodies Group: Focusing on House Bill 1586 and comprehensive sex education in Pennsylvania
The GirlGov graduates will present their advocacy projects to family, friends, community partners, board members and funders during the May 27 event.
“It has been an honor and a privilege this year to work with this incredible, authentic and resilient group of teens. It has not been an easy year for them,” said Director of Education Beth Sondel. “Many of them have sacrificed and lost so much, and yet they continue to support each other, advocate for themselves and take responsibility for the greater good. Even amidst a global pandemic, a racial reckoning long in the making and the stresses of being a teenager, these teens showed up and worked together to translate their passion for social justice into tangible, systemic change.”
Graduates from both chapters also were recognized for their hard work on May 20 with an online panel discussion with Sen. Katie Muth, Rep. Brian Sims, Rep. Jessica Benham, Sen. Lindsey Williams, Rep. Wendi Thomas and Sen. Jay Costa, along with opening remarks from Congresswoman Chrissy Houlihan. The Pittsburgh chapter also met in person on May 23 to create a collective quilt representing the theme: “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”
ABOUT GIRLGOV
GirlGov is the Women and Girls Foundation’s successful civic engagement program designed to ignite high school-aged women and femme’s passion for social justice; cultivate their critical thinking; spark their interest in careers in public service; build their understanding of history and government; and prepare them as our next generation of voters, leaders and change-makers. We accept teens from anywhere in Southwest PA and have a diverse cohort of participants of over 100 annually, representing over 50 different high schools and 7 counties. The program’s roots stem back to 2005, when girls came together, through WGF, to launch a “Girlcott” against clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch over imagery that many interpreted as racist and sexist on its T-shirts. Through the years, WGF’s program evolved, and officially became GirlGov in 2012.
The GirlGov program is offered throughout the school-year, free of charge to all participants, with generous philanthropic support from: American Eagle Outfitters Foundation; FISA Foundation; The Grable Foundation; The Heinz Endowments; Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield; The Margaret Ritchie R. Battle Family Charitable Fund; McElhattan Foundation; PNC Bank; and The Verizon Foundation.
ABOUT THE WOMEN AND GIRLS FOUNDATION
The Women and Girls Foundation (WGF) is a nonprofit organization based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, engaged in statewide programming and policy work. The mission of WGF is to achieve equality for women and girls, now and for generations to come. In pursuit of this mission, WGF breaks down barriers so that every girl can rise and every woman can soar. Our vision is for women and girls in Pennsylvania to have equal access, opportunity and influence in all aspects of their public and private lives. (wgfpa.org)
Information provided to TVL by:
WOMEN & GIRLS FOUNDATION
https://wgfpa.org/
