Though I had spent many hours at the Kennedy Center as a child, watching the Nutcracker and various children's plays, I never dreamed that I would ever be backstage. That all changed on June 6th, when I had the privilege of being on stage at the Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards, which honors some of the world's most outstanding female leaders who are working to improve the world.
Camaraderie. Loyalty. Love. All of these terms describe Glamour Gals perfectly.
This past Saturday, April 28,2012, Glamour Gals held their annual Glammy Scholarship Awards. Glamour Gals is a foundation created over 12 years ago by Rachel Doyle Boyens. Rachel was inspired, by her own personal experience with her grandmother, to establish a bond with an older generation that might feel forgotten. Those that participate with Glamour Gals, whether they won the scholarship or not, embody this mission.
Wisdom seems to be the hardest thing to grasp when you're a teenager. Your curiosity about events and causes and movements begins to turn into a passion, but the only things you're formally taught are the seemingly-useless facts and tidbits you're fed by your parents, teachers, and other superiors in suits. The only way you're going to get the answers you're direly craving is to hunt them down yourself. Sounds impossible, right? Not necessarily.
GirlUp is on the go once again with its FIRST EVER Leadership Summit in Washington, DC on March 10! The Girl Up Leadership Summit will be an all-day event, led by the Girl Up Teen Advisors, that will empower girls (and guys!) to be effective ambassadors for the GirlUp campaign. Participants will hear from Girl Up staff and leaders in the field to learn more about Girl Up's programs and the importance of investing in adolescent girls. Workshops throughout the day will focus on topics such as storytelling, effective fundraising, and political advocacy and provide the tools to turn their knowledge into action.There will also be special guests like Monique Coleman, prizes and goodies, and so much fun! Anyone that would like to attend should RSVP to
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by February 29! This an exclusive event you don't want to miss!
"Yemen is present and voting," I said, nervously holding my placard in the air. It was the beginning of the morning session of my first Model United Nations conference at the University of Central Florida, and I had no idea what to expect. My partner and I were representing Yemen, a country located in the Middle East that is roughly twice the size of Wyoming. We were assigned to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which is made up of countries with a Muslim majority.
I am a girl. I go to school. I ride my bike. I cook because I like to. I can see a doctor when I need to. I will get married when and if I want to. I am a girl.
I am also a Teen Advisor this year for Girl Up, a campaign of the United Nations Foundation. Our goal is to raise awareness and funds for programs of the United Nations that give girls around the world (especially in developing countries) the opportunity to become educated, healthy, safe, and counted. I recently attended my first Girl Up event, the Unite For Girls rally in New York City. It was so exciting!
Almost 200 young adults temporarily took over the ECOSOC chamber at United Nations Headquarters on August 11th, 2011. Why, you might ask? They all had been selected as delegates to the UN Year of Youth Culmination Celebration, hosted by Allykatzz. Clutching books to be donated and nametags, they listened attentively to Monique Coleman and other speakers and performers declare that youth can and will make a difference in the world. Monique, who played Taylor in High School Musical, shared stories about her year as the UN Year of Youth Champion, during which she travelled to 45 countries hosting events that brought youth together to discuss issues in their countries.
This summer, instead of spending my time at the beach or the movies, I decided to fly halfway across the country to attend the Girls’ Leadership Workshop (GLW) in Hyde Park, New York. Upon my arrival there, I met 30 girls who would become my sisters over the course of ten days. We hailed from all over the country and came from different religions, races, and backgrounds, but we were drawn together by our mutual admiration of Eleanor Roosevelt, whose leadership qualities are the inspiration for the program. My fellow participants amaze me in how caring, smart, talented, and beautiful they are, and I know they will accomplish great things in their lives. Included in our ranks was an attendee of an international primatology conference, a writer for a magazine published in the US and in Kenya, a director of a charitable organization and so many other accomplished people. Initially, I felt intimidated by all of the amazing people surrounding me. However, over the course of the week, I learned that I am unique and special just the way I am and that I have the potential to change the world for the better. My personal transformation would never have happened without the girls I met at GLW, who cried with me, celebrated with me, and accepted me for who I am. I will be forever indebted to them for their genuine friendship.
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