My favorite organization locally (San Diego area) is Girls Rising. Girls Rising is a non-profit that focuses on at-risk girls with mentoring big sister relationships, and supports their emotional well-being. This organization does real work in our neighborhoods, impacting the lives of families throughout San Diego. Being a parent, I understand how so much of my worry and stress revolves around the well-being of my child. When there are programs and people that truly care and support my child, they are supporting me too. Girls Rising's mentor program does this and without organizations like them, these girls will fall short.
On the ex-US front, I like Girl Effect. Founded by Nike, it's now its own non-profit. The work they do around the world is to bring the stories to the public; and to give voices to girls through various mediums and across all platforms.
In many places children are silent. Adults believe they should be silent and not heard. Their voices do not matter. Just look at how the Florida legislator mocked the survivors from Parkland. However, we should be praising their activism. We should continue to encourage all children, especially our girls to speak up for what they believe. No child should ever be told they are children and should not have opinions. A community leader denigrates these young people, with their legitimate right to voice their feelings and opinions on policy matters that impact their lives. Just imagine how those children on the fringes of our society or in other countries must live in silence because they never find their way to the platform.
Happy International Women's Day!
