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Teens will present advocacy projects and hear from keynote speakers at\u00a06 p.m.\u00a0May 27<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n PITTSBURGH (May 24, 2021) — The\u00a0Women and Girls Foundation\u00a0will recognize graduates from its\u00a0GirlGov civic engagement program\u00a0during an online ceremony, which will feature addresses from\u00a0Rep.\u00a0Joanna McClinton,\u00a0Pennsylvania House Democratic Leader, and\u00a0Wendy\u00a0Chun-Hoon, Director of the U.S. Department of Labor Women\u2019s Bureau, among others. The event, which will be\u00a0on Zoom, will include teen girls and femmes from GirlGov\u2019s Pittsburgh chapter and graduates from its Chester County chapter.<\/p>\n 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\u2019d like to see addressed in the world. The groups and their topics included:<\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Environmental Justice Group: Championing for the end of fast fashion<\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Racism is Real Group: Ending the adultification bias of Black girls and teens<\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Immigration Reform Group: Advocating to shut down Berks Detention Center<\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Curricular Reform Group: Ending white supremacy in school curriculum<\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Mental Health Group: Increasing mental health resources in schools<\/p>\n \u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Our Bodies Group: Focusing on House Bill 1586 and comprehensive sex education in\u00a0Pennsylvania<\/p>\n The GirlGov graduates will present their advocacy projects to family, friends, community partners, board members and funders during the May 27 event.<\/p>\n \u201cIt 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,\u201d said\u00a0Director of Education Beth Sondel. \u201cMany 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.\u201d<\/p>\n 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\u00a023 to create a collective quilt representing the theme: \u201cAlone we can do so little, together we can do so much.\u201d<\/p>\n ABOUT GIRLGOV<\/strong><\/p>\n GirlGov<\/a>\u00a0is the Women and Girls Foundation\u2019s successful civic engagement program designed to ignite high school-aged women and femme\u2019s 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\u2019s roots stem back to 2005, when girls came together, through WGF, to launch a \u201cGirlcott” against clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch over imagery that many interpreted as racist and sexist on its T-shirts. Through the years, WGF\u2019s program evolved, and officially became GirlGov in 2012.<\/p>\n The GirlGov program is offered throughout the school-year, free of\u00a0charge\u00a0to all participants, with generous philanthropic support from:\u00a0American\u00a0Eagle\u00a0Outfitters Foundation; FISA Foundation;\u00a0The Grable Foundation;\u00a0The Heinz\u00a0Endowments; Highmark Blue Cross Blue\u00a0Shield;\u00a0The Margaret\u00a0Ritchie\u00a0R. Battle Family Charitable Fund;\u00a0McElhattan Foundation;\u00a0PNC Bank; and\u00a0The\u00a0Verizon Foundation.<\/p>\n ABOUT THE WOMEN AND GIRLS FOUNDATION<\/strong><\/p>\n 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<\/a>)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Teens will present advocacy projects and hear from keynote speakers at\u00a06 p.m.\u00a0May 27 PITTSBURGH (May 24, 2021) — The\u00a0Women and Girls Foundation\u00a0will recognize graduates from its\u00a0GirlGov civic engagement program\u00a0during … Continue reading Women and Girls Foundation to culminate annual GirlGov program with online graduation event<\/span>
\nInformation provided to TVL by:
\nWOMEN & GIRLS FOUNDATION
\nhttps:\/\/wgfpa.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n
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