Girls For A Change

Moving The Needle: New Documentary Sheds Light On Women In The Media

annie@girlsforachange.org — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:53:11 -0800

D.C. Supporters-Check Out Theta Nu Xi's Annual Fundraiser in Support of Girls For A Change

annie@girlsforachange.org — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 12:00:06 -0800

The Ladies of the Xi Gamma Chapter of Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Inc. warmly invite you to our9th Annual Winter ONEderland

If you're seeking the heat, come experience a hot DC event that brings together a diverse group of young professionals from all over the country. Winter ONEderland is back for its NINTH round in 2011 and promises to be bigger than ever. Come out for a night of dancing, networking, and of course celebrating diversity!

*The Vibe:
DJ CUZZIN B of True School Corp. will be sure to get your backs up off the wall, spinning the best Hip Hop, Top 40, Reggae, and International.

*The Goodwill:
100% of Winter ONEderland's profits are donated to Girls for A Change (GFC). GFC is a national organization that empowers thousands of teen girls to create and lead social change. You can find more information here: http://www.girlsforachange.org.

Cover = $10 before midnight

*The Venue:
Tabaq Bistro is one the D.C.ity's most glamorous venues, conveniently located in the heart of the U Street Corridor. Coupled with the warm and welcoming atmosphere that only Winter ONEderland can provide, this event, held in the RED ROOM at Tabaq, will be only for the grown and sexy (21+).

*The Vitals:
.Saturday, January 22nd
.10:30pm-2am
.Tabaq Bistro - RED ROOM
1336 U St, NW, Washington, DC 20009

**Tabaq Bistro is located near the U Street/African American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo metro stop on the Green/Yellow line. Garage parking is also available nearby.**

More Info

Update from Rwanda: December 2010

annie@girlsforachange.org — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 14:36:00 -0800

Below is a recent email to GFC CEO Whitney Smith from Irene Kagoya, Leadership & Ethics Instructor at
Akilah Institute for Women in Rwanda.

Dear Whitney,

I trust you are well and determined as ever to continue empowering young girls. We are continuously inspired by your works I must say. I am proud to share with you updates of the social change projects at Akilah this year.

On the 19^th of November, 2010, the first group of six students set off to Gahanga Centre Kigali to implement their social change project on malnutrition, and other projects followed.

Each of the social change projects developed by the students was of value to each community. At the end they were asked by the community leaders to make frequent visits to the community and continue educating them on how they can deal with the different problems they face.

It was incredible to see my students develop these social change projects, meet community leaders to organize for the different meetings, and then see them in action. For some of the community members they had never heard of kitchens gardens, others did not know that there was a female condom, while still others were surprised at the fact that children have a right to rest as the students talked about children’s rights.

As a teacher watching my students plan, organize and effect a community project was inspiring. They owned these projects and, however challenging each group was up to the task. One of the groups that had their project on teaching customer care through media has continuously gone back to Contact FM where they are featured on a 10:00am O’clock show speaking about different issues of customer care every Tuesday. Through the social change projects students were able to practice their public speaking skills, build networks with community leaders, and for the first time the majority of my students realized how strong they are and believed in their ability to bring positive change in their communities.

There were a number of challenges, for instance, each community asked students to go back and yet we had limited resources. It was also difficult to assess the impact of the projects on the community as well as students with only onetime visits. I hope we are able to secure more support for these projects the coming year and make it more meaningful for the students as well as the communities.

At the end of each project students were asked to write about their experience, and it was interesting to hear the students’ voices on how much the projects had impacted on them. Unfortunately I cannot share it all but below is what Alice Umurerwa had to say and attached are two pictures of the students in action.

My experience at Gahanga

When I was at Gahanga it was amazing because the people I taught were very interested in what I was teaching them so I felt that I am an important person in my society. I knew that everything is possible if you do it with your heart. I was very happy that time when the citizens were very curious to know about malnutrition that made me feel encouraged and plan to return again in order to help them develop their life in a good way.

Before I was fearing to speak in public and we planned to go in the community then I asked myself how can I teach at Gahanga, I found that inside me I have power to influence others in a good way so what am supposed to do is to use that power in order to make change in my community. Alice Umurerwa

Love Your Body Change Your World Trainings A Success!

annie@girlsforachange.org — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:00:00 -0800

Girls For A Change trained over 800 girls across the US to create change in their communities around women’s health. These Love Your Body, Change Your World trainings focused on breaking down myths and stereotypes about women’s health and have given girls the skills and tools they need to enact change. Trainings were held in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Milwaukee, the SF Bay Area, Dallas, and Baltimore. Thanks to all of our trainers, partners, participants, staff, and donors for making this movement possible!

See the video from the training in Milwaukee:

Thanks to Calumet Photographic in San Francisco for donating photography equipment for our final training on October 23rd! Stay tuned for the amazing shots volunteer Caroline Schiff captured of the girls in ACTION!

To learn more about the campaign and GFC's partnership with U by Kotex, click here.

Girls For A Change Alumnae Survey 2010: Get a $5 Gift Card!

annie@girlsforachange.org — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 12:03:00 -0800

GFC Alumna, Please fill out our 2010 survey to receive a $5 Starbucks Gift Card! Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to hearing from you!

Click Here to take the GFC Alumnae Survey!

GFC Giving Program

annie@girlsforachange.org — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:49:26 -0800

At GFC, we’re committed to saving costs and saving trees – to that end, our annual giving program is green – using email as the primary means to stay in touch with our donors. But we need your help. By responding to our annual appeal with a gift, you make possible the programs that serve over 1,600 girls annually.

Really want to make a difference? Make your recurring gift today and spread the news, widen the circle of support for Girls For A Change, by posting this on your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or other social media; email your friends and colleagues and encourage them to be the change!

Help us reach 500 donors… sign up to be a part of Girls For A Change today! Click here to make your secure donation and join us!

Inspiring Partner $10,000 and above provides GFC programming to two or more teams per year.
-Includes benefits below, plus two tickets to our signature event in California.
-Includes invitation to all three events in our annual Powerful Change Series in the Bay Area.

Empowering Partner $5,000 to $9,999 provides GFC programming to an entire team of girls per year.
- Includes benefits below, plus invitation to two events in our new Powerful Change Series in the Bay Area.

Circle of Change $1,000 to $4,999 provides GFC programming to one girl or more over an entire year.
- Includes benefits below, plus invitation to one event in our new Powerful Change Series in the Bay Area.

Friends For A Change $1 to $999 provides support to train volunteers, provides grants to Girl Action Teams and materials to make GFC programming possible.
- Quarterly newsletter
- Invitation to join the Girl Action Network, a resource of girls and women involved in Social Change around the world.

Corporate sponsorship packages are available, contact our Development Team for more information.

Keep Girls For A Change programming alive and well. Join our campaign today by clicking here.

Girls For A Change and U By Kotex: Love Your Body, Change Your World

annie@girlsforachange.org — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 11:02:00 -0700

Girls For A Change is proud to partner with U by Kotex, a bold new feminine care product line, to advance the empowerment of women and girls. The alignment of the girls’ and women’s empowerment mission between Girls For A Change (GFC) and U by Kotex is exceptionally synergistic. Girls and women across the nation will see the messages associated with this campaign, which are truly grounded in “girl power.”

This cause-related campaign is the culmination of an eye-opening survey conducted online in August 2009 by Harris Interactive^® on behalf of U by Kotex among more than 1,600 North American women aged 14-35, which revealed that 7 in 10 women believe it’s time for society to change how it talks about vaginal health, yet less than half (45%) feel empowered to make a difference. U by Kotex and Girls For A Change want to change this by empowering young women to take control of their health and bodies, lead social change, and speak out against societal pressures and censorship.

Empowering girls to believe in themselves and see themselves as social change agents starts with helping them to overcome the negative messages about girls that swirl around them constantly. If a girl does not feel comfortable in her own skin, it is almost certain she will suffer in all areas of her life. We see this campaign as a gutsy and bold move to share the message that girls should not feel shame in being a girl. When a girl feels empowered she is unstoppable and capable of amazing things!

For every person who joins the movement by signing the Declaration of Real Talk and/or recording an empowering statement at www.UbyKotex.com, the U by Kotex brand will make a $1 donation^{^[1]} to Girls For A Change.

U by Kotex, in sharing a common mission with Girls For A Change, is taking the lead in encouraging young women to spark a new conversation that is long overdue. A pivotal part of the campaign launched in September 2010 when Girls For A Change trained over a 1000 girls across the US to create change in their communities around women’s health. These Love Your Body, Change Your World trainings focused on breaking down myths and stereotypes about women’s health and have given girls the skills and tools they need to enact change. Trainings were held in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Milwaukee, the SF Bay Area, Dallas, and Baltimore. Thanks to all of our trainers, partners, and donors for making this movement possible!

Please join Girls For A Change and U By Kotex to empower girls to feel proud of their bodies and make change in their communities! Sign the Declaration of Real Talk and U by Kotex will donate $1 to GFC. Let us know if you would like more information about the campaign by emailing Annie Yaniga at annie@girlsforachange.org. Check out the latest U By Kotex ad campaign here.

Thanks to Calumet Photographic in San Francisco for donating photography equipment to our final training on October 23rd! Stay tuned for the amazing shots volunteer Caroline Schiff captured of the girls in ACTION!

[1] Up to $150,000 donation to Girls For A Change

Read more about the partnership in the New York Times.

Visit this page about GFC's Love Your Body, Change Your World Tour in partnership with U by Kotex.

Stay tuned for more details.

Be A GFC Coach

annie@girlsforachange.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:06:59 -0700

IMAGINE if girls are told they can change the world.
IMAGINE they are told this by powerful women.
IMAGINE that you are one of those women.

Each year, GFC Girl Action Teams in our sites around the world complete social change projects. Every team of girls is partnered with adult women volunteers, called Girl Action Team Coaches. Coaches guide girls through the process of creating change in their communities. We are looking for women to partner with middle school and high school girls in the fall and spring!

Being a GFC Coach means working with a team of girls for 4 months, supporting girls in designing and implementing a social change project and, most importantly, telling girls they're important and powerful and that they can change their world. GFC offers training, staff support and a coach manual to support you during the year.

Sign up today! Be a change agent in your community--and in the lives of girls. Find us in your city to learn more about volunteering. If GFC is not in your community yet, click here to learn more about how to get started.

GFC's Privacy Policy

annie@girlsforachange.org — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 08:17:00 -0700

At Girls For A Change (GFC), we care as much about girls’ online safety as you do. That’s why we make all of our web sites COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) compliant and work with you to ensure a fun, healthy, and safe online experience for girls.

Before you visit any of GFC’s websites or submit any personal information, please read the following information and privacy policy. If you are under the age of 18, please ask your parents or guardians to read this policy with you. Please ask them to explain anything you do not understand and please get their permission before sharing any information, including your email address, with GFC or anyone on the Internet.

What is COPPA? The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act is a United States federal law that regulates the online collection, use and disclosure of personal information from children under the age of 13. It requires that parents give their consent before personal information is collected online or is publicly disclosed online from or by children under 13 years old. The law also sets out the acceptable ways of determining consent and providing transparency online. Unfortunately, if you are under age 13, you can't register for any Ning.com social network including the Girls For A Change Action Network.

Girl Action Network Registration and Profile Data The GFC Action Network is created on the Ning platform. For starters, please read the Ning Privacy Policy.
In all of GFC’s online sites we only collect the amount of personal information we deem reasonably necessary for participation in the particular product or online activity the information is being collected for. The personally identifiable information GFC collects online will never be posted, released, sold, or distributed to any third party outside of GFC. When you set up your member profile on the GFC Action Network, there are the fields marked private and that information will not be posted publicly by GFC.

Members Sharing Information within the GFC Action Network Once inside our online products (specifically the GFC Action Network), members have the opportunity to post information about themselves, including their state, screename and social action project ideas for other members to view. Though we collect certain personally identifiable information during registration, this is for for GFC's use in informing girls about new programs, and we don't post online first and last names, email addresses, zip codes, birth dates or other personally identifiable information. Members are asked to create a screename that is different from their first name for all online participation.

Content Submissions to the GFC Action Network Members have the opportunity to submit content, including but not limited to blog posts, videos and photos of their own creation to the GFC Action Network. The GFC Action Network is moderated and we will ban in a timely matter members who post objectionable material. Please email info@girlsforachange.org with any complaints.

Forums and Blogs GFC operates a number of public blogs. On the GFC Action Network, all members can blog or participate in forums, however, GFC reserves the right to remove objectionable material and/or ban any members posting objectionable material. Please email info@girlsforachange.org with any complaints.

Send to a Friend On all websites operated by GFC, individuals have the option to send a notice to a friend or an invite informing the friend about GFC and our products. In this process, GFC collects the sender’s first name and the recipient’s email address. No personally identifiable information is collected from the sender. The recipient email address is used for a one-time email communication and is then deleted.

What if I want to review the information my child has provided or don’t want my child’s personal information collected or stored? Parents are always welcome and encouraged to review the information their child is sharing online, and are encouraged to be active participants in all of their child’s activities. At GFC, we see parent involvement as a vital part of maintaining a safe and healthy online environment. If you wish to review your child’s information, you create an account on the GFC Action Network and search for your child's screen name to review their profile. If you want your child's profile removed, pleased contact GFC and we will ban them from the network within a reasonable amount of time, defined as the number of working hours or days needed to access and delete the targeted information and cancel the child’s membership or participation in other online activities. Please email info@girlsforachange.org with any complaints.

Transfer of Information in the Event of Change of Ownership GFC reserves the right to transfer personally identifiable information in the event of a change of ownership of GFC to another organization that would continue to run the website in the same manner. Such transfer of data would be necessary to enable the new owner of GFC to facilitate log-on for existing GFC members and to allow access to the Network.