Blog - "The Inspiration Project"

Keeping "Girl Relevant"

2012-02-24T20:00:39.413Z

As a youth development professional, I know that we are constantly faced with the issue of relevance. Are we current? Are we in touch? Do we know the issues girls are facing right now? I have had the pleasure of observing many programs this winter and have been pleasantly surprised to realize that Girls Inc. curriculum is on target with the times. Take a minute to read some of the special moments I experienced during this program cycle.

While observing a Media Smarts program (Media Literacy for girls ages 9-11), I heard the girls analyzing different types of media and say “we need to do this [analyzing] to be strong, smart and bold girls.” They said it so confidently it was as if they were telling their facilitator, duh, of course it’s important to be critical of media we view.
While observing She’s on the Money (Economic Literacy for girls ages 6-8), I witnessed a six year-old acting upset because in their role-play she had to be the bank teller. Instead, she would have rather been the savings account or the deposit slip, because “then it could be like putting money in a piggy bank that I can use to buy something really cool!” The facilitator then helped her to understand that all three (bank teller, deposit slip, and savings account) play an equally important part in saving “to get something really cool.”
While observing Work It Out Plus for girls ages 15-18, I could not believe my ears when I heard a girl say, “If someone is being mean to me on Facebook, I unfriend them and report them.” She later said, “People can only bully you online if you let them. You have to tell on them to get them to stop!” The girls in this group also let me know that they have had the benefit of talking about internet safety and that it has helped their understanding of cyberbullying. (See their artwork below)

In each case, I was pleasantly surprised and could not have been more proud to be there and be able to take part in the dialogue. Do I feel like our work is done? No! However, I do believe that we are right where we need to be.

A Night In for Girls

2012-02-22T22:05:59.670Z

Sprinkled throughout greater Indianapolis, a handful of donors, volunteers, and staff will spend an evening to benefit girls. The idea is simple: hosts gather friends, coworkers, or peers and donate what they would have spent on a night out to Girls Inc. That doesn’t mean that fun won’t be had!

I have the pleasure of collecting the names of our hosts and learning more about their parties. One party is a “Mommy & Me” event, another is Oscar-themed, and another is full of spa activities. One volunteer will host a yoga-themed party with the yoga instructor donating a session for attendees! Even if you already have plans this weekend, you can still participate. Check out this virtual Girls Night In, hosted by one of our board members, where participants give online and post a picture of their night in, or out.

There are many ways to participate. If you’re still looking for the right activity or party idea, review our newest Pinterest board to get the creative juices flowing. Or, if you’ve got a great idea for a Girls Night In, share on our Facebook page or let us know via Twitter by using #GirlsNightIn.

The concept is simple but the impact is great. By hosting or attending a Girls Night In this weekend, your participation will inspire greater Indianapolis girls.

Perception of a Woman in the White House

2012-02-20T16:28:53.803Z

Why have there been no female presidents? What we do know is that 12% of American voters would not vote for a female presidential candidate, regardless of the candidate, and that only 75% of American voters believe that men and women are equally capable of leading. We can’t truly answer that question, but we can examine the perception of powerful women in America.

Quite often, women in power are portrayed by the media as disagreeable, harsh, or unfriendly. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is the poster child for this stereotype. During the 2008 election, presidential candidate Clinton was constantly criticized for her voice—of all things. They said that she had a nagging wife voice that could not be respected. In Jodi Kantor’s recently released book, The Obamas, Michelle Obama’s relationships with White House staffers are portrayed as tense and unpleasant. Regardless of her position as an immensely popular first lady, she is characterized as controlling, even in her relationship with the President. The new Margaret Thatcher biopic is titled “The Iron Lady.”

On the other hand, former presidential hopeful Michelle Bachmann was criticized for her religious beliefs about “submitting” to her husband. Critics held that presidents should be submissive to no one.

Is it worse to seem unpleasant or weak? And why isn’t there a middle ground for women in power?

For female politicians, youthful attractiveness is unfairly unvalued. For male politicians, signs of aging are assets that signify wisdom, but for older female politicians such as Minority House Leader Nancy Pelosi, signs of aging are used by pundits for petty mockery. Glenn Beck openly compared Pelosi to Skeletor.

Perhaps most troubling is the sexualization of innocent actions of female politicians. In 2009, a Newsweek cover used a photo of Sarah Palin from a profile in Runners World. With Palin attractively posing in running shorts, the photo was completely appropriate for Runners World, but out of context and in poor taste for a Newsweek cover. More recently, the media obsessed over suggestive photos of Michelle Bachmann eating a corn dog at the Iowa State Fair.

Why have there been no female presidents? Maybe because the media uses gender stereotypes to discuss them. It’s not an issue of political affiliation or ability. It’s a media issue. Why would voters support candidates who are portrayed as unpleasant, incapable of leading, or just a pretty face?

When Girls Speak Up

2012-02-17T18:23:58.350Z

Last Saturday I attended my third Girls Inc. speakers bureau training in collaboration with Butler University’s Speakers Lab. The experience changes each training with the composition of the group and offers different take-aways, or as we call them at Girls Inc., “ah-ha” moments. Our smaller group, three girls and one board member plus the Butler student tutors, provided a comfortable, open setting for reviewing the ups and downs, ins and outs of public speaking.

During the training the group compared good and bad speeches, examined the eight parts of a speech, flexed their creativity by drawing their “Girls Inc. experience,” and prepared speeches from those drawings. Yet, what struck me most was an activity led by Communications Professor Paul Sandin. In what seemed like a lesson from an introductory speech course, Professor Sandin described public speaking as: time-honored, for everyone, versatile, and competitive.

While these explanations weren’t new to me, within the context of a “girl-lens” the value of public speaking significantly increases. First, public speaking is time-honored, meaning it’s a tradition our society has respected for thousands of years. So the fact that women’s spoken word has not been recorded or revered in the same light as men’s, makes the skill even more important for girls to achieve. Second, public speaking is for everyone. No matter a girl’s background, education, or exposure to the craft, every girl can master public speaking and benefit from its influence. Third, public speaking is versatile and used in a myriad of situations. Thus, the better a public speaker a girl is, the more doors open and opportunities present themselves. Finally, public speaking is competitive. When a girl masters public speaking, she will perform better in college, job interviews, and professional presentations, all improving a girl’s future.

Not only do these elements affirm the place of public speaking in our culture, but they also affirm its relevance to our girls. When we encourage girls to speak up - speak up for themselves, for friends, for the bullied, for their rights – we could be encouraging a future Gettysburg Address.

Be Your Own Friend First

2012-02-14T20:06:02.130Z

In the last 5 months I have asked many girls, “Why is it important to be your own friend first?” Each time there are answers ranging from, “you can’t be nice to other people if you are not nice to yourself” and “how are you supposed to like other people if you’re mad at yourself all of the time?”

As an adult I find it hard to remember the importance of being your own friend first. There are so many other things to keep us preoccupied: careers, bills, taking care of family members, laundry, and cooking, just to name a few.

However, one of the greatest lessons I am learning is that if you are not your own friend first you are not doing anyone else in your life a favor. Being your own friend first means taking care of you and learning about who you are as a person and not what society has labeled you to be. I idolize our First Lady, Mrs. Obama because she is a successful advocate for women to “be their own friend first.” When interviewed Mrs. Obama always explains that if she did not take the time to exercise, read, or enjoy her friends she would not be the successful wife and mother that she is.

Ultimately, in the month that celebrates both love and black history we should follow our first African American First Lady’s example and take care of ourselves. Once we love our true selves think how much more love we can spread to others. On this Valentine’s Day I challenge each of you to do something good for yourself; treat yourself as you would your friends!