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Talented filmmakers Ellen Frankenstein and Julia Smith made this wonderful mash-up during a workshop I participated in at Lead ON! for Peace and Equality Youth Minisummit hosted by the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault. I also led sessions there and met so many inspiring youth and advocates!

LEAD ON 2009: CHECKED BAGGAGE from Ellen Frankenstein on Vimeo.

Comments (0) | by Courtney on December 12

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If all girls had their rights, how would the world be different? Girls Inc. is celebrating Girls' Rights Week. Check our the Girls' Bill of Rights, videos and more here!

Comments (0) | by Courtney on May 4

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Dear Mr. President:
Thank you for putting a stake in the ground for women and girls. If you need a RESPECT voice and POV on any issue, call us! We are not only talking with girl advocates everyday but we also talk with real girls. We'd love to help you expand the voices at the table beyond the beltway. Including, of course, listening to girls from all over the country share what they see, need and their amazing ideas to create change.

The No. 1 way girls say the feel respected: "When people listen to me." If there is a problem effecting girls, we know firsthand that girls hold the solutions. Just ask!

We're at your service,
Respect Rx

Comments (0) | by Courtney on March 12

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I just joined the National Board of Girls For A Change, an organization I have volunteered with for five years. GFC has partnered with The Sephora Project and they just completed a national tour—they trained 2,300 girls around the country how to create social change. If you want to join the movement, join the GFC Action Network where you can download the GFC Action Kit, which I helped create. And when you're out shopping this holiday season, hit SEPHORA and buy the bag above. 100% of the proceeds go to GFC.

Comments (0) | by Courtney on December 10

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By Jennifer Uribe, Respect Rx Program Assistant

Overall, the crazy week we all went through at the Democratic National Convention was completely worth it for each and every one of us at Respect Rx, Jennifer Davidson, our partner at Reality Check Coaching, who co-facilitated with Court, and the film crew from Girls Rock! Productions. We partnered with the Girl Scouts of Colorado to deliver "Your Inner Leader" sessions for around 30 high school and college girls who attended the council's Building Leadership, Teaching Democracy Week. The girls were there to learn about the political process and their leadership power (even though we were observing the DNC, the Girl Scouts is non-partisan).

Personally, I could not have been more excited to be there, being 19 years old and having this election be my first I could fully participate in! I was hungry for politics, to learn everything I could and be able to connect with people who share my opinions in politics.

The girls started out by knowing little to almost nothing about one another. And by the end of the week there were so many tears and new friendships that were created which will always be remembered! One thing for sure is that spending my week with this great group of girls has changed me for the better. I came out feeling extremely inspired to go out and try to accomplish at least half of what all these brilliant young women have already completed.

Here's what went down during the week:

SUNDAY
While the girls were spending their time at the Molly Brown House, Davidson and I were unpacking and getting our materials ready for the rest of the week. Later that evening we met up with the girls at the Girl Scouts of Colorado’s main offices where we had a quick tour of the place. There, we got to see a neat performance by an Eleanor Roosevelt history presenter. It was as if she was the real thing right there in front of us! The thing that really stuck with me was that she said: “It is only through curiosity that you can learn.” I have always been a rather curious girl, myself. She also brought up a great point that will always help me when I am working with others. She asked “how do you arouse curiosity in others?” meaning that people must work to interest others in their passions. After that, dinner came and we all went to a Chinese restaurant where we had our first interaction with the girls. Our table was rambunctious because our girls were full of laughter and made jokes at every opportunity they got, it was fun! To close the night, Courtney and Davidson directed one of the best closing circles I have been in where everybody participated—adults and girls alike. Each person stated their stake and we joined hands to lock it in. My stake was: “To be able to affect every single person I meet in a positive way.”

MONDAY
After running up and down to get everything set-up correctly in the room, we finally had the girls coming in, a bit tired but ready for the next event of the day. I got to take pictures of the girls as they went through the “Take A Walk” activity and realized that everything girls go through—positive and negative—has a chain reaction effect. Then we shared ways we'd been disrespected and how it motivates us to make a big change in our world. It was such a powerful experience for me to witness. It was awesome to see how the girls all supported one another and really loved each other and were empowered by the activity. They named themselves the Lionesses! And in our closing circle each yelled “rawr!!” really fiercely.

TUESDAY
Our day started off with a presentation by Laurie A. Westley, Girl Scouts of the USA Senior Vice President, Public Policy, Advocacy & the Research Institute, talking about Advocacy programs and how girls can get involve around their communities and start their own programs. The girls also had a passionate discussion about public protest in response to Code Pink's protest the day before at the Unconventional Women Conference (which rocked!). Then came the inspirational speech by Hilary Clinton we were all waiting for. My favorite part of her speech was when she quoted Harriet Tubman:

If you hear dogs, keep going. If you see torches in the woods, just keep going. If they shout at you, keep going. Don’t ever stop, just keep going.

This is like our motto at Respect Rx: Keep going! Many girls thought Hillary Clinton “played it like she won” and stood in her power.

WEDNESDAY
Our kick-off activity of the day was “Discover Your Inner leader” and we began by defining the stereotypes of an “old” leader. The girls had a blast because at the end they got to run through the big poster they had created to bust through the old leadership model. After discussing the main issues they are all concerned with in small groups, they got to present their issues and solutions to the problems which were all very impressive! While in the middle of our activity, somebody came in the room and let us know Michelle Obama was in the Convention Center and about to speak in the Latino Caucus! We all gathered our stuff and literally ran to go hear her speak, which was totally worth it. What really caught me off guard was hearing Mrs. Obama say “Si Se Puede” in such a natural accent. She was incredibly inspirational, was clear about her stake and the issues she cared about. We were all so thankful to have been able to experience and learn from her leadership style—no matter what political party we belonged to.

Later on that evening after having dinner at the Hard Rock Café, we headed to The White House Project 10 Year Anniversary Party. We got to meet one of our idols, Marie C. Wilson, founder of The White House Project and Take Our Daughters To Work Day. All the girls looked great and we all participated with different activities. I worked with Katie, who was our roaming journalist for the week, by filming her while she was interviewing a few politicians who were participating in the event. It was interesting to hear that all these powerful and successful women had been at one point in their lives a part of the Girls Scouts.

THURSDAY
This was our last day with the girls and we wanted to make the best of it so we tried hanging out with them as much as we could. We did our last activity with them which was to finalize their issues and solutions so that they could create their official Platform. The girls got to present one more time, and we all had dinner anxiously waiting for the acceptance speech by Sen. Barack Obama. After the speech, there was a quick debrief with Professor Jennifer Barber and the girls got right back into end of our workshop. We had a short and sweet closing ceremony with acknowledgments to each other and our Inner Leader qualities. I will never forget what one girl said to me: “You always had a smile on your face and brought in a good energy.”

I felt totally complete when she said that because it was exactly what I said my stake would be!

Comments (0) | by Courtney on September 10

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Download this report by the Center for Global Development and read it cover to cover. Excerpts:

• One person in eight—900 million—is a girl or young woman age 10–24.

• In many places girls and young women do not enjoy the basic rights of voting, cannot inherit land, are subject to female genital cutting, and do not have the right to stop unwanted sexual advances or gain justice. As the world seeks to fight poverty and respect fundamental human rights, girls remain nearly invisible to those in positions of power—and yet it is only through major and sustained improvements in the condition of girls that the world will reach its goals.

• Girls undertake much of the domestic labor needed for poor families to survive: carrying water, harvesting crops, tending livestock, caring for younger children, and doing chores.

• A sixth of the world’s young people live on less than $2 a day, including 122 million girls in Sub-Saharan Africa who live on less than $1 a day.

• One-quarter to one-half of girls in developing countries become mothers before age 18. And 14 million girls ages 15–19 give birth each year. Adolescent girls are up to five times more likely to die from complications of pregnancy than women in their 20s, and their babies are also at higher risk of dying.

• Nearly half of sexual assaults worldwide are against girls ages 15 and younger, and girls ages 15–19 in developing countries are at a particularly high risk for physical and sexual violence.

• Around 59 percent of HIV-positive adults in Sub-Saharan Africa—the worst affected region in the world—are women, and 75 percent of infected youth are girls ages 15–24.

• This report takes as a starting point that the wellbeing of girls matters, above all, because they are individuals with inalienable human rights. Nearly all countries are now legally bound to respect, protect, and fulfill women’s and girls’ rights as set out in two treaties: the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. But in many countries and communities girls and young women still experience discrimination and abuse, and many of the public policy measures introduced to redress these issues are not enforced.

"Most important, girls matter because they are human beings. Girls have equal rights to human dignity, self-determination, freedom from violence, good health, education, and participation in economic and political life."

This report offers many powerful recommendations. Read them. The broad agenda includes three key actions:
1. Count girls. Disaggregate data of all types—from health and education statistics to the counts of program beneficiaries—by age and sex. Doing so will make girls more visible to policymakers and reveal where girls are excluded.

2. Invest in girls. Make strategic and significant investments in programs focused on adolescent girls, commensurate with their importance as contributors to the achievement of economic and social goals.

3. Give girls a fair share. In employment, social programs, protection of human rights, and all other domains ensure that adolescent girls benefit equitably. In many cases this will take explicit and deliberate efforts to overcome household and social barriers.

Another recommendation that hit home with us:
Creating safe spaces for girls: Recognizing the value of social networks and access to mentors for girls and young women, civil society organizations (including faith-based organizations) can play a critical role in creating and maintaining safe spaces for girls to congregate, share information and ideas, and obtain support and guidance. Safe and supportive spaces are a vital preventive measure for girls at risk of HIV or sexual violence.

WE'RE IN.

Queue the music...

Report by:
CGD vice president for programs and operations Ruth Levine; Cynthia Lloyd, senior associate with the Poverty, Gender, and Youth program and chair of the Bixby Fellowship program at the Population Coun­cil; Margaret Greene, director of the Population and Social Transitions Team at the International Center for Research on Women; and Caren Grown, economist-in-residence in the Department of Economics at American University.

Comments (0) | by Courtney on July 3

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get in effect here

Comments (1) | by Courtney on June 21

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I've been working on two major leadership thing-ies:

1. The Girl Scouts USA uniquely ME! Leadership Institute (which I'm facilitating July 7-11 in Atlanta). I've been reading through the girls' applications. And, well, if you want to have a good cry while your heart fills with hope and admiration for your fellow girls (and our future leaders), come on over to my house and have a read!

2. Respect Rx. We're taking steps every day, every minute to create powerful event programs and trainings for girls and women and their advocates. We're growing rapidly thanks to the Jens* and other amazing women like our new accounting guru who doubles as a passionate high school music teacher. And thanks to my coach Sharna Fey. And thanks to the supportive coaches I train with at The Coaches Training Institute. This leadership stuff takes a village, people! As it should.

It got me thinking about what kind of leader do I want to be? What kinda leader am I already? I believe we all lead. The question is: What are we leading ourselves and others toward?

When it comes to what kinda leader you want to be, you don't have to copy archetypes you've seen in action: Trump, Bush, Gates, your current boss, your current principal, your mom:). That said, high-profile-role-model pickings can be slim if you want to learn from someone who has walked your walk. Women account for only 2.6% of the Fortune 500 CEOs and 16.4% of Congress members. And of those Congresswomen, only 20 women are women of color.

That said, to me, a leader doesn't have a fancy title and the paycheck to go with it or be elected or be able to pass me toilet paper under the bathroom stall because we share the same gender. You don't need someone exactly like you who came before you to pave the way for you to lead (not that it doesn't help!). At the end of the day, we all are already leaders. And if you feel you don't fit the so-called mold or don't know how to break it, then paste this quote Sharna sent me next to your bathroom mirror:

Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. —Martin Luther King, Jr.

This week's Juicy Question: What kind of a leader are you? And what are you leading yourself and others to**?

*This is not a new rock band:) Jen Jones and Jen Davidson and Jen Uribe are on Team Respect Rx.
**Hey, MLK said it's OK for me to end a sentence with a preposition.

Comments (0) | by Courtney on June 19

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After making the rounds as an inner beauty expert for CosmoGIRL!, I have to say the most exciting events were April 26 in New York and April 19 in Los Angeles. I met the most amazing young women. Oprah: Call these young women today! For the rest of us, add them to your REAL role model list:

Katy Weidner: She won a nationwide CG! essay contest about what she's doing in her community to make a difference. To keep girls friendships strong in the first year of high school, she organized her friends to come together during the holidays and raise funds ($900!) to buy Toys for Tots (and the shopping part was fun too). Katie is committed to girls staying strong by sticking together and giving back together.

Christina Hu: She's a dedicated volunteer for Children to Children and a leader on its Youth Planning Committee. She helped plan the NYC events for Global Youth Service Day. She encouraged girls at the NYC Young Women's Volunteer Summit to follow their volunteering passions!

Chanel Pranckevicus: In 2008, Chanel founded For Young Individuals (FY10304), a non-profit in her Staten Island Community that promotes positive self-development, activism and social responsibility. She is currently planning a non-violence conference in her community. Did I mention she also commutes by ferry and subway every day to attend Medgar Evers CUNY College in Brooklyn? She wants girls to know that: "Change starts with you. And a better you, makes a better community!"

Tara Suri: When she was just 13, Tara founded Helping Orphans Pursue Education (H.O.P.E.) Tara traveled to India to spend one summer at an orphanage and helped raise funds to build a new, safe and warm dormitory there (vs. the thatched-roof they used to sleep under). She's also supported orphanages in Sudan and Ghana. Now she is launching Aandolan.org as a resource for other youth that want to start their own service projects.

SEE PICS BELOW:

www.flickr.com courtneymacavinta's NYC Young Women's Volunteer Summit photoset

Comments (0) | by Courtney on May 12

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Guest post by Vanessa Van Petten, author of You're Grounded!

"You can't write a book, you are just 17, and you are a girl!"

No. Way. I believe that you can do anything you put your mind to, and girls, especially have the power to change the world. When I was 17, I realized the gap between parents and teens was growing even deeper, and parents needed to hear from real teens about what their own kids were doing.

It took many months of late nights, spending all of my allowance and babysitting money and working really hard, but I finally self-published a parenting guide from a teen's perspective—called "You're Grounded!" That is when I realized that we can do anything we work hard at! Here are few ways girls, and parents of girls, can be encouraged to take leadership positions early in life—because you can make a difference:

1. To learn how to plan: Start small
Organize a family dinner or house project. This works especially well for younger girls. Parents: encourage your daughters to take the reigns for a family day and plan the activities, or make one meal per week. An important leadership principle is learning to plan and organize people. So girls, start in your own family and see if you can take an art project and plan the details of buying supplies, getting everyone together and sticking to a time schedule.

2. To learn patience: Think long-term
Do a three-month project. Leaders and entrepreneurs often must work on something diligently for a few months or even years before seeing results. Try to think of a project that you can work on a little bit each day or week, like growing a garden or building a blog with friends. This will teach you patience, persistence and flexibility to stay with a project—all important aspects of leaders.

3. To learn how to work with people: Plan events
Time to throw a party! Event planning, working with people and making something appealing is really important especially if you want to be a leader with something to sell or promote such as a cause or message. Plan a fundraiser at your school, organize a surprise party or family reunion…anything where you can exercise your planning skills and working with other people!

4. To learn motivation: Think passion
Do some soul-searching. Leaders love their cause, love what they do and are very passionate about something. Sit down and really think about what makes you tick. Find a cause, a person or idea that you want to work towards and make your goal sheet with specific goals and put them on colorful pages in your room to see them everyday!

5) To learn scale: Think who
Always think outside the box. True leaders never let anyone tell them "no," they just find another way. When people told me no one would publish my book, I took my allowance and self-published. When I couldn't figure out how to build a Web site, I found a friend who was a computer programmer and traded Spanish lessons for him to build my site. Never give up! Never take "no" for an answer! And never stop looking for ways to achieve your dreams!

Dream big, work hard and you will get there,
Vanessa

Comments (0) | by Courtney on March 20

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YO! Youth Outlook and Wiretap have kicked off a Youth Media Blog-A-Thon about the election. As part of the event, Respect Rx's superstar intern, 18-year-old Jennifer, is speaking out. Here is her post about why she registered to vote in very her first election:

I have never been one to care about politics because from an early age it seemed I learned to tune the whole subject out. This year, however, I have registered to vote in my first election. I feel it would be ridiculous not to vote. I have to admit, I'm not well educated when it comes to all the issues. Still, I feel it is my duty as an American citizen to educate myself and make my voice be heard through my vote. Being part of this disintegrated youth—and a generation in which adolescents seem like they only care about getting “hyphy” or nothing at all when it comes to their community—makes me want to make a difference even more.

I registered to vote because I want everybody who is eligible to vote, especially the youth, to go out there and make their voices heard. We all want change. We hear it every day in our music, television, radio broadcasts and in our classrooms. That is why we all need to take time to make informed choices. If we all vote, it will make a big difference as to the way this country is run and who governs.

I registered to vote because for the first time ever, the elections are not focused necessarily on whether people are voting Democratic or Republican. This is the year history is changing, new faces are rising and are trying to bring out the much needed representation of minority groups. The Democratic campaign has received much press and news coverage for the simple matter of the two candidates who are running for the nomination. Who is running is allowing for more people to be engaged and aware of what is going on in the political scene. I think it is great to be living in a place where now it is becoming more apparent that people can really be represented and there is true freedom as to who can run for president. Whatever happens in the elections, I am proud to say that I have made history with my first vote this time around.

I registered to vote because the next president needs to address what youth and young adults are struggling with every day. For example, with the average college graduate student coming out into the “real world” already in debt and the current economy not allowing for just anybody to jump right into a job, education and the economy are at the top of the list for as far as youth voters are concerned. Statistics from two years ago, estimated that the average college graduate was coming out of school with about $20,000 in debt! That figure is outrageous and without a doubt intimidating. How is anybody supposed to be motivated to go to school when fees only seem to keep increasing every semester? And when everything else you need to buy to survive college keeps burning a deep hole in your pocket? To make matters worse, studies show more and more students are forced to work part-time, sometimes even full-time jobs to try and keep up with the cost of college. Although it is not impossible to balance work, school and any type of social life, nobody can argue with the fact that it is strenuous and really hard on our youth. The education systems all throughout this nation, especially in California, are discriminating against students instead of facilitating the process of getting a higher level of education. Personally, it is extremely frustrating knowing that I will have to find a job as soon as possible because the second I graduate, the pressure is on and the bills will start flowing in.

I registered to vote because this country is begging for a new leader. People are more than ready for change. But this change will only come if each of us does our part and votes so the big picture can truly change into a positive one.

Comments (0) | by Courtney on February 19

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Hey girls (and girl advocates)! I wanted to tell you about an amazing summer camp you might want to check out this year. Omega Teen Camp is an empowering and creativity inspiring camp for teens that was founded at the Omega Institute in New York.

I was a guest teacher at the camp last year. During our daily intensives, myself, my assistant teacher (the fabulous Rachel Myrowitz) and a group of passionate teen girls talked about our experiences with self-respect, sisterhood and social change. We also did a social change web—a tool developed by the awesome org Girls For A Change! (see example below).

The girls focused on the Issue: Why do so many girls have a negative body image? Next, they looked at the Effects of having a negative body image and the Causes of negative body image. Then they came up with their own three-fold social change project to impact a root cause of the problem (that girls need more support from each other to feel comfortable in their own skin!).

And they did this all by just spending a few hours a day together during one week! The girls:

...created and led a workshop for other girls at the camp so they could talk about body image, why so many girls hate their bodies, and what they can do about it!

...designed "INNER beauty bands" with positive affirmations. They wore the bands to remind them about how valuable they are and that they deserve respect (especially from themselves).

...hung positive affirmation signs throughout the camp with phrases to inspire their fellow campers to see their inner beauty—not just what was in the mirror.

The girls were so creative, caring and motivated to make changes. I think they were so primed to work together because of the supportive and progressive environment at Omega. I've been so inspired by the girls that I've been telling other girls around the country about their project!

Comments (0) | by Courtney on February 12

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Last week I walked into the Santa Clara Convention Center for an event that didn't include the usual fare of high-tech company exhibit booths and Powerpoint keynotes. Rather, I walked into a wave of girl anthem and hip-hop beats and a swarm of hundreds of teen girls who were there to celebrate: themselves.

continues on The Huffington Post...

Comments (0) | by Courtney on May 28

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In honor of the Season of Nonviolence, Respect Rx is participating in an amazing conference in San Jose: Carry the Vision. The event will bring together more than 850 youth, parents, community leaders and members of Chavez, Gandhi and King families (I hope those names ring a bell). The goal is to:

ENGAGE with others who are transforming their lives and communities through the power of nonviolence.

LEARN nonviolent practices that allow you to creatively and dynamically meet the challenges of our time.

DISCOVER how the human values of caring and compassion can fuel our commitments to deep and profound change.

REALIZE what you can do to make a difference.

A Youth Leadership Summit is at the heart of the conference. More than 50 youth delegates (including two fabulous young women nominated by Respect Rx) will come together to explore their vision of the future and discover how the principles and practices of nonviolence can be applied to create a visionary model for 21st century leadership in the community and the world. These amazing young adults will also get to interact and learn from legendary social change agents including Arun Gandhi, Ela Gandhi, Yolanda King (keynote), Dr. Bernard Lafayette, Jr., Paul Chavez, Richard Chavez, Dolores Huerta and others.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED
1. Join in: Attend the conference and bring your teens:
Saturday, April 21, 2007
9 AM to 5 PM
Evergreen Valley College
3095 Yerba Buena Rd,
San Jose, CA

2. Practice: Find out how to commit to nonviolence in 64 Ways in 64 Days.

3. Spread the word: Let your friends and family know about the conference.

I hope to see you there--peace be with you (and also with you and you!).

Comments (0) | by Courtney on April 4

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More than my birthday, Fridays or even my anniversary (sorry, honey!), my favorite day of the year is the day of the annual Girl Summit in San Jose organized by Girls For A Change! Yesterday, 1,500 girls gathered to learn how to follow their dreams, the power of sisterhood, and how to change their words (inside and out, as I like to say!).

If you want to feel true bliss, try spending the day in that swarm of beauty, potential, energy, intelligence, creativity and courage. If only every girl there knew how much I worshipped the ground she walks on (shouldn't we all?). I'm at least glad they all got a Respect Rx magnet to cuddle up with:). I did have the honor of personally listening to and talking about respect with about 120 amazing girls during my workshops. They also got empowered by these fabulous role models and social change agents (to name a few):

Cupcake Brown
As keynote speaker the girls were captivated by her journey from an abused teen prostitute and drug addict to a college graduate, lawyer and New York Times best-selling author. I loved how she kept reinforcing how to tell who your real friends are: they are the ones who will encourage you to do your best and follow your dreams.

Soul Force
This hip hop dance company's performance turns gender stereotypes on their head (and many girls said they were inspired by the group to become artists and dancers too).

Harpist from the Hood
Girls got to see how a powerful woman's inner beauty can really shine during this spoken word and harp performance by Destiny. She encouraged them to break down barriers, write down their dreams, and remind themselves "it's about me!" so they can keep trying to do their thing in life.

Rena Stone
This teen poet and social change agent WOW'd the crowd when she spoke from the heart about her life and observations of what it means to be a young woman. She also is on the GFC Action Team at Lionel Wilson Prep and a member of Youth Speaks.

The summit always energizes me to keep going, keep investing in girls (and myself), and keep spreading RESPECT because they (we all) are WORTH it. It's also always a reminder that we still have A LOT of work to do. Case in point? Here are direct quotes from the disrespect dilemmas girls shared during my workshops:

"I lost my virginity at age 13 and feel bad about it." "Why do people call you names about the way you look?" "My parents always fight." "My dad doesn't like to spend time with my sisters and me." "My family judges the way I look." "My dad beat up my mom." "My friend wants to run away from home because her family abuses her." "My dad is in jail and I feel responsible." "I feel like I have to have a boyfriend but I can't get one." "People make fun of my religion." "I'm always stressed because I have too much to do and no time to do it." "My friend cuts herself." "I hate my body."

The girls worked on these dilemmas together using The 7 Respect Basics. It was amazing to see them support each other and share their resourcefulness and wisdom. Though their dilemmas are a reminder that the fight for respect is still on, even in one short hour they proved you can make progress and spread social change! Girls For A Change is doing this everyday and you can join the movement, too:

Volunteer as a Coach
Join a Girl Action Team
Donate

And even if you couldn't be at the summit, take this GFC message to heart:

You are a powerful and brilliant girl!
You are a voice that needs to be heard!!
You are a young woman who can change the world!!!

PS: Girls, if you went to the summit and want to get a copy of RESPECT, fill out the MySay form. Tell me what you loved most about the summit and how it inspired you!

Comments (1) | by Courtney on October 13

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What's really hot? Smart women who are making a difference. Read about the REAL Hot 100 on our sister site InHer City!

Comments (0) | by Courtney on July 12

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I went to an 8th-grade graduation this week where almost every academic award from science to math to history to top of the class went to a young woman. Things seem to be changing: Maybe girls aren't being short-changed anymore?

But all it takes is a quick peek at the global headlines to remind us of how much work we still have to do fight for equal rights/health/peace for our global sisterhood. (Believe it or not, The Gates Foundation + Warren Buffet can’t do it all, but here's hoping.)

Want to make sure every human being gets the respect—and opportunity—she/he deserves? Take a look at these scenarios, and find out how you can take action in 5 minutes or less:

Situation: 1.8 million children are being affected, violated and harmed by conflict in Dafur.
What you can do: Support UNICEF.

Situation: Violence against women and the lack of globally respected human rights is fueling the spread of HIV/AIDS.
What you can do: Support Human Rights Watch.

Situation: The money required to meet the developing world's sexual and reproductive health needs will amount to US$36 billion per year by 2015, according to the new report by the UN Millennium Project.
What you can do: Support free health services for women and girls in your community, and donate to the Global Health Council, and push for free access to the HPV vaccine for all when it hits the market—for starters!

Want to lead your own campaign for social change? Start here.

Comments (0) | by Courtney on June 27

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One of the most amazing experiences I get to have week after week is coaching Girls For A Change Team 13 at Overfelt High School in San Jose. Through this awesome after-school program, these young women are becoming true social change agents.

Their project this year is to prevent teen pregnancy by educating girls about: how to make informed choices, how to protect against the risks that come with being sexually active, and how to get support and resources along the way.

Already they have invited experts to their meetings to educate them about pregnancy and STDs. They came up with a timeline for developing their program and planning a workshop presentation. They have narrowed down the three points they will cover. They even got a grant to fund their project! Every meeting, they are making decisions, leading, listening to one another, and forming strong bonds of sisterhood.

Mostly, they are discovering as one team member, Thalia, put it: "I'm learning that teen girls can get together and change their community."

It's true! We need to give girls the opportunity to speak up and stand out. It builds self-respect and changes our world—for the better.

To join a program like GFC, or to become a GFC coach or mentor for another program, go here.

Comments (0) | by Courtney on April 11

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Want to change your world?

Throughout history, women and girls around the world have bravely fought for respect—taking both small and gigantic risks—so that females everywhere could live more freely, safely, and equally. Every girl can be a respect activist in her home, school, hallways, community, and around the world.

Part of spreading respect is being a girl on a mission. You find your mission by keeping your eyes wide open. When you see a problem, take notice. Imagine what you can do about it, then take a stand by speaking your mind. You can:

• Write a letter to a company if you find fault with its products or practices. Express your opinion and suggest changes.

• Send an email or letter to your congressperson to fight a law that’s unjust or lobby for legislation to better protect girls’ rights.

• Call a meeting with your principal to discuss disrespectful behavior going on at school, what needs to change, and how you might help.

• Speak up if you’ve been sexually harassed, bullied, or abused, or if other girls you know have been harmed by violence. Seek the help of adults you trust or start by calling a crisis helpline.

• Write an editorial for your school or local newspaper about a problem in your community (like if funding has been cut for girls’ after-school programs). Or contact reporters who have written articles about related topics and suggest they explore the problem further.

• Create artwork, poems, stories, or essays that express your views about what’s happening to girls in your community or the world.You might even sell your work to raise money for a cause that supports girls.

•Give a speech at school, attend a local political event, or run for student government to spread the word about respect or other causes you care about.

Click here to download PDF version.

Adapted from RESPECT: A Girl's Guide to Getting Respect & Dealing When Your Line Is Crossed. Copyright © 2005, Courtney Macavinta and Andrea Vander Pluym. For use with permission from Free Spirit Publishing. For more information, contact Amy Dillahunt, 612-338-2068, dillahunt@freespirit.com.

Comments (0) | by Courtney on April 10

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Tens of thousands of students from California to Texas to Washington D.C. have been walking out of class this week. And it's not because they are tired of taking those pesky exit exams.

According to newspaper accounts, the mostly Latino students are taking a stand against U.S. House Bill 4437, which would make it a *felony* to be in the United States illegally and calls for 700 miles of fences along the Southwest U.S. border. The Senate version of the bill, which will be voted on soon, is quite different: it would allow millions of undocumented immigrants to pursue permanent legal status.

No matter how you feel about the legislation, you've got to respect these students for fighting for respect. They feel immigrants' rights are on the line and instead of sitting back, they are standing up to make their voices heard. They risked getting in trouble at school to exercise their rights to free speech and to protest. And people are listening. The Senate bill is more popular now than the House bill.

Fighting for equality and speaking up are Respect Basics. So when you see something going down that violates your—or anyone else's—rights, you can (and should) take action. Not sure where to start? Read on for tips and to find out how students organized the walkouts.

1. Know what you want
To stage a protest or campaign against disrespect, you've got to get clear on a few things:
* What's going down that you don't like?
* Why is it wrong?
* Why should people care?
* What needs to change?
* What's your solution to the problem?

2. Get organized
When you want to start a campaign for social change, you have to find like-minded people to join your fight. So you have to get the word out. For instance, according to the San Jose Mercury News, the student protesters said they learned of the walkouts through posters, word of mouth, text messages and MySpace.com.

Here are some campaign ideas you can try. Or see RESPECT Chapter 12 to learn more about how to organize others, hold meetings and come up with an action plan to spread respect.

3. Use the media
The more people behind your campaign, the better your chances of being heard. That's why the student walkouts are getting so much attention. They drummed up thousands of people to walk out *and* they got the media to cover their protests. In this case, organizers (who include tons of adults), reached out to students for weeks through Spanish-language radio and TV shows. They used the media to help spread the word to students across the country about when and how to walk out.

To contact the media, for starters write a press release. Once you get reporters to cover your campaign, keep them posted on new developments and pick a spokesperson who is passionate but who can also get your point across quickly (i.e. what's wrong, what needs to change and why it matters).

Remember, respect is your birthright but you have to claim it. Speak up and stand out just like thousands of students are doing right now!

More Info >
Help! Social Change + Activism resources

Comments (0) | by Courtney on March 29

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The Boys & Girls Clubs of America released its Youth Report To America—a national survey of 46,000 young people ages 13 to 18. From the Iraq war to violence in schools to education and the pursuit of the "American Dream" the report is a revealing look at the hopes, dreams and concerns of teens.

One of the coolest things about this survey is that is was developed and conducted by teens—so the respondents were probably a tad bit more truthful. The nine-page report is loaded with interesting stats, here's what stood out for me:

• Only one in three teens polled (33%) believe that knowledge is a key to success—that seems low to me! Still, nearly 74% think college is necessary to meet their career goals.

• More than 57% of all respondents say their children will have more challenges than they have. I think every generation can feel this way, but feeling hopeless can lead to inaction. And that leads to the next point…

• When asked "What things can make life better for future generations?" almost 40% said finishing school (smart!). But only 22% said being involved in their communities and JUST 13% said pushing for equal opportunities for everyone.

We can't settle for this disconnect. We need to help all teens see the power of social change and how fighting for all people's rights is the same as standing for yourself (it's their world!). We can start by letting them know that they have rights. Read on for their views on racial harmony which do indicate a strong desire for equality for all.

• More than 1 in 3 youth stated that their relationship with their parents/guardians was most important to them. And 44% admitted that their guardians had more influence over their decisions than their friends (who came in second at 19%). Shocked? Don’t be. Even though teens are pushing for more independence, they tell me they still crave care (even from a distance) and boundaries (even if they don't always like 'em) from their parents. It's simple: It makes them feel safe. They're not totally ready to have the whole weight of the world on their shoulders…

• And the No. 1 way teens say their relationships with adults can be improved? Listening to one another!

When we wrote RESPECT every girl we interviewed said the same thing. And boy don't we all know it. If we all open our big fat ears, the respect will really start to flow. Instead of advising or telling each other what to do, we can all act like good reporters, instead. This means listening close to each other and asking powerful open-ended questions. Teens want to have their say—and they deserve it. Speaking up is a Respect Basic (so is listening up!).

• Speaking of listening, this whole section is worth a close read:

What is the biggest problem in your community?
Crime: 29.88%
Peer pressure: 25.74%
Teen pregnancy: 18.71%
Lack of jobs: 16.07%
Other (drugs, gangs, all of the above): 9.59%
(The teen girls I work with every week through Girls For A Change say the *exact* same thing. In fact, their social change project this year was tie between trying to keep their local middle school little sisters from getting into gangs vs. getting pregnant. After many heart-to-hearts, they decided to develop a teen pregnancy prevention program for girls ages 12 to 14!)

What causes teens the greatest stress?
Peer pressure/fitting in: 37.00%
School: 25.47%
Relationships: 19.24%
Violence: 11.35%
Other (school, money, all of the above): 6.94%

What is your greatest fear?
Going to war: 26.72%
Not graduating from high school: 25.69%
Losing a good friend: 19.46%
Not getting a job: 15.90%
Other (dying, losing loved one, God): 12.23%

What is the No. 1 problem facing teens in America?
Drugs/Alcohol: 39.69%
Lack of security/violence: 21.05%
Race relations: 15.96%
Poverty: 14.91%
Other (peer pressure, sex/teen pregnancy, all of the above): 8.38%

• Like generations before, they are worried about violence and race relations. They say ending racism and creating harmony among all people will reduce conflict, unite our country and strengthen communities.

• Here's my favorite. More than 69% feel that one of those responsibilities that Americans have is to vote. And when asked "What is your idea of the American dream?" Personal happiness won by a landslide at 41%.

Now they didn't say having a massive Super Sweet 16 party, iPods or being famous, OK? Young adults totally get it that deep down, having a mission in life and following your passions is the real deal. And living the dream starts with having respect on the inside, creating strong relationships, and spreading respect for all people. They spoke, let's listen. And lend our support.

Comments (0) | by Courtney on March 18

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Part of spreading respect is being a girl on a mission. You find your mission by keeping your eyes wide open. And when you see a problem, you take notice. You imagine what you can do about it. Then you take a stand by speaking your mind.

Using the Internet is a savvy way to recruit volunteers for your cause, to plan your campaign, and to brainstorm. And if you’re on a one-girl mission, it’s a great way to get the word out! Here are a few ways to get started online:

Web site or blog
You can create a site that documents the problem, what you want to do about it, and how people can help you. To create a blog and organize your supports, try: MySpace

Email or newsletter
Want to be heard? You can start an email campaign to speak out against the disrespectful actions of a company, politician, or organization. Your take-action group can also use email to share information and organize. To promote your campaign or keep people up to date, try: Bravenet mailing lists.

email list (and the people you invite can invite new people). This is a great way to build support for your cause, brainstorm, and keep everyone connected through email or your network’s homepage. To start an online network, try: Yahoo Groups.

More Info > Help! Social Change + Activism | Girl On a Mission
RESPECT "Chapter 12: Spreading Respect"

Comments (0) | by Courtney on January 31

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Making a change might involve getting attention from the media, decision-makers, the community, and girls who are affected by a particular issue. To promote your campaign by getting exposure in print media, you gotta know how to construct a powerful press release that will get the attention of the editor or writer. Here’s what your press release should have:

HEADLINE: Write an eye-catching headline just like the ones you read in newspapers and magazines.

DATE (month, day, and year)

DATELINE (city and state)

LEAD: You can start your release several ways:
+ A news hook. What is the event/campaign about, when will it take place, and who’s involved?
+ The issue. Focus on the problem: Media outlets love problems! Describe what’s negatively impacting girls, and what your group aims to change.
+ Your successes. If your campaign is already going strong and you want to get coverage to drum up more support, start with a paragraph describing your own success story.

QUOTE: Include a quote from a well-spoken person (how about you?) about the problem, and what needs to change (or what you have changed). Or list some strong facts or statistics about the problem.

WHAT: Give more details and background about your group, event, campaign, or call to action.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: List who the media can contact for interviews, more details and, if you have one, your Web site address.

Comments (0) | by Courtney on January 30

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Check out these resources to fight for your rights and spread respect!

ORGS + WEB SITES
Ask Amy
www.feminist.com/askamy
You can ask questions about your rights and how to be an activist, and find out more about issues that affect girls. Check out Amy's Most Asked Questions to get started.

Contact Congress Members
www.house.gov/writerep
Find the name of your Congressperson and you can even send an email from this site, or learn where to send a letter.

Do Something
www.dosomething.org Grants for young people who are leading projects to change their communities. Plus, the organization creates a cool magazine with advice on how to "do something" and success stories.

E the People
646-536-9305
www.e-thepeople.org
Free, nonpartisan public forum where you can talk politics and connect with lawmakers nationwide.

Femme Revolution
http://femmerevolution.8m.com
Lists the postal and email addresses of many popular girls' and women's magazines, and provides examples of letters you can write in protest of disrespectful articles or advertisements.

Idea List
212-843-3973
www.idealist.org
Resources for starting social change projects and organizations started by other young people who are making a difference.

National Council of Women's Organizations
202-293-4505
www.womensorganizations.org
A nonpartisan, nonprofit umbrella organization of almost 200 groups that represent more than 10 million women across the United States. You can learn about organizations already taking action and how you can join them.

Take the Lead
413-538-2409
www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/comm/takethelead
Offers a weekend designed for idealistic, action-oriented young women from across the country who want to make a difference in the world. Participate in fun interactive workshops and activities that build leadership skills and come up with your own action project.

UNICEF: Voices of Youth
www.unicef.org/voy
Communication skills for young activists, including letter writing, public speaking, event planning, creating posters and leaflets, and dealing with the media.

Women's Human Rights Net
www.whrnet.org
Tools, news, resources, and organization listings for how getting involved in the fight for girls' rights.

Youth Action Net
410-951-1500
www.youthactionnet.org
Launched by the International Youth Foundation (IYF), this is a place for young adults to connect with each other to make a difference in their communities.

BOOKS
Grassroots: A Field Guide for Feminist Activism
by Jennifer Baumgardner, Amy Richards
This book shows young women how to move beyond activism like donating money and writing to politicians and how to make a far-reaching impact by organizing your friends, your community, and yourself!

The Kid's Guide to Social Action: How to Solve the Social Problems You Choose—and Turn Creative Thinking into Positive Action
by Barbara A. Lewis
Step-by-step instructions show how to write letters, do interviews, make speeches, take surveys, raise funds, get media coverage, and more. Forms to create petitions, proclamations, and news releases are included.

Teens on Trial: Young People Who Challenged the Law—and Changed Your Life
by Thomas A. Jacobs
Learn how teens turned their power into social action and changed the law.

Teen Power Politics: Make Yourself Heard
by Sara Jane Boyers
How you can figure out what you stand for, get organized, or join an activism movement. Includes true stories about teen activists and resources.

llustration by Catherine LePage © Free Spirit Publishing Inc. 2005

Comments (0) | by Courtney on December 29

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