She's the First

For this week’s , we proudly shine the spotlight on Andrea and Philip, two extraordinary individuals whose passion for She's the First is making a huge impact.

Andrea, a dynamic project manager and self-care advocate, and Philip, an innovative entrepreneur in the golf industry, are a powerhouse duo who believe in the transformative power of education and mentorship.

Andrea's journey with STF began at an environmental workshop in 2014, leading her to establish a high school chapter, engage deeply through college, and intern as a Programs Intern. Her leadership and commitment to empowering others are a testament to the organization's impact. Now, alongside her husband Philip, Andrea will be running the NYC Marathon this November in support of STF, This continues to be a special event for them, as they got engaged before their first marathon in 2022.

Thank you Andrea and Philip for all you do to support She’s the First and our mission!

Want to be part of this incredible movement for girls’ education and empowerment? Learn more: https://loom.ly/AzToFgY or click the link in our bio to join The Front Row! During the month of September, new members who sign up at $30+ Per Month will receive a free STF T-shirt!

From real-talk discussions led by girls to hands-on workshops about designing sexual and reproductive health and rights programming, the Girls First Summit is all about empowering girls and creating change. Don't miss out on the highlights—check out the full story! 🌍✨

https://loom.ly/WqQryyM



[📸: Photos 1-8 in Nairobi by Sarah Waiswa for She’s the First; Photos 9-13 in Kampala by Zahara Abdul + Candid Local for She’s the First]

Happy Women's Equality Day! Today, we celebrate the incredible strides made toward gender equality, especially in education and leadership opportunities for girls around the globe. From classrooms to boardrooms, girls are breaking barriers and redefining what's possible. But our work is far from over.

Millions of girls still face obstacles that keep them from reaching their full potential. Let’s continue to champion their dreams and ensure that every girl has the tools to succeed. Together, we can create a world where every girl has equal rights and opportunities.

Get involved, spread awareness, and support girls everywhere!

We're thrilled to feature the incredible Henah Velez this week for our ! As a talented content writer and editor, Henah has been a pivotal force in championing girls' rights and education. Her journey with She's the First began as the Development and Communications Manager, and today she continues to inspire from her role at Money with Katie, a visionary personal finance brand for women.

This legacy fuels Henah's commitment to creating a world where every girl can chase her dreams, regardless of her background. As she passionately states, "I often think about the fact that other girls and women in my life in India were not born into the same fortuitous circumstances as I was, and so I donate and fight for a world where every girl can have access to her own dreams and goals regardless of where they're born or their socioeconomic situation."

Join us in celebrating Henah's journey and her unwavering dedication to empowering girls everywhere.

Meet Ariadna, She’s the First Girl Activist Fellow, a member of the Girls Advisory Council, and the youngest delegate at the IX Conference of States Parties for the Belém do Pará Convention!

At just 19, Ariadna stood out as a powerful voice advocating for nonsexist education and integral sexual education to help eradicate gender violence. Her inspiring journey at the convention in Santiago showcases the incredible impact youth can have in shaping policies and driving change.

Read about her experience, the challenges faced, and the strategies discussed to combat gender violence: https://loom.ly/TBoWOfs

Education is a right, not a privilege. Yet, countless girls around the world are denied this basic human right. This is where She's the First steps in. We are fighting for a world where every girl can choose her own future.

We team up with grassroots leaders to ensure that girls everywhere are educated, respected, and heard. From New York to Uganda, we are making an impact on the lives of girls around the globe. But we can't do it alone. We need your help.

So, will you join us? Your donation can make a huge difference. Let's ensure that every girl gets the chance to be the first: https://loom.ly/5g0-iO0



📸: 1) Kate Lord () 2) Florence Goupil (.goupil) 3) Pascal Arrey () 4) Uma Bista (uma.bista) 5) Pascal Arrey () 6) Ruhani Kaur (.Kaur)

Happy National Booklovers Day! 📚✨

Today, we're celebrating with "Impact" by our incredible co-founders Tammy Tibbetts and Christen Brandt. This book is not just a source of inspiration; it's a catalyst for change. Every purchase directly supports She's the First's mission to empower girls around the world.

Join us in spreading the joy of reading and making a difference. Support She’s the First by purchasing “Impact” and learning how to make a difference in today’s world: https://loom.ly/APvf4z4

📢 Exciting news! She's the First is on THREADS!

Join us to stay updated on our mission to ensure girls everywhere are educated, respected, and heard. By following us, you'll get exclusive insights, inspiring stories, and updates on our latest initiatives.

Follow us on THREADS if you haven’t already: https://loom.ly/1NfEuWA

Empowerment, art, and the voices of young girls in Goma, DRC, come together in an inspiring showcase of murals that speak louder than words.

Walking through the neighborhood, you’ll spot two large murals that highlight a local Girls’ Bill of Rights, inspired by The Global .

Discover how Colors of Connection and Tulizo_Elle_Space_drc are transforming communities and igniting change through creativity. A story of resilience, courage, and the power of claiming one's rights.

For the full story, check out our most recent news article: https://loom.ly/watSPZs

📷:

Today, National Intern Day, we highlight and celebrate our amazing interns and all their hard work to ensure girls everywhere are educated, respected, and heard. Here are our current interns:

💗 Olivia Barbara is our Advocacy Intern; she works to keep our chapters program and Girl Activist Fellowship running smoothly for girls around the world.

💗 Sabrina Zheng is also an Advocacy Intern. As a peer to the girls we serve, she helps us create content for special programming events and is producing the next edition of The Girl Gazette.

💗 Stellah Angulu joined the team as our Program Intern assisting with our community-based organization programs. She works closely with the organizations in our Girls First Network and assists with the administration of the Girls First Institute.

We also want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our past interns. Each of you has played a vital role in helping She's the First fight for a world where every girl chooses her own future. Your hard work, creativity, and dedication have left a lasting impact on our organization and the communities we serve.

Thank you for being part of our journey and contributing to the success of She's the First. We couldn't do it without you!

At the stroke of 4 pm PDT / 7 pm EDT, our fairy tale begins. See you at the YouTube livestream with our Global Ambassador Malia Baker () and Dr. Sheril Antonio of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts () where we’ll be talking about the representation of women in fairy tale films 📽👠🕟✨

RSVP at the QR code, bit.ly/rsvpmb, or link in bio!

Did you know the empowering What Would You Do? (WWYD) game was designed to help girls navigate real-life scenarios, build confidence, and develop critical thinking skills?

It’s an awesome way to foster healthy conversations around girls’ empowerment and the many things girls around the Globe deal with in today's society.

Exciting Update! Our Girls First Institute now offers a certification program! By receiving training on the WWYD game, you are a step closer to earning Girl-Centered Design Certification for your organization!

The Girl First Institute offers comprehensive training and recognition for those dedicated to championing girls’ rights and education worldwide.

To learn more about the WWYD game and how you can get a certification in Girl-Centered Design, check out our website: https://loom.ly/HdtvPWI

📣 Exciting News!

We are thrilled to announce the relaunch of our Girl First Institute with an all-new certification program designed to empower women leaders who uplift girls in their communities.

Our Girl-Centered Design Certification Program offers grassroots leaders cutting-edge training, equipping you with essential skills to create effective programming, host ethical focus groups, and develop life-changing mentorship programs for girls.

With two levels of certification—Essential and Advanced—your organization will gain recognition and tools to make a significant impact:
⭐️ Essential Certification: Foundational training in girl-centered program design, facilitation skills, and impact measurement.
⭐️ Advanced Certification: Intensive three-year programs featuring tailored training, funding, and coaching, including initiatives like the Girl-Centered Incubator.

Complete our training, earn your certification badge, and showcase your commitment to transforming girls' lives. 🌎✨

Join us in building a world where every girl chooses her own future. Learn more and get started today: https://loom.ly/EhoQ__w



📸: Slide 3) Kate Lord () Slide 6) Sarah Waiswa ()

Last Thursday, we held our 8th annual Girls First Summit in Nairobi, Kenya!

This one-day professional development event is for courageous women working with underserved girls in their communities—and opens the door to long-term networking and certification with She's the First, 80 women attended (at no cost), bringing 32 girls, from all over Kenya. Many traveled several hours from rural communities to access this rare opportunity.

In practical ways, we tackled issues of teaching sexual health and reproductive rights, designing programs with girls' voices and decision-making at the forefront, and pursuing funding.

There is so much more to share—but we're off to Uganda to do it all again in Kampala on Thursday! So for now, see what attendees had to say. 😀

📸: Sarah Waiswa

The Girls First Summit is on!
The , a session developed for girls to share insights as experts to practitioners, is a method for organizations to center girls' voices and strengthen programming possibilities.

This year's experts are from , , and .

Pride Month 🌈 may be ending, but our commitment to all girls having the right to choose whom they love, regardless of gender, and to express their sexuality without censure will never end.

Today, we're proud to shine a light on the RANG Foundation, one of the community-based organizations we serve in our Girl-Centered Incubator Fellowship Program. This India-based community organization, led by Ausmiita Sarkar, is dedicated to empowering gender, sexual, and romantic minorities (GSRM) by creating safe spaces, advocating for rights, and providing access to support systems.

RANG's initiatives have sensitized over 200 adolescents on sexual and reproductive health, engaged 300+ GSRM individuals in meaningful online conversations, and created safe, supportive spaces for over 100 q***r individuals through storytelling and social activities.

Our Girl-Centered Incubator is a 3-year program for young, visionary founders like Ausmita, who are under the age of 30 and started a community-based program within the last 3 years. The goal is that over the next 3 years, we can strengthen them for long-term success and growth, so they can reach thousands of girls who need safe spaces and education.

Thank you to RANG for your bravery in leading the way.

Safiya is making waves in Southeast Asia!

Co-authors and previous She’s the First Girl Activist Fellows, Anya Legarda and Allison Choong have been making strides in Southeast Asia to introduce the children's book, Safiya Speaks Up!, to more girls across the globe ! Their incredible work with Safiya Speaks Up! is making waves across the Philippines and Malaysia to inform girls to educate young girls about how to combat sexual violence and use their voices. From distributing books to receiving prestigious awards, their dedication is truly inspiring.

Check out the full story and see how they're changing lives: https://loom.ly/i7VYmK0

📣 HEAR FROM THE GIRLS

Meet Gymara and Calessi, two inspiring young girls from our partner, K**i Kawsay! Using their incredible artistic talents, they've created vibrant, colorful posters that celebrate the vital importance of girls' rights around the world.

Gymara and Calessi's creativity shines through in every word, highlighting The Global Girls' Bill of Rights and the need to uplift and protect girls and women everywhere.

Join us in applauding their dedication and artistry as they champion a brighter future for all girls! 🎨💪

**iKawsay

Follow the inspiring journey of our Senior Programs Manager, Ceci Arriaza, from her time working with our incredible partner, MAIA Impact, to her role today at She’s the First, where she leads Ellas al Frente, our joint three-year program to improve outcomes for girls in the Northern Triangle . Through it all, MAIA has been a steadfast partner at the forefront of empowering Indigenous girls through education and leadership.

Discover how MAIA's innovative approach and local expertise have transformed lives, celebrated with every chant of "Empowered Woman, Infinite Impact!" The appointment of Indigenous Mayan women Andrea Coche and Lidia Oxí as co-executive leaders showcases the powerful impact of community-led efforts.

Read Ceci’s full story and learn about the transformative work happening at MAIA Impact: https://shesthefirst.org/news-blog-roll/2024/6/3/empowered-woman-infinite-impact-my-journey-with-maia-and-shes-the-first

Together, we continue to champion the rights and potential of girls everywhere.



📷: 1 & 4: Kincho Films, 2 & 3: Images for MAIA Impact

Education is a right, not a privilege. Yet, countless girls around the world are denied this basic human right. This is where She's the First steps in. We are fighting for a world where every girl can choose her own future.

We team up with grassroots leaders to ensure that girls everywhere are educated, respected, and heard. From New York to Uganda, we are making an impact on the lives of girls around the globe. But we can't do it alone. We need your help.

So, will you join us? Learn more about us and how you can support: https://loom.ly/WUFZfOA



📸:
1) Kate Lord at Savana Kitui in Kenya
2) Florence Goupil at K**i Kawsay in Peru
3) Pascal Arrey at GLAMI - Girls Livelihood and Mentorship Initiative in Tanzania
4) Uma Bista at The Small World in Nepal
5) Pascal Arrey at GLAMI - Girls Livelihood and Mentorship Initiative in Tanzania
6) Ruhani Kaur at Sahas Foundation in India

With the backlash on women's rights around the globe, building the next generation of educated girl activists is essential to ensuring a future where all girls can choose their own futures.

This month, we sat down with Ira Kulkarni, a recent graduate of the Girl Activist Fellowship, and her father who supported her through the entire program, to hear about what happens when we stop underestimating a girl's power and start amplifying her voice: https://shesthefirst.org/news-blog-roll/dadsandactivists

The Kulkarni's Advice for Dads and Girl Activists — She's the First What happens when we empower girls rather than work to hinder their ambitions? Ira & Pradeep Kulkarni reflect on their journey with STF and offer advice for daughters who want to change the world, and Dads who hope to support them.

Today, on World Day Against Child Labor, we stand by girls who demand to have a childhood. . At She’s the First, we believe that education is a powerful tool in breaking the cycle of child labor. By partnering with grassroots leaders and community organizations worldwide, we create transformational outcomes for girls, empowering them to become leaders and advocates for their rights.

In our girl-centered design trainings, mentors learn skills that improve their abilities to identify vulnerable girls in their communities who need intervention. They’re then better equipped to take action. At the same time, our advocacy training programs and tools are not just about education but instilling confidence, empowering girls to advocate for themselves and fight against the injustices they face, including child labor.

Join us in this fight. Together, we can create a world where every girl is educated, respected, and heard. Let's work towards a future where child labor is a thing of the past and every girl can realize her full potential.

Did you know that empowering girls not only changes their lives but also strengthens communities, economies, and the world? We believe in the power of every girl to create change, and we're celebrating the unstoppable strength, resilience, and potential of girls globally. But we can't do it alone—we need your help!

Here’s how you can support She's the First:
1️⃣ Advocate: Speak up for girls' education and rights. Use your voice to raise awareness about girls' challenges and how big a difference having a solid support system can make for her future.
2️⃣ Share Our Resources: Help spread the word by sharing our educational materials, stories, and resources with your network. Your reach can amplify our message and inspire others to join the cause.
3️⃣ Get Involved Engage with our community by volunteering your time and skills. Whether by organizing events, mentoring, or joining local chapters, your involvement makes a difference.

Join us in this multifaceted approach to empower girls and make a difference today: https://loom.ly/MXf1exc



📸: 1) Ruhani Kaur 2) Kate Lord 3) Florence Goupil

Are you a community-based organization dedicated to empowering girls? We have an essential resource that helps you do just that! In collaboration with MAIA Impact, we created the Listening to Girls toolkit—crafted to ensure girls are educated, respected, and heard.

This powerful toolkit includes:

1️⃣ A detailed guide on using focus groups to incorporate girls' voices into your decision-making.
2️⃣ An in-depth case study demonstrating its real-world applications.
3️⃣ An explanatory video to help your team effectively implement the toolkit.
4️⃣ Available in both English and Spanish for broader accessibility.

Use this toolkit to design and evaluate programs that center girls' perspectives and significantly impact their lives. Visit our website now to access it: https://loom.ly/Ovdz8f0

As we close another empowering National Teen Self-Esteem Month this May, we at She's the First reflect on the profound impact of fostering high self-esteem among teens. We've continued to highlight the courage, strength, and potential of young individuals around the globe, with a special focus on girls who are learning to tap into their unparalleled power and strength.

Our mission has always been clear—to ensure that girls everywhere are educated, respected, and heard. With over half a million girls impacted in 42 countries, we've seen firsthand how crucial self-esteem is for empowering the next generation of women leaders, history-makers, and trailblazers.

Self-esteem is more than just feeling good about oneself; it's the foundation upon which girls build the confidence to advocate for themselves and others. Through our girl-centered design and activism training, we ensure that every girl learns how to speak up for herself in her home, school, and community. We're working tirelessly to create environments where girls can thrive, supported by mentors who champion their agency every step of the way.

As we wrap up National Teen Self-Esteem Month, remember that the work doesn't stop here. Every day presents a new opportunity to inspire, uplift, and empower. Will you join us in supporting girls every day to build a better place for women across the globe?

Together, we can continue to break barriers and build futures. Because the patriarchy doesn’t take a day off, and neither will we.

Empower a girl, empower the future.



📸: 1) Jade Media LLC 2) Uma Bista 3) Pascal Arrey 4) Uma Bista 5) Pascal Arrey

Two girls, Lara Almeida and Seun Samuel, co-presidents of the STF Chapter at Clark High School, are championing gender equality by asking, "Why do you need feminism?" They and their fellow chapter members are breaking stereotypes and addressing the disparities girls face, advocating for equality, education, and empowerment. Their stories remind us why we all need feminism and inspire us to act in our communities.

Read more about their inspiring work: https://shesthefirst.org/stf-blog/2024/5/13/why-do-you-need-feminism-shes-the-first-chapter-speaks-up

Join us in celebrating these young activists who are paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable world.

Why Do You Need Feminism? — She's the First Why do you need feminism? Challenging stereotypes about what it means to be feminist and connecting it to their personal lives, students at Clark High School’s She’s the First Chapter in Plano, Texas, crafted empowering posters answering this compelling question.