This grant will utilize 'He Named Me Malala' as part of a training to support young women in becoming a larger part of the political discourse so that their concerns are heard and addressed. The project will include a town hall event focused on girls' issues, three swing state digital media journalism trainings for young women and outreach support for an online training kit.
Girls' rights need to be a larger part of the National Presidential dialogue. We believe that young people, especially girls, need to mobilize to hold elected officials accountable around issues relevant to marginalized girls such as reproductive rights, violence against women, education reform, #blacklivesmatter and immigration rights.
The goal of the project is to amplify girls' voices and concerns, taking their issues directly to politicians running for political office at both the State and National level. We will provide interviewing tools to approach candidates and train girls on how to raise their voices surrounding issues that matter to them. By showcasing role models like Malala, we hope to inspire young people around the country to understand the issues, engage political leaders and become forces of social change.
Promote civic engagement, youth leadership and democracy building in traditionally under-served communities, and ultimately lay the groundwork for future leaders like Malala Yousafzai that "put girls' rights at the center of the story."
