Girls voices matter in Chicago and abroad

Thanks to the support of our generous donors, a Global Girls team of 12 traveled to Grenada, the southernmost island in the Caribbean, and empowered 35 girls from three different high school to use their voices and advocate for changes which they identified at the start of our work. Not only did the Grenadian girls grow into strong, courageous young women, but the Chicago girls grew as they learned more about themselves and grew as facilitators willing to become vulnerable as they provided a safe space for their new “Globes” to express their vulnerability.

Each morning, the team met and reviewed the work agenda and assignments for the day. Every night, we debriefed and worked through issues and challenges the members faced. Remember, this was a girls—led initiative. So, our Chicago girls were responsible for small circle discussions where girls talked directly to girls, created bonds with those girls, learned to trust those girls and grew into sisterhoods with those girls.

It was an incredible journey of discovery and freedom. All of the girls learned that they had similar issues and that more than we ever imagined from both groups had experienced sexual violence. Tears flowed. Hands were held. Hugs all around the room on the day that the superficial dam broke and authentic feelings were released.

The final show gave us all goose bumps as girls who at the beginning of the initiative were shy, spoke in hushed, respectful tones, folded into themselves when asked to stand and simply say their names. These very same girls stood tall and acted in scenes they created, delighted in dances they learned in just nine days and then, at the end of the program, took to the microphone and told parents and peers and community and business leaders how they felt just being a girl and what they wanted others to know about the power of being a girl.

The schools, at the urgings of the girls and the teacher liaisons, have now started Grenada Global Girls groups who meet weekly and will carry out quarterly girls’ advocacy events and performances. The girls still community with our girls through social media.  The parents, who treated us to a beach activity day on our last full day in Grenada have committed to listening to their daughters and working to ensure that Grenada Global Girls has all the resources it needs to flourish.

Comments from the Grenada girls included:

“Thanks for helping me use my voice.”

“This is the first time people really listened to me and gave me a chance to say what I felt.”

“There are lots of things we go through, but we keep it all to ourselves because we don’t think anyone wants to hear us cause we’re just girls.”

“I love being a Global Girl because I am strong and I can dance. I love dancing and saying what I feel when I’m acting.”

Comments from the Chicago girls included:

“I am a changed person after working with the girls. I learned so much about myself. I’m not returning the same person who started this trip.”

“At first, when you told us we were going to Grenada, I was so scared. I was only thinking about me and the plane ride and being in a different country away from my family. Now, I understand that the work we did here, was so much bigger than me. I want to keep on working on things that are bigger than me. It feels good helping other girls.”

We now go to Mombasa, Kenya in east Africa to work with a group of Global Girls there. I’m taking a group of 10 to work with our 40 girls and give them opportunities to express their feelings and concerns in a safe space. We’ll also meet with adult advisors to ensure that the program follows the protocols we’ve created.

Without the support of our donors, none of this would be possible. We sincerely thank everyone who gave and those who will give to Global Girls.