Girls voices matter in Chicago and abroad

In a few short weeks, 2016 will come to an end. But what an event-filled year 2016 was for Global Girls as you can see in our attached newsletter! One of the highlights was our john D. and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation funded arts exchange initiative in Grenada, West Indies. Nine of our girls ages 12 to 18 spent 17 days in Grenada, worked with 30 girls (10 from three different schools in the Telescope region) and showcased a final performance for over 200 students, teachers, school staff, government officials, parents and business and community members at the end of our engagement.

We made lots of friends and connections while there and became known as the “Chicago” dancers. Our Chicago travelers still regularly communicate with many of the Grenada on social media.  We are resuming contact with partners on the ground to make certain the Grenada Global Girls will come to Chicago in March 2017! Each school has been fundraising for the trip.  We expect that at least 10 of the 30 girls will make the trip and perform with us in a series of shows in and around Chicago.

One school in particular is continuing a Global Girls performance group. Because the schools we worked with do not have a performing arts curriculum, I am creating a Global Girls guide complete with detailed lessons, activities, sample skits and even a demonstration video that I can share with the schools to help them continue creating our unique brand of socially conscious, youth driven theatre.

Thanks to your support, girls are learning from one another, stepping outside their comfort zones as they learn new possibilities and using their voices to say what's on their minds and in their hearts. 

• Global Girls quarterly newsletter (PDF)