Bainbridge Island Girl Up: Empowering Girls to Lead

Straight Talk

Founded by the United Nations Foundation in 2010, Girl Up works with a global community of partners to achieve gender equality worldwide. Girl Up Clubs are billed as champions for change that have had a huge impact on girls around the world, empowering both people in their own communities and adolescent girls in developing countries to rise up. Through education, fundraising, advocacy and service, Girl Up Club members develop the leadership skills necessary to make a positive difference in the lives of girls everywhere. There are more than 3,100 clubs registered in 48 states and territories and 98 countries. Bainbridge Island Girl Up was founded by Merrill Keating In December 2018 to provide an exciting and unique opportunity for middle and high school girls on the island to engage and step up as leaders on behalf of all girls and women in the world. She also wanted to encourage high school members to serve as mentors to younger girls, and for the club to work with adult women and advisors to advocate on important issues. Finally, she wanted a forum where members could attend and represent Girl Up at local, national and international events, and learn or improve their advocacy, public speaking, fundraising, and event-planning skills. Join us as we learn more about this club and movement, its efforts and initiatives to date or going forward, and how girls and women can engage.