After a month of interning at Girls Empowerment Network, I thought I had finally figured everything out. I thought I already knew what an amazing organization GEN is and how awesome their programs are. After attending the first annual GEN Town Hall, I realized that I did not understand the true impact of GEN before now.
Read MoreLaura Furr is our September Volunteer of the Month! Congratulations Laura!
“Laura was an incredible co-facilitator because she was so genuinely interested in the girls and loved talking with them/getting to know them. She helped me immensely by handing out passes to group members, leading check-in, reinforcing guidelines, and contributing to discussion. The girls at Bertha Sadler Means looked up to Laura and missed her when she was unable to be at group. Thank you, Laura, for your leadership and friendship the past two years,” says Chloé LaPorte, GEN Program Coordinator.
Read MoreClarisa Ramirez is our Volunteer of the Month for August! Congratulations Clarisa!
Clarisa began volunteering with GEN in 2007 as a chauffeuse (female chauffeur) for high school girls to and from programs. In 2014, Clarisa began helping out with Pathfinder. She chaired the GENthusiast Society (now the Girl Advocacy League), and helped it grow to over 175 members. She now serves as a GAL’s liaison to the board, as well as a GEN board member.
Read MoreWe here at GEN love sharing and promoting the amazing work that young women and girls are doing in their local, national, and even global communities. Here are ten young women to keep your eye on; we can’t wait to see what GENcredible things they do next!
Read MoreWhen I stepped out of the plane onto the dusty ground of Haiti, I had no idea the empowerment and knowledge that I would gain from the trip. My first view of Haiti was the dilapidated houses stacked on top of one another, the trash that seemed to litter every small nook and cranny of the structures, and the sheer amount of people sitting in the hot sun, watching the traffic go by. It was all very much to take in; how could we expect to change the lives of these people? However, through the course of the week, I learned from some of the most strong and confident female doctors, and more importantly, I was able to have hope for a better future for Haitians.
Read MoreLaney Sheffel is both our Volunteer of the Month for July, and our Emerging Leader of the Year! Congratulations Laney!
Read MoreOne of the most exciting events here at GEN is the Pathfinder Leadership Summit — a week-long program for girls entering grades 9-12 at our office, packed full of workshops and activities.
Read MoreIn March, the Girl’s Empowerment Network hosted Girl’s Advocacy Day with the goal of inspiring young people to become involved in politics, whether that’s on a local or national level. This event was particularly important considering the rise of student activism that has resulted after the Parkland school shooting. More high school and middle students have now realized that just because they can’t vote doesn’t mean that they don’t have a say in legislation.
Read MoreSarah Kay is my favorite poet.
In the world of poets, old and young, classic and modern, alive and dead, I can say with confidence that she is my all-time favorite.
Read MoreSchool may be out for the summer, but our newest interns are just getting started here at the Girl’s Empowerment Network. In this blog post, we want to introduce you to our fabulous and fierce group of gals that will be helping everything run smoothly this summer at GEN.
Read MoreMonica Richardson is not only our Volunteer of the Month for June, she is also our Volunteer of the Year! Congratulations Monica!
Read MoreComing into GEN as an intern in January, I had never thought about how impactful an agency’s culture can be. I had worked in places before which, although I enjoyed working there, didn’t have a specific, intentional office culture that was implemented. At GEN, I quickly learned that culture is not about amenities or the activities we do with one another — it is lived and breathed everyday in how we communicate, how we treat one another, and what we value.
Read MoreOn Friday, May 18, 2018, GEN took fifteen 8th grade girls from KIPP College Prep Middle School to visit the Dell Parmer Campus. They spent the day touring the Dell campus and learning from eighteen wonderful Dell employees.
Read MoreWe have two amazing sessions of campGEN 2018! Own My Power is from June 18th through 22nd and Use My Power is from July 16th through 20th. We’re still in need of some supplies for camp, identified below. If you’re interested in helping ignite the power in girls by donating materials from the list below, please email GEN’s Outreach Coordinator Claudia at claudiaa@girlsempowermentnetwork.org.
Read MoreGirls Empowerment Network Receives $10,000 Grant from Texas Bar Foundation, Expanding Services to Improve Self-Efficacy in At-Risk Girls in Harris County
GEN programming helps girls stay in school, stay on track, and stay out of juvenile court system
Read MoreIn early May 2018, we held a kick-off event for the Pathfinder Giving Circle, which funds scholarships for girls attending the Pathfinder program. Pathfinder helps girls navigate the road to college, career, and independence, and includes a six-day summit in June as well as monthly workshops year-long. A $500 gift provides one girl access to the Summit or to attend the monthly workshops, and a $1,000 gift provides one girl with access to both the Summit and the monthly workshops. If you’re interested in joining the Pathfinder Giving Circle, your membership fee of $500 will make the Pathfinder Program accessible to one ambitious girl who cannot afford it, and $1,000 will take her even further. Click here to scholarship a girl today.
Read MoreWe’re thrilled to announce our partnership with Camp Lantern Creek, an incredible girls’ summer camp in Montgomery County, Texas, that’s all about encouraging its campers to try new things, to be proud and empowered as girls and to develop their self-esteem, confidence and leadership skills, all while making lasting friendships.
Read MoreTomorrow is the day: The Girls Empowerment Network is bringing the We Are Girls Conference to Houston.
Let’s take a look at some of the GENcredible speakers and exciting breakout sessions we have this year!
Read MoreSince Girls Empowerment Network launched the Pathfinder Leadership Summit, I’ve always wondered why the program was held at the beginning of summer. Didn’t these young ladies just finish up finals? Aren’t they ready to relax? How am I going to fit this into our summer calendar when that week is already filled with other commitments my daughter really enjoys and looks forward to? Should she participate in this program or another camp, or should she have a part-time job?
Read MoreWhen I reflect on Girl Advocacy Day 2018, one word comes to mind: magical. It was magical to witness young girls standing up for themselves. It was magical because it was heart-wrenching and inspiring at the same time. Heart-wrenching because these girls are bombarded with such difficult issues at young ages, and inspiring because they are brave enough to speak out about them. I was lucky enough to be the camerawoman at GAD, so I spent the day bouncing around capturing the most magical moments of the day.
Read More
