How LiveGirl Helped Me Grow:

As a LiveGirl leader, I assisted in Middle School Leadership Summits that aim to build confidence and educate younger girls on ways to overcome gender discrimination and other challenges. I also co-led a book club with middle school students in which we read books relating to issues of social justice and discussed thoughts, real-world applications, and ways that the students could contribute to eliminating these issues. Both roles allowed me to work with many different young girls. I helped empower them and worked to change the false narratives society often imposes on women that paint them as inferior. I've seen the impact of leadership summits and book club sessions on middle school students firsthand, through conversations with them that demonstrated their strength and drive to create positive change in society.

The LiveGirl moment that changed my life was when I was leading a session with the social justice book club that related to deafness and inclusivity. One of the activities that we did after discussing the book was to watch a video about signing the alphabet in ASL. All the students were engaged as we practiced the different hand movements and gestures, but one student in particular affected me the most. She stayed after the session as she continued practicing the signs to form different words. While speaking with her, she expressed that she had never considered how deaf people view the world or how their experiences may be different from hers until now, and how she was excited to learn more. This experience showed me the significant impact that a small activity can have while encouraging me to expose more students to topics and discussions that will enhance their perspectives.

Public speaking was one of my most significant areas for improvement before joining LiveGirl, which hindered my ability to be a confident leader. LiveGirl has exposed me to various opportunities where I was forced to get out of my comfort zone and address larger audiences while working with diverse groups of people. These opportunities helped improve my communication skills, helping me grow as a confident leader. LiveGirl's Shine On executive coaching has been a tremendous help in preparing me for the workforce. From the mentoring sessions, I've learned tips for improving confidence, networking, navigating the workplace, maintaining a work-life balance, and many other topics. Although I am still in college for my undergraduate degree, LiveGirl has allowed me to begin thinking about these topics to instill positive habits I will carry with me into my life after graduation. It has established a strong foundation that will prepare me to succeed and overcome workforce challenges in the future.

My Message of Gratitude:

I am immensely grateful for their support and kind words throughout their mentorship. Their wisdom has truly helped me grow and become more confident. I aim to carry the lessons I learned with me throughout my personal life and within the workforce.

How LiveGirl is Changing The World:

LiveGirl is not just an organization but has also been a catalyst for empowering young women and girls. The LiveGirl community fosters growth and promotes confidence while facilitating the development of skills essential to being a strong leader. LiveGirl creates an environment where young women can thrive and feel empowered to reach their goals.