Elizabeth, 12th Grade

I’m a high school senior and I live with my mom–an adoptee from Cambodia and inspiring single mother–and my sister in Manhattan. I’ve been in Girls Inc. of NYC’s Teen Leadership Circles for the last two years. As a Peer Leader, I received intensive training in leadership, financial literacy, healthy sexuality, and more. I recruited students to join our circle and lead workshops for them. Last year, we organized a period product campaign and supplied every bathroom in our school with period products.

This past summer, I attended GINYC’s Financial Literacy Boot Camp and learned how to budget and save for college, how to manage debt post college, and how to apply for grants and scholarships. I caught a realistic glimpse of how real world finances work. Because I’ll be the first person in my family to pursue a degree of any sort, this information is invaluable to me.

Because of GINYC, the definition of a girl has vastly changed for me. Girls Inc. has taught me to use my voice as a superpower and redefine who I am. In a world where girls aren’t seen and heard, Girls Inc. gives me a platform to speak about issues that matter to me, and educate fellow young people. It’s beautiful to see girls and young women come together and change the world for the better. Girls Inc. of NYC has provided me and thousands of other girls the building blocks we need to build our futures.