Since 2013, I have given myself to the work of creating a powerful generation of young women who are taking on gender inequalities wherever they see them – committed to this transformational work of helping girls become young women who lead. The best part? I’ve been so fortunate to do it alongside my partner, my work-wife, Melissa.
In February, I’ll be leaving my role as Co-Executive Director of Girl Up and continuing this fight for gender equality as the Chief Next Gen Officer at The Female Quotient.
I won’t be with Girl Up every day, but Girl Up will always be with me. It is my love and legacy. I’m so deeply proud of what Melissa and I have accomplished together – building a movement and bearing witness to the indelible impact that our girl leaders have had on their communities. It has been a true labor of love. I could quote numbers to you, or tell you about our partners and celebrity champions, but the persistent truth is that it is and has always been about the girls. If just one girl’s life has changed for the better because of what I’ve done here, that’s enough. I’m honored that our impact together – Melissa and I, the incredible Girl Up team, our Teen Advisors and girl leaders, and our supporters – has been so abundant.
Yes, I’m going to The Female Quotient, but don’t think for a second that I’m leaving Girl Up behind. Rather, I’ll bring it alongside me in all that I do.
I love Girl Up with my whole heart, and my commitment to my work-wife remains steadfast. This is evolution: the same vision of an equal and equitable world, with the same goals; different orgs, but eternal support and championing of one another.
I leave with tremendous gratitude. Thank you, all of you, for being a part of my journey with Girl Up. Thank you to every girl who has given her light and her power to this work; thank you to every supporter who has championed Girl Up along the way. Leading this movement has been a gift, and so have all of you. The work that I do – that we do – doesn’t belong to any one org. It’s belongs to all of us; it’s all our responsibility.
So we’ll keep walking together.
Because when girls rise, we all rise.
All my love,
Anna Blue
