“Boldly Forward: Unleashing the Power of U.S. Youth Leaders,” is the theme for Girl Up’s first regional USA Leadership Summit, June 27-28 in Washington, D.C. A girl-centered leadership development initiative focusing on equity for girls and women, founded and hosted by the United Nations Foundation, Girl Up will bring together 150 girls and youth activists from across the country for two days of programming to develop leadership and advocacy skills and advance gender justice issues in the United States. Attendees will learn how to step into their power and engage on issues most pressing to them as American youth: restricted access to critical forms of health care, systemic discrimination and racism, an inherited and escalating climate crisis, and much more.
“America’s young people are facing a unique culmination of challenges to their bodily autonomy, rights, and abilities to create futures for themselves where they can thrive. But girls and youth allies from across the country are claiming their power and speaking out – and at Girl Up’s USA Leadership Summit, we want to celebrate and support them in their leadership journeys,” said Melissa Kilby, Girl Up Chief Executive Officer.
Over two days, youth changemakers across the country will hear from gender justice champions on key issues affecting American youth and learn how to apply new leadership skills to work for change around local and national issues. The in-person USA Leadership Summit will overlap on its first day with Girl Up’s virtual Global Leadership Summit, June 27, and will allow attendees of both events to connect from across the world and learn side-by-side.
Featured speakers of this year’s event include activist, educator, writer, and leader, Brittany
Packnett Cunningham; actress, activist, and Girl Up Champion, Malia Baker; award-winning
journalist, bestselling author and filmmaker, Liz Plank; actress, producer, activist, host and Girl Up Champion, Monique Coleman; writer and author, Young and Restless, Mattie Kahn; author, TedX speaker, and former IBM Vice President, Shelmina Abji; and Lauren Benne, Executive Director, TE Connectivity Foundation.
Learn more about Girl Up’s USA Leadership Summit here or register now to attend the virtual Global Leadership Summit here.
About Girl Up
Girl Up is a girl-centered leadership development initiative working to advance gender justice worldwide. We believe that when girls and women are in positions of leadership, they work to create a more just and equitable world for everyone. Founded by the United Nations Foundation in 2010, Girl Up operates a global network of regional affiliates and serves 200,000 girls and youth leaders in all 50 U.S. states and 152 countries.
