Washington Area Women’s Foundation Hosts First Ever GirlsLEAD Summit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                               MEDIA CONTACT: Mercy Chikowore

March 7, 2018                                                                                                            202-469-3643, mchikowore@wawf.org

Washington Area Women’s Foundation Hosts First Ever GirlsLEAD Summit

For Girls, By Girls, the Summit Featuring Journalist Elaine Welteroth is an Opportunity for DC-Based Young Women and Girls to Learn, Connect and Gain New Skills

Washington, D.C.  (March 7, 2018) –Washington Area Women’s Foundation, the only donor-supported, public foundation solely dedicated to building economic security for women and girls in the Washington D.C. metro area, hosts its inaugural GirlsLEAD Summit on March 9, 2018. The all-day event for young women and girls between the ages of 12-24, will be held at the University of the District of Columbia. Award-winning journalist, media personality and former editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue, Elaine Welteroth, will serve as the keynote speaker.

Hosted by the Young Women’s Advisory Council of the Young Women’s Initiative at the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, the GirlsLEAD Summit will be an opportunity for young women and girls residing in the District of Columbia to learn, connect, gain valuable skills and lift their voices on the issues that are important to them through general sessions, workshops and speed mentoring opportunities.

“We are thrilled to welcome over 300 young women and girls and over 200 women leaders to our first GirlsLEAD Summit,” said Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat, president and CEO of Washington Area Women’s Foundation. “The Summit is created for and by girls and we know that their work and perseverance will create an unforgettable day of learning, build and connecting.”

“Indeed, nurturing women and girls is a crucial component of our push for resilience and equity as we continue to transform UDC into an advanced system of higher learning,” said UDC President Ronald Mason, Jr. “We hope that your exploration of the possibilities presented during this conference will lead to similar opportunities for growth, advancement and equity for women and girls of color.”

At the GirlsLEAD Summit, youth will also participate in a Youth Advocacy Caucus, where policymakers and government officials will have the opportunity to hear from girls from throughout the city on the issues that are important to them and their communities. They will also propose policy and program solutions that will help to inform a City-wide Blueprint to designed to help improve life outcomes and chances for young women and girls, gender non-conforming youth and transgender girls of color in the District.

The event, sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, NoVo Foundation and The Coca-Cola Foundation, will also feature a Speed Mentoring session hosted by WUSA9 weeknight anchor Lesli Foster and music throughout the Summit provided by 16-year-old DJ Beauty and the Beatz.

The Women’s Foundation launched its Young Women’s Initiative early last spring and from this, convened a group of 21 young leaders age 12-24 to form the Young Women’s Advisory Council (YWAC). The Young Women’s Initiative will push policymakers, business and community leaders and philanthropists to develop and invest in programs that address and eliminate racial and gender disparities.

For media inquiries and press access please contact Mercy Chikowore, Communications Manager at mchikowore@wawf.org.

For more information about the GirlsLEAD Summit, visit girlsleaddc.org or contact girlsleaddc@wawf.org.

About Washington Area Women’s Foundation

Washington Area Women’s Foundation is a DC-based public foundation dedicated to mobilizing our community to ensure that economically vulnerable women and girls in the Washington region have the resources they need to thrive. Learn more about The Women’s Foundation’s mission to transform the lives of women and girls, the Washington region, and the world by visiting us online, on Facebook or on Twitter.

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