Solana is an 8th grader who has attended the We Are Girls Conference with her mom for the past three years. She is also an active participant in clubGEN, and she agreed to talk to us about the challenges girls are facing, what middle school is like today, and why she loves the We Are Girls Conference.

Have you heard your friends talk bad about their bodies?

Oh, yeah, you always hear girls say, “I look so fat” or “I’m so ugly.” And it’s like, why do you feel bad about how you look? It’s how you look, and that’s fine. Magazines and commercials make us feel bad about our bodies, and there are girls who don’t know how fake photoshop can make people look.

Do you have friends who’ve dealt with bullying? Have you seen it in school?

My friend broke up with a guy and for some reason another girl started trashing her on facebook about it and followed her around calling her names all the time. She had to deal with the stress of everyone knowing all about her break-up and being afraid of afterschool when that girl harassed her, and eventually she couldn’t handle it anymore and she left school.

When I was younger I got bullied too. In 6^th grade an older girl just started being really mean to me and calling me “goody-two-shoes”, and because she was older than me I didn’t know what to do. I tried to keep calm and not escalate the issue, and not aggravate the bully to give her more fuel. Eventually because she was also picking on a boy for sounding “gay”, the school moved her out of our class.

What are some issues you and your friends worry about?

Bullying. We know who the popular girls are. And some girls will intimidate you by starting rumors or physical fights. There are girls who will beat you up.

What is your favorite thing about being a part of clubGEN?

My favorite thing about being a part of clubGEN is being a part of the clubGEN community, and spending time with other girls, and our high school mentors, and getting to know each other and share what’s going on in our lives.

What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in yourself since joining clubGEN?

I know who I am much more, because it’s a safe environment to learn about myself. It’s especially taught me self-confidence, and not to compare myself to girls in magazines. There is so much photoshopping and now I know: no one actually looks like that.

Do you think middle school is a time girls need support?

Definitely. Middle school is this transitional period, and you’re trying to make friends and figure out who you are, and clubGEN makes you feel confident ad helps girls that might have a hard time make friends.

How do your high school mentors differ from  your adult role models?

They’re a lot younger, and I feel like they can relate to someone my age better. And they let me see what I could strive for in a few years, because they’re older but it’s easy to imagine being like them. They’re older than you- but they’re still cool!

If you were to become a mentor in high school, what would you say to younger girls?

Don’t care about what people say about you, just be who you are.

What do you think of the We Are Girls Conference?

The We Are Girls Conference is a great gateway for girls to get involved with GENaustin, to go to a once-a-year event where you can take courses that interest you. And they are different every year! No one teaches you about friendship in school. We Are Girls does that. My favorite workshops are where we get to talk to women about their careers. Before that workshop, I didn’t know women in real life who were detectives or part of the police, and I could never talk to them and hear their experiences. You learn that girls are afraid to go into fields where men dominate, but that even though it’s hard, women can make it.

(to Solana’s mom)

Why do you and Solana go to We Are Girls every year?

It’s amazing access to other points of view, and into the world of teen girls. What are signals I should be looking out for? What is going on in their lives? And for Solana, I want her to have the tools to deal with what comes with being a teen girl, and We Are Girls gives that to her.

Solana and her mom attend We Are Girls every year- and every girl deserves that experience. Just $30 will provide a scholarship to a girl who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend. Donate today and the tools you help provide girls and parents will impact their whole lives.

GENaustin is thrilled to have Dr. Robyn Silverman as our We Are Girls Conference 2012 Keynote Speaker. Dr. Robyn graciously agreed to talk to GENaustin about the pressures girls face in the world, how parents can help, and what we can look forward to learning about on November 3rd at the We Are Girls Conference.

Your newest book is called Good Girls Don’t Get Fat, about the enormous  pressure girls face to be thin at any cost. What do you think are the biggest reasons this is happening?

So much of media sends the message to young girls that they must be thin in order to be valued.  They tell us “you are worth more when you weigh less.”  Media can set the tone for how society views weight. Then, unfortunately, those who are closest to our girls (parents, siblings, friends, teachers, coaches, etc) may buy in and reflect those messages such that they seem all the more true and important. As young girls are going through major body changes throughout their adolescent years, one of which is gaining weight (which is normal and natural), these impossible standards for thinness are nearly impossible to reach for most girls—leaving girls at war with their own bodies.

Do you think the world (or life) of an adolescent girl is different today than a generation ago? (more/less challenges, social pressures, family structure, etc.)

Because the media messages are more pervasive—they are seen more widely, in more mediums, for many more hours each day—they are seeing and hearing that unrealistic thinness is the standard they must reach 24/7.  The role models and expectations around peer-to-peer relationships for our girls have also changed.  We are all saturated by ugly reality TV and “anti-role models” that tell girls that it’s normal for girls to be snarky and rude rather than kind and respectful.  In addition, real life role models are not always as obvious or accessible—research tells us that young people don’t believe they have at least 3 trusted adults to turn to in a time of need or challenge.  And finally, many risky behaviors have been glorified by young celebrities and teen TV—from drugs to alcohol to early sexual behaviors to teen pregnancy, making girls feel rushed, pressured and confused as they go through an already confusing time of life.

What can parents do to help their daughters deal with these pressures? Do Dads have a particular role to play in this process?

Parents can be crucial in the way they help their daughters navigate these pressures.  I’ll provide a few ways here.  First, talk about and teach media literacy.  It’s so important for our daughters to understand that what they look at and read in magazines, online, and see on TV and in advertisements is all designed to get us to feel a certain way so we’ll buy.  The message to girls is often “you need this to look pretty, be more popular, get thinner, have more friends” and other hot buttons advertisers know will evoke an emotional response.  When we talk about the tricks the media uses to make us feel bad about ourselves and in need of “help,” girls become savvy buyers who don’t buy into the hype.  Second, simply “being there” and answering the inconvenient call at the inconvenient time can be life-changing for a girl.  After all, cries for help don’t wait for a hole in our schedules.  By showing girls that we are there, without judgment, to listen to them and offer insight when they want it, can help girls feel valued and supported as they deal with the pressures of the ten years.  Finally, I’ll speak to your question about fathers.  Dads are the first man in the life of a girl.  He provides the template for how she believes boys and men see her, what they value in girls and what they expect of girls. Dads also provide a template for their sons who will underscore the actions and beliefs of their Dads.  Dads are vital in the lives of girls and must stay involved, in touch, plugged in, and available to their daughters as they can provide a unique perspective and teach them to value who they are way beyond what they look like as real boys and men support girls who are beautiful on the inside, not focused on the outside.

Are their warning signs for parents that their daughters might be being negatively impacted by body-pressure?

Parents know their children best—so these signs don’t present in the same ways for everyone.

14 Signs that Your Daughter May Have an Eating Disorder

1. Erratic food habits: Eating large amounts of food and then disappearing from the table
2. Playing with food.
3. Restricting food intake.
4. Major changes in weight in a short amount of time: Considering teen bodies are changing and getting heavier, dramatic weight loss for age and height can be a warning sign.
5. Hiding her body even after weight loss: May be an indication that your daughter believes her body is very large even when it is not.
6. Hiding food: Finding large amounts of food stashed in her bedroom, hidden under her bed or in closet, disappearance of food from the refrigerator or pantry.
7. Refusal to eat when others are present: You’ll hear things  like “I’ve already eaten” or “I have a stomachache” simply to avoid eating.
8. Compulsive exercising: Exercising to take off as many calories that were consumed. Exercising several times daily or exercising until she can’t exercise anymore. Hyper-focus on how many calories burned, weight,  inches, etc.
9. Skipping meals consistently.
10. Measuring self-worth based on weight: Calling oneself “good” for not eating and “bad” for giving in to eating. Bashing self for eating more than the allotted calories.
11. Complaining about being “overweight” and “fat” when they are  clearly underweight.
12. Missing several periods in a row. Periods can stop when girls  lose too much weight.
13. Overall poor body image: Poor attitude when it comes to weight  and appearance.
14. Spending a lot of time in the bathroom: Could be sign of  purging or laxative use.

How harmful do you think hearing or engaging in “fat-talk” is for girls?

Fat hatred has become so pervasive that it is part of the fabric of our language and interactions. “Fat” is associated with very negative character assessments like lazy, ugly, blameworthy, unpopular, bad and “thin” is associated with very positive character assessments like beautiful, popular, controlled, successful  and good. Fat and thin, then, are no longer simply assessments of size or weight, but rather of character.  When we are constantly talking about fat and allowing it to become part of our friendships, relationships and everyday conversations, we are sending the “fat is bad, thin is good” message out to our friends and family as well as back to our own brains over and over. Fat talk can overtake positive self-talk. It’s insidious and contagious.  Girls tell me that they believe that even if they don’t want to engage in it, they feel that it’s become social convention such that if they don’t engage, other people believe they are full of themselves.  The problem is that the more they engage in fat talk, the more they are likely to buy into it.

That’s why I always tell girls and their families to Declare the “home” a Fat Talk Free Zone (FTFZ). Remove commentary such as “fat is bad” and “thin is good” from the family lexicon, and ask guests to do the same when they’re in your home. Research shows that it’s more important to decrease negative communication about weight, size and food than it is to increase positive statements. Nix those snarky comments about your body or someone else’s body.

What can girls do themselves to boost their self-esteem and start valuing their bodies?

Girls can do several things to help boost their self esteem and value their bodies.  First, they can surround themselves with people who lift them up rather than put them down—and engage in positive self talk as well.  The more we hear that we are valued by people we love and trust, the more we see ourselves as valuable.  Second, we can engage in activities that allow us to give back.  When we get involved in volunteerism and community service, we stop thinking of ourselves of how we look and start thinking about how our contribution can affect the world positively.  Third, we can get involved with activities that ask us to move our bodies without focusing on their appearance.  For example, many team sports like basketball and soccer or individual sports like martial arts focus on speed, strength and power rather than thinness and how you appear to others.  Finally, try to limit negative media that sends the message that girls need to lose weight in order to be valuable, successful and loved.  That media is designed to get girls to feel bad so they will buy products—not to tell the truth.

What can people look forward to hearing about at your keynote address at the 2012 We Are Girls Conference?

In my keynote, I’ll discuss the messages girls must face 24/7 that limit them and who they can become.  Hitting on media, body image, “body bullying” and friendships, we will focus on the challenges as well as the opportunities girls have to in today’s society. Girls will be encouraged to (1) Find the one who can support and assist them but also be the one who can encourage and help others; (2) Honor their own strengths as well as celebrate those of other girls and women; and (3) Set goals and master what they are passionate about rather than what is popular while also mentoring and leading the way for other girls who look to them for guidance and inspiration.  Girls will come away with tools that they can use right away as well as a renewed perspective that they are indeed leaders who can forge their own paths, set challenging goals, deal with barriers to success and motivate other girls in their lives to do the same.

To register for the 2012 We Are Girls Conference, visit www.wearegirls.org

“I learned how to stand up to a bully without being a bully myself.”

Health and wellness is an important part of being a happy, well-rounded adolescent. Girls today are involved in a million different clubs and activities, and sometimes they need help figuring out ways to de-stress, take time to relax, and take care of the physical health of their bodies. These workshops teach girls simple, easy ways to make their lives healthier and less stressful.

IGnite Your Life: Simplify Health: Basic Exercises, Yoga Poses and Nutrition Tips (Session 1)

Providing simple and basic information that will allow teens to have a fun and healthy teenage experience.

Ballet Austin: What Moves You? (Session 1, 2, 3)

What moves you? The idea is, that if you find an activity that keeps you moving that you enjoy, you will keep doing it! So the question is, “What do you enjoy? What moves you?” Pick an activity that’s easy to fit into your life, that’s fun, and learn how to be active your way. Shape your future, now! Discover your unique passions, how your passions set you in motion, and discover how to feel better about the unique you! Participants will discover how staying active affects all areas of their life, including body image, self-esteem, and overall health.

Participants: 

Will identify their passions and how they relate to staying active.

Will understand how to build physical activity into their day in ways they will love and continue to pursue.

Will be given tools to help them develop personal responsibility for a healthy lifestyle and lifelong wellness.

What Moves You is about developing a healthy lifestyle. Girls learn that physical activity is fun, can improve body image and self-respect, and will boost confidence. The session will include talk-back time as well and dance opportunity. With the use of relevant music and fun dance, girls will discover how much fun it can be to be active every day in a variety of ways. The goal is three-fold: To discover WHAT moves you? (What is it they love to do) What MOVES you? (Passions will naturally promote action) and What moves YOU? (The uniqueness of each girl and their interests and abilities being used to positively influence their lives.)

Adrien Paczosa RD, LD of iLiveWell Nutrition Therapy: Fuel For Success (Session 1,2)

Food is the fuel that powers you through the day. We want to fuel our bodies with the proper and most optimal fuel to achieve our goals. During our session we will learn the top priorities to energize your body!

Yoga RX: Yoga For A Better Body Image (Session 1)

Did you know that Yoga can bring your awareness internally to create a healthier body image for you?  When we only compare external qualities our view becomes insufficient.  Let’s create more self confidence & a better body image by changing the way we view ourselves through Yoga!

Deirdre Earls: Your Healing Diet (Session 1)

Recent headlines have illustrated how even the world’s best young athletes are being sidelined by debilitating health problems. Simultaneously, there’s been an explosion in research on connections between dietary choices and health. Having used an imperfect diet instead of chemotherapy to reverse her own disabling disease, Deirdre’s class will give you a practical understanding of how to experience the healing power of food within your own busy life. Learn how food can create and reverse disease, common threads of success across many healing diets, and which foods optimize health and longterm performance.

Travis County’s Underage Drinking Prevention Program: Why Risk it? (Session 1)

Anti-DWI/Alcohol Awareness Program targeting teens and their decisions about alcohol

Sarah Sullivan: Beginners Yoga Groove (Session 2)

Yoga for the changing mind, body and spirit. Learn a simple routine to do every morning/evening to make you happy, healthy and whole.

Girls, Inc: Mind & Body (Session 3)

Mind and Body is an initiative which helps give girls the knowledge, skills and attitude required to form and maintain a healthy, positive sense of self. It focuses on four areas: physical activity, nutrition, body image, and stress.

The Conference is just days away, and tickets are going fast. Register today to attend!

GENaustin knows that being the parent of a daughter can be hard. That’s why, in addition to our workshops for girls and our parent-daughter workshops, the We Are Girls Conference will have workshops JUST for parents, to help them learn how to better communicate with and guide their daughters through the challenges of adolescence. Read about the sessions below and then register to attend if you haven’t already!

Barb Steinberg: Teens, Sex & Truth (Session 1)
Although it may be hard to believe, research shows that girls want to talk about sex and relationships with their parents. Knowing this fact, however, doesn’t necessarily make it any easier to talk about these subjects. If you have put off “the talk” or are concerned about your daughter’s relationship, come to this workshop, led by Barb Steinberg, LMSW. You’ll leave with a better understanding of how her changing body impacts her decisions around sex and dating. You’ll get the latest statistics on teen sexual behavior and gain confidence on how to be the best front-line sex educator for your daughter and speak the language that resonates with her that will keep her coming to you for answers.

Ballet Austin: Someone’s Watching You (Session 1,2,3)

The choices you make to live a healthy lifestyle have a huge impact on your daughters health and well-being. You only get one body per lifetime. Do you give it the respect it deserves? Do your girls know it?

Head Way Consulting, LLC: How to Assist Your Child in Improving Their Executive Functioning Abilities (Session 1, 3)

Does your child have trouble remembering what was learned only yesterday? Would you like to assist your child in feeling more organized and become a better decision-maker? This presentation on improving your child’s executive function may be what you’re looking for.

Regain Your Time: Your Child’s Brain on Social Media: What You Need to Know (Session 1, 2, 3)

This presentation offers a common-sense explanation of social media to parents. It focuses on:
• the challenges of fractured attention which the lure of social media only makes worse,
• the explosion of attention disorders and how prevent a worsening of the symptoms in your child
• how to help your kids understand when they are not controlling their own attention, and the consequences of that, and
• the importance and power of focus.

A Discussion about Fathering Daughters (Session 1)

Come to a Dads-only discussion about the challenges and joys of parenting a teen or tween daughter.

Barb Steinberg: Empowering Your Daughter (session 2)

Girls today feel pressure to be “perfect” (straight A’s, a super athlete and supermodel beautiful). Their heads are spinning with images of girls/women and the mixed messages they receive about their strengths and what they can become. These pressures are damaging. An empowered girl is protected from these pressures for a lifetime. Attend this workshop, led by Barb Steinberg, LMSW, to better understand how different it is to grow up as a teen girl today and what we can do as parents to empower our girls, improve their self-image and assist them in making choices that lead them to happiness and confidence.

The Talking Room: Emily Roberts & Jane Flynn: What Your Daughter is Really Doing Behind the Screen & Behind Closed Doors (Session 2, 3)

Emily and Jane, the liasons between children and their parents, will share what girls tell them about what you need to know. Parents will learn about trends and how to spot technology use and abuse; experimentation with substance abuse and the truth about sexual behavior.

Sun Dragon Martial Arts and Self-Defense: How to Talk to Your Daughter about Violence (Without Scaring Her) (Session 2)

Have you ever wondered how to keep your daughters safe? This session will explore the risks that girls face, and strategies to help them handle these risks.

JC Community Consulting: She Calls Me Daddy (Session 2)

There’s no challenge for a man quite like being the father of a girl. This workshop will help dads learn about the important issues that dads with daughters need to understand.

GENaustin: Help My Daughters Being Bullied (Session 3)

Is your daughter experiencing bullying? In this workshop, parents will learn effective ways to support girls and empower them to overcome bullying.

Planned Parenthood: Talk First!  (Session 3)

Learn successful and effective tips on how to talk to your child about sexuality and become an “askable” parent. Find out how to identify teachable moments to share your values and beliefs. Know what to look for and when to speak up from childhood through the teen years.

Talking to the happy, enthusiastic girls at ClubGEN, it nevertheless becomes clear there are common issues the girls all face every day. When asked whether bullying is a problem, girls at every club I spoke to all answered emphatically as a group that it is. Some girls are being bullied, and all the girls have seen bullying happen. Negative self-talk, conflicts with friends, stress about school … girls are dealing with all of it, every day. And We Are Girls exists to help girls learn to navigate these challenges in the most positive way possible. GENaustin provides every girl at ClubGEN a scholarship to attend We Are Girls free of charge (and because we believe the Conference is so important, scholarships are also available for any girls or parents who otherwise couldn’t afford the $30 ticket).

Here’s what some ClubGEN girls had to say about what they thought was most important for girls like themselves to learn more about at the Conference:

 Lily

“A lot of girls are judgmental about their bodies & feel bad about them. The Conference would help girls to see they should respect each other and not say mean things that could hurt someone’s feelings or make them feel bad about how they look. It’s also important for girls to see they’re not alone & there are lots of other girls just like them.”

 Brianka

“The We Are Girls Conference teaches things that are really important to people my age. Sometimes even people who are your friends are mean to you, and it’s hard.  Learning about healthy friendships would help girls like my friends be nicer to each other.”

Robin

“Bullying is a big problem. Learning how to deal with bullies is important for girls, because we deal with bullying all the time. We need to learn how to support each other & not just stand by while other people are bullied, too.”

Solana

“Girls need to see that the way people look in magazines is not real life. They need to stop putting so much pressure on themselves to look a certain way. There’s photoshop and all this stuff & it will be good for other girls to see we are beautiful the way we are.”

 If you’d like to help make sure girls like Lily, Brianka, Robin & Solana can attend We Are Girls, please click here to donate. If you have a daughter who hasn’t already registered, do so now.  And if you have any questions about how to register or apply for a scholarship, email maria@genaustin.org. GENaustin wants to make sure every girl & parent has the opportunity to attend this amazing event!

Despite the name, the We Are Girls Conference isn’t just for girls! The Conference is for anyone with girls in their lives, who wants to know more about what they are experiencing and find ways to help guide them. Which means, of course,  Dads are welcome at We Are Girls, too! Fathers play an incredibly important role in helping their daughters navigate adolescence, but they might not always feel they know what to say, or how to handle the things their daughters are going through. That’s why in addition to the sessions for all adults, We Are Girls is offering a special track of sessions just for fathers, by fathers. 

 Have you heard Tom Meredith speak? He’s inspiring! And this time he has interviewed his grown daughters about their experience with him as a dad and in this session he’ll be reporting his surprising findings. This interactive workshop is open to dads, moms and girls!

 Thomas J. Meredith is a Founder and Managing Member of Meritage Capital, L.P.  Prior to establishing Meritage Capital, L.P., he served in various positions at Dell Inc. (“Dell”) including Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategy, and Managing Director of Dell Ventures.  Mr. Meredith was instrumental in refining and extending Dell’s highly successful direct business model. 

Other Dad’s Track Sessions:

Session 1 – Dad’s Panel: A session for dads lead by three panelists who are not experts giving “right answers” but are qualified men who have thought critically about the issues of fathering daughters. The participants will all submit anonymous question to start an open dialogue. The goal is to create a safe space for dads to ask questions they might not ask if women were around and start a discussion to include everyone.

Session 2 – She Calls Me Daddy:  There’s no challenge for a man quite like being the father of a girl. Boys often love to be tousled and teased by their dads. Girls love to be cherished. Boys can be “spoken to” with single words, half sentences, and grunts. Girls want their dads to talk to them in complete sentences. Boys long to live without their dad’s protection. Most girls thrive with confidence when they know their dad will be there. This workshop will help dads learn about the important issues that dads with daughters need to understand.

Are you a dad who wants to attend the Conference? Register here!

The November 12th We Are Girls Conference is only 24 days away! For those of you who haven’t yet registered (as well as those that have and are getting excited) we’ve decided to highlight some of the sessions we’ll be offering on this amazing day. The sessions we’re highlighting today empower girls through the creation of art and other fun activities.

Kiss Your Worries Goodbye

Do you chew your nails, sweat the small stuff, and lie awake with a brain on overdrive? You’re not alone! Join us for a whimsical workshop based on Guatemalan Worry Dolls who are known to solve your problems while you sleep. As you focus on making the tiny dolls with scraps of fabrics, snippets of yarn, and assorted beads, you will also create a relaxing space where conversations, stories, and ideas can be exchanged. Be your most creative self as dolls come to life and worries vanish!

Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble

For over 9 years, the Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble has been creating plays that spark dialogue about teen relationships and encourage students to take a stand against dating violence, sexual harassment and bullying. Our play deals with the dramatic relationships that can be a part of high school life, and the stereotypical but unrealistic expectations teens face daily. Our ensemble members are peer educators, and through the use of theatre as a voice for social change, they are enabling students from all over central Texas to stand up, speak out and change lives. Join us for an interactive workshop where students will see a preview of Changing Lives Spring show, and then help create solutions for the problems raised in the show. This will be an interactive workshop. Changing Lives is a collaboration between SafePlace and the Theatre Action Project.

Rock Your Words

Do you have a song in your heart but not sure how to get it out into the world? Rock Your Words will present songwriting basics and give participants a chance to create their own tunes in a fun, fast-paced, low-pressure environment. Singer-Songwriter Myrna Cabello (“Letting Go”) will explain what makes a song, followed by some examples. Together with freelance writer and novelist Belinda Acosta, participants will then get their creative juices flowing to write lyrics to their own songs. No musical experience necessary!

Experiment and Explore

Valentia Vale will be presenting a 3D Workshop concept with an emphasis on Jewelry Design where the participants will experiment with the basic elements of sculpture, texture, and form to create a design to function as a pendant.  The vision of this 3D Workshop is to re-awaken in the participant the tactile and visual sensibilities of texture carried by form, which can be an expression of one’s individuality.

Chica TV

Chica TV is an interactive workshop that teaches girls how to produce their own television show. Latinitas media and technology experts will assist students in the planning and filming of a television talk show around important girl issues. Girls will learn how to operate a camera, design a talk show set, write a script, and much more. Participants have the option of working behind the camera or center stage as a host or guest on the talk show. Chica TV airs on Latinitas Magazine You Tube Channel. 

The Voices in Our Heads

Drawing from the inspiration of writer Jamaica Kinkaid, Badgerdog Publishing will explore the many external influences that shape our self-perceptions. We’ll also write our way toward self-portraits that balance external influences against the truths we hold for ourselves.

We’ll begin with a reading of Jamaica Kincaid’s Girl, a short story that highlights the many external influences shaping one girl’s life (attached). We’ll also read George Ella Lyon’s poem, Where I’m From. We’ll then brainstorm together the many sources of external influence girls and teens are subjected to by way of family ties, mass media, and cultural/religious ties. We’ll discuss what those influences ask of us then consider our own ambitions and values. All of this will build toward a creative writing activity in which participants acknowledge external influences while asserting their own identities.

Moody Me

Moody Me is a creative workshop to help girls find their unique voice through spontaneous writing and artistic exercises.  The ongoing goal is to help others create their own honest and poetic visual stories of themselves in addition to bonding with their peers.

And this is just a small sampling of the sessions that will be happening at the Conference. Check back daily for more information on sessions on topics like healthy relationships, financial and business tools, bullying, body image, and more. And go here to see a round up of every session. Sound like fun? Register here!

GENaustin’s We Are Girls Conference on November 12^th is a day-long event that educates & encourages girls to help them better navigate the unique challenges they face every day.

 In fact, GENaustin believes the Conference is so relevant and important in the lives of girls that we will be providing 50% of the girls who attend the conference scholarships so they can attend without worrying about cost. In addition, every girl who attends ClubGEN during the school year will also receive a scholarship to attend.

Tatiana Dalmu is one of those ClubGEN girls.

A bright, mature 8^th grader, Tatiana knows first hand the challenges girls face with bullying and body image. She generously agreed to talk to GENaustin about the Conference, standing up to bullies, and the challenges girls face every day.

Having heard about the speakers & sessions, what do you think about the We Are Girls Conference?

 I think it will be really cool.

Are there sessions you think would specifically be helpful to you?

I think one that focuses on self-esteem and bullying. I was really afraid that I was going to get bullied yesterday because I cut my hair. But it was okay. I got made fun of by a few people, but some of the time my friends stood up for me, or I stood up for myself.

What did you say to them to stand up for yourself?

I told them I feel sorry for them because they feel the need to pick on me to make themselves feel better. Or I say, “Who are you to tell me something about me is not right or not pretty, because I’m perfect the way I am. We all are.”

Do your friends go through a lot of bullying?

My friends all have something about them that is different, and they get made fun of it for it, but I admire them for it. Why can’t everyone understand we’re all the same inside?   Why do people have such a hard time not being mean?

Last year in ClubGEN we talked about confidence & that you’re perfect the way you are. Kind of like what I said before, that we all look different, but you look past the differences and see we’re all the same on the inside. And if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything.

Why do you want to go to We Are Girls?

Usually you go to things where you just have a bunch of people lecturing you, and you don’t have any choice about what you’re learning about. But I think having options like We Are Girls gives you is really cool because you get to explore more and you get to expand your thinking, and have the option to try something you’re really interested in and want to learn more about.

Any advice you would give to another girl who is having a hard time?

My friend has a friend who gets bullied. This girl gets picked on, something to do with her religion, and she has really long dark hair she wears back the same every day, and my friend said, “I don’t know what to tell her to help her.” And I told her, “You should tell her, she doesn’t have to change herself, because she has a certain way she wants to look, because of her heritage, and she should be proud of that, instead of being ashamed. And if she doesn’t change who she is, that says a lot about her character.”

Tatiana is like hundreds of other girls who want to attend the We Are Girls Conference to talk to experts about the issues they are facing.  Yet so many girls can’t afford the $30 ticket.  

Will you scholarship a girl like Tatiana to this life-changing event?

Calling all We Are Girls 2011 Volunteers!

GENaustin’s We Are Girls Conference is a statewide annual conference that helps girls explore the issues of bullying, body image and being a girl. This year’s We Are Girls Conference is being held on Saturday, November 12^th, from 8 AM – 4PM, at Austin High School.

The We Are Girls Conference is in great need of volunteers, so if you’re interested in helping out, please sign-up to attend our volunteer training on Saturday, October 22^nd, from 11 am – Noon. This volunteer training will be held on-site at the Austin High School Cafeteria.

 To RSVP for the We Are Girls Volunteer Training, please go to the following web address: http://wearevolunteers.eventbrite.com/

 First, choose a ticket type to designate the volunteer position you prefer, then click register. 

 An in-depth description of the volunteer positions is listed on the website under ‘Event Details’, but I have also listed the available volunteer positions below:

Volunteer Positions

The We Are Girls Conference is in need of volunteers in the following capacities:

-registration;

-information desk;

-speaker check-in;

-lunch/hospitality;

-audio-visual support;

-room monitoring;

-hall monitoring. 

 Additionally, there is a volunteer opportunity on Friday, November 11^th, from 9pm – 11pm, to assist with conference set-up at Austin High School.

 If you have any questions, email brittany@genaustin.org . Thank you for supporting GENaustin!

GENaustin is thrilled to announce the keynote speaker of the 2011 We Are Girls Conference, held Saturday November 12^th at Austin High School, will be internationally recognized educator and author Rosalind Wiseman. She is (among many other things), the author of Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World (the book that inspired the movie Mean Girls)! The theme of the conference is, “Bullying, Body Image, and Being a Girl” and Rosalind’s address will focus on the importance of girl-driven leadership to end bullying. If you’re a parent or girl who’d like the opportunity to see Rosalind Wiseman speak, as well as take part in a number of workshops with girls and their parents from all over Central Texas, register here! Scholarships to attend are available! For more information you can visit the We Are Girls website, email wearegirls@genaustin.org or call 841-4040

GENaustin’s new blog will give our readers updates on GENaustin’s events, conferences, and workshops, as well as highlight news & events that impact girls in central texas and their supporters. We’re excited to start a conversation about the issues that impact girls in Texas, and we want to know what you think about the issues we’re exploring, and get your feedback on what interests you. Feel free to email me at maria@genaustin.org, or comment below. In the meantime, check out this video which highlights girls we serve and should give you a better idea about GENaustin’s mission!

We Are Girls from GENaustin on Vimeo.