School’s back in session! You’ve probably got a new haircut, new clothes, and a bunch of new expectations for what your year is going to be like. You also might be a little stressed out, worried about stuff like schoolwork, making friends, and fitting in. This is totally normal, and there are ways to help relieve some of that anxiety. Here are some things to keep in mind to have a fun, successful school year!

From friend of GENaustin Rachel Simmons:

Don’t expect your friends to be perfect. Because, well, they won’t be.

If you hold your friends to impossible expectations, not only will they for sure disappoint you, but it will feel way harsher when they do. Batters get three strikes. Your friends need some, too. Be forgiving. That doesn’t mean being a doormat. Just give people a little room to screw up. It’s classy. Trust me.

Don’t make assumptions about how your friends feel.

If someone seems weird or cold or otherwise unusual, just ask what’s up. Don’t decide they hate you or are ignoring you unless you’re 100% for sure that’s what’s going on. You will spare yourself a whole bucket of drama by just asking, “Are you okay?” or “Are we cool? You seem a little distant.”

Take a risk.

Take a chance and put yourself out there. Raise your hand when you’re not sure of the answer. Make eye contact with that cutie you’ve had your eye on. Ask a person you think is cool to be a partner on a project. Sit – gasp – at a new lunch table (okay, okay, calm down. I won’t make you do that). But seriously, no guts, no glory, girlfriend. You do the same thing over and over again, you’ll get the same thing. When school starts, the window for change opens. Now’s the time to try something different before everyone gets all crusty and set in their ways.

Are you starting out at a new school where you don’t know anyone? Rachel’s also got tips to help you there!

Other suggestions from GENaustin:

Make sure your friendships are positive and make you feel good.

If your friends are making you feel drained or bad about yourself, think about whether it might be time to move away from that friend or friend group. It will be hard at first, but eventually it will open you up to making positive friendships. This article has a good list of ways to tell the difference between toxic friendships and positive ones.

Beat Stress.

If you’re feeling stressed and anxious about school work or friend drama, take time to relax and do things that’ll help you feel better. We’ve got suggestions! You can’t be the best student/daughter/friend possible if you don’t take the time to take care of yourself.

Get Enough Sleep.

Studies show teens especially need 8-9 hours of sleep per night to function properly and do well in school. If you’re tired when you wake up every morning, and nodding off in algebra, maybe it’s time to hit the hay a little earlier at night.

The first day of school always feels a little nerve wracking, but with these suggestions, you’ll get settled and comfortable in no time! Good luck!

During World War II, the government encouraged millions of women to begin working in factories and all sectors of the economy as men went to fight overseas. These women “assembled machine guns, built tanks, fabricated airplanes, and helped change the role of women in American society.” By 1945, 18 million women were in the workforce, doing jobs that had traditionally only been available to men, often working 50 hour weeks and making around 65% less than men doing the same jobs had made. The efforts of these women have been represented in popular imagination by the iconic “Rosie the Riveter,” first captured by a Norman Rockwell painting.

The Flickr page of the Library of Congress has an album of color photographs from the 1940s and 1950s containing some amazing photos of real-life Rosie the Riveters during WWII. These are some of our favorites:

Check out the whole album to see more great pictures!

Tatiana is a long-time GENaustin volunteer, as well being one of our youngest volunteers. As a GENaustin volunteer she’s helped raise funds for our scholarship campaigns, spoken at GENaustin’s 2011 We Are Girls Conference, and shared her thoughts & experiences through our blog.

1. How did you come to find out about GENaustin? How long have you been involved?

I first became involved with GENaustin by being in clubGEN in 7th grade and I’ve been involved with the organization for 3 years now.

As we say goodbye to Claudia and Celeste, GENaustin’s wonderful AmeriCorps VISTAs for the 2012-2013 year, we decided to ask about their term of service and what they learned.

You’ve served as AmeriCorps VISTAs with GENaustin for a year. How has the experience been what you expected, and how has it been different?

Celeste: I expected to love my experience and learned a lot because I cared so deeply for GENaustin’s mission, but I did not expect to come away with such close bonds with my co-workers, volunteers and the girls I served.

Claudia: When I applied, I knew that it would be a great experience, but I had no idea how big of an impact it would have on my life. I knew I would gain important skills, but never imagined the true scope of what they would look like. It has been a total privilege to work in an environment that is challenging in the most supportive way with a team atmosphere that also allows for room to grow and be creative.

Can you tell me about some of your most memorable experiences working with girls?

Celeste: I had the honor of co-facilitating a clubGEN at Fulmore Middle school this year with Claudia, and I truly cannot explain how profoundly that experience has changed my life. I learned so much about what it’s like to be a girl today, enjoyed some intense dance parties and laughed until I cried on multiple occasions. Being able to give girls a safe space to really think and discuss everything from talking to your crush, getting your period, standing up for yourself, and breaking down stereotypes was an amazing experience.

Claudia: There are so many! From 4^th graders being able to come to the conclusion that photoediting is a way to sell more products to small dance parties… I got to work with all of the programs and in every single one, there was something that inspired me deeply. Many of my favorite memories are from the club I was able to run all year- the girls started out as scared 6^th graders and I was able to watch them grow and be a part of their journey. This summer, three of them came back to be a part of a panel for girls transitioning into middle school and I realized I had watched them grow into these amazing and bright young ladies with great hearts. One of the girls told me that I was like an older sister to her and, of course, I cried. Every time one of these girls thanked me, I felt recharged because I felt like thanking all of them for allowing me into their world.

What are you going to take away with you from this year?

Celeste: I am going to take away a tremendous amount of new knowledge and skills, a new found passion for girls issues, and some pretty amazing friendships.

Claudia: So much. I’m taking away a sense of clarity and fulfillment in knowing that I’m in the exact field I want to be in. I take away a sense of family that I gained from working with such an amazing team of women. I’m taking away new best friends and mentors. I’m taking away so much inspiration from all of the girls I was lucky enough to work with. I’m taking away a sense of personal empowerment, confidence and self-love that I haven’t been able to get anywhere else. For the first time in my life, I get to take a step forward in my life with the true belief that I can achieve anything I want and be successful, happy and make a difference in the world. That’s the power of GENaustin.

What would you say to someone else who is considering serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA with GENaustin?

Celeste: Without a doubt, GENaustin is the best placement someone doing a Americorps term of service can have.

Claudia: I would more than recommend it. It’s a privilege to get to work with these women and get to be a part of girls’ lives in this capacity. You will empower and feel so empowered!

VISTA gathering! GENaustin’s 2011 Americorps VISTAs with our 2012 Summer VISTAs and 2012-2013 VISTAs! Thanks to Americorps for our wonderful VISTAs and for helping GENaustin serve so many girls in our community!

Thank you to Claudia and Celeste for their dedication, enthusiasm, and devotion to improving the lives of girls in Austin. We are so happy that you are staying on at GENaustin as Campus Coordinators, and know you have big things ahead of you!

NPR just complied a list of the 100 must-read books for ages 9-14. Some of our favorites (all featuring strong female characters, of course) made the list:

House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros

The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Elizabeth George Speare

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank

Tuck Everlasting, Natalie Babbit

Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

Walk Two Moons, Sharon Creech

Sarah, Plain and Tall, Patricia MacLachlan

Anne of Green Gables Series, L.M. Montgomery

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Judy Blume

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, E.L. Konigsburg

Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine

A Wrinkle in Time, Madeline E’lengle

Julie of the Wolves, Jean Craighead George

Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott O’Dell

What do you think? Did NPR (or GENaustin) miss any really amazing books for girls 9-14?

Also check out our list of Seven Heroines Who Inspired Us for more recommendations!

Conflict and disagreements are a natural part of growing up, and can happen between you and your friends, your parents, your teachers- really, anyone. The important thing is to communicate in a way that is respectful and positive. Here are some suggestions for how to do that:

1. If you’re feeling really sad or angry, take time to cool off before trying to talk through the problem.

2. Don’t listen to argue. Instead, try to really understand what the other person is saying (even rephrase it back to them) before responding.

3. If you find yourself in a disagreement with someone, never belittle them or name-call. You will never figure stuff out if the other person feels hurt or attacked.

4. Make eye contact, and don’t roll your eyes or sigh. Make sure your body language is respectful. If you’re having a disagreement with a parent or teacher, they’re going to take it as a sign that you’re not looking for a real solution, and it will keep you guys from understanding each other.

5. Use “I” statements. If your friend did something that hurt your feelings, instead of saying, “You did this”, say, “I felt really badly when x.” This keeps your friend from feeling blamed and allows them to open up and feel more empathetic about the pain they may have caused.

Remember, no one is perfect, and everyone makes mistakes sometimes. The important thing is to keep the normal problems that come up between you and the people you care about from becoming much bigger deals. These tips should help!

How did you first get involved with GENaustin?

I first heard about GENaustin when Julia came to my office to speak about the organization. After hearing Julia speak about various statistics impacting girls, and the programs GENaustin had to address the issues facing these girls, I knew this was an organization I had to get involved with.

What about your involvement with GENaustin has been most meaningful to you?

As a mom to two girls, and as a woman myself, I know how challenging it can be to be a girl. I’ve seen the direct impact we make on these girls’ lives through volunteering with ClubGEN and from hearing from our girls firsthand about the differences our programs have made.

What is your vision for GENaustin’s future? What are you most excited about going forward?

My focus is on sustainable fundraising for the coming year and beyond. I want to see GENaustin grow our current programs as well as add programs to help girls. I am most excited about the growth and sustainability of the organization. We have a fantastic group of staff and board members, and I am honored to be leading the board this coming year.

Thank you to Heather for this interview! We’re thrilled to have her as our new Board President, and eager to continue to serve the needs of girls in Central Texas.

How long have you served as the President of GENaustin’s board of directors?

I have served on the GENaustin Board of Directors since July 2010. I was elected Board President in July 2012 and have served in that capacity for the past year. It has been both an honor and a privilege to be part of such an esteemed group of people who serve on our GENboard!

How did you get involved?

My involvement with GENaustin began in 2001, when I was asked to help coordinate the 2001 Conference. I served as a planner and logistics coordinator, working with the Conference Chair Celia Israel, who in fact introduced me to GEN and is a former GENboard member.

How have you seen GENaustin grow and change over time?

It has been a delight and inspiration to watch GEN grow over the past decade! When I was first introduced and worked on the 2001 Conference, the conference was small. It was an evening event that took place in a ballroom at a North Austin Hotel. Rosalind Wiseman, author of “Queen Bees and Wanna Bees” was the guest speaker for the event. I remember there were about 200 attendees in the audience that night. The event was small but powerful, and Rosalind was as dynamic a speaker then as she was at our 2011We Are Girls Conference.

I’ve also seen the tremendous growth in GENaustin membership and involvement. We’ve had an increase in the number of girls we serve, an increase in our GEN programs, and an increase in volunteers. I absolutely love when I tell people that I meet that I’m involved with GEN, and they light up and ask me how they can be involved!

What experience has been most meaningful or memorable to you?

Wow, there are so many! I think the most meaningful experience is when I connected with a GEN girl who is a member of our 180 Program. She was soft-spoken, but yet so tremendously passionate about how GEN has been her rock in time of emotional and personal need. Listening to her and watching the reaction of the audience in the room as they embraced her story was both powerful and very emotional for me. It made me realize that my involvement with GEN went beyond Board service or volunteerism. It was the reality of true connectivity, as I became emphatically aware that GEN girls in many ways are the girl I had been – the girls that we all at some point have been.

What do you hope for GENaustin’s future?

I want to see GENaustin continue the momentum that it has held over the past 5 years of increasing membership, programs, volunteers and supporters. Maintaining our momentum will require increasing our donor base and ensuring that we nurture our current sponsors and donors. I also have a 2040 vision, where I hope to see GENaustin as a statewide organization. Finally, I want to share that I believe the future of GEN is bright because of the tremendously dedicate and experienced staff and our phenomenal Executive Director, Julia Cuba!

Thank you for this opportunity to share about GEN – a forever special organization in my heart! Go GEN!!

Rossana A. Barrios

GENaustin Board Chair, 2012-2013

Marion Bartoli took home the 2013 Women’s Singles title at Wimbleton on Saturday, an achievement that took years of effort, in addition to natural talent and athleticism. But some of the reaction to Bartoli’s win revealed the sexism female athletes still face on a regular basis. BBC’s John Inverdale wondered aloud on-air, “Do you think Bartoli’s dad told her when she was little ‘You’re never going to be a looker? You’ll never be a Sharapova, so you have to be scrappy and fight’.” Many people with smaller podiums also took to twitter and other social media to denigrate Bartoli’s looks.

As the UK’s The Independent explains, “His comments betrayed an attitude that is always there, in the background, usually unspoken. A woman can rise to the top of her profession in politics, business, entertainment, or sport. She can defeat the greatest tennis players in the world, overcome injury and setback, to win Wimbledon. But ultimately, she will be judged on her looks.” (Sexism in sports reveals itself in other ways: between 2010-2011 women’s sport comprised only 0.5% of sponsorship and 5% of TV coverage.)

According to Grantland, “Bartoli makes a lot of people nervous. Her attitude on the court is awesomely unembarrassed. She faces the backstop, scrawls of sweaty hair across her face, eyes crazy, feet thudding, arms swinging wildly, before turning to charge the service line. One game away from winning Wimbledon, she sat during the changeover with a dead stare and a piece of banana stuck to her face. Fondly or not, she is called nerdy, quirky, eccentric. The strangest thing about her is that, unlike most of us, she doesn’t seem to care what other people think. She is who she is.”

Women who do not seem to care what people think of them, who don’t actively conform to a very narrow model of what is considered attractive, can be threatening to people who would like women to conform to the status quo. Insulting Bartoli’s looks is an attempt to exert control over her, this woman who became so successful while having the gall not to look like a Maxim model. Luckily, as you’d expect, Bartoli is having none of it. Her response to Inverdale? “It doesn’t matter, honestly. I am not blonde, yes. That is a fact. Have I dreamt about having a model contract? No. I’m sorry. But have I dreamed about winning Wimbledon? Absolutely, yes.”

Linda Benge is leaving GENaustin’s Board of Directors after over five years of service, and to celebrate Linda’s time on the board, we asked her to talk a little about her involvement with GENaustin.

Why GENaustin? I have always been involved with women and girls issues. When I moved from Houston to Austin I was introduced to GEN by Kim Soechting, one of the founding board members. I became a donor through a family foundation. When I began to have more time, I wanted to engage more with the organization and I became a member of the Board. I am so happy that I did.

What I will always remember most about my time with the GENaustin board is the fabulous people with whom I served. I have met so many new people with a passion for our mission who have inspired me in many ways. In addition, the young women who work with GENaustin are an incredible group. They are dedicated and competent and the reason why GENaustin is the go to place in Central Texas and throughout the state as a resource for girl issues. I have also been fortunate as the Chair to work closely with Julia Cuba, the Executive Director. She is remarkable and committed to GENaustin and our mission. She is a great leader and I have learned a lot from her.

I think GEN offers a wonderful opportunity to become involved in supporting girls in our communities. The reason this mission is so important to me is that I see my granddaughters and nieces struggling with the same issues that I experienced as an adolescent 50 years ago. Although we see girls and women excelling in numerous areas with opportunities in athletics, education & career choices, we still see too many young women with eating disorders, teen pregnancies, low self esteem reflecting in school performance and delinquency rates. We also watch as women work harder to prove to themselves & others that they are capable because of the self esteem issues which started in adolescence. Our society continues to use sex to sell everything. Inappropriate clothing targeted at young girls, marketing campaigns reinforcing gender stereotypes continue today. I am leaving the GENaustin board but I am not leaving GENaustin. The mission is as relevant today and as important as it ever has been.

Thank you to Linda for everything has done to make GENaustin the organization that it is today! GENaustin has been extremely privileged to have her support, and every girl served through GENaustin has benefited from Linda’s passion and dedication to girls issues.

Last week, GENaustin was chosen to be an Impact Austin 2013 Partner in support of our 180 Program for girls involved with the juvenile justice system. The $101,000 award from Impact Austin will give GENaustin the ability to expand our services to 300 girls in Bastrop, Hays, Travis and Williamson counties who are desperately in need of the services of the program.

Here’s the story of how GENaustin’s executive Director, Julia Cuba, found out GENaustin had been chosen:

The night GENaustin was elected as an Impact Austin 2013 partner, Ami Kane, Development Director, and I made our presentation and then we left the event and went down to a nearby Italian restaurant to wait for the phone call which would tell us the results of the vote. While we were waiting, I was sure we had not been selected to win the award. I was so certain, in fact, I texted a few people to let them know we likely had not been elected as a 2013 Impact Austin partner. I was feeling very unsure, but Ami was keeping my spirits high talking about interesting topics to keep my mind off of Impact Austin. After waiting for about an hour and a half, we got the call on my cell phone. It was Cynthia Hoff from the committee that guided us through the entire finalist process. She said, “Julia? This is Cynthia Hoff from Impact Austin. I am so sorry to tell you…” Right at that moment I looked at Ami Kane and made a motion to signal we had lost the vote. Ami immediately began composing a text to the staff to let them know about the loss. Cynthia finished her sentence, “…But you got the grant!” I was shocked and started screaming in the middle of the Italian restaurant! All of the other patrons were looking our way wondering if I had just won the lottery. I asked Cynthia several times to repeat the sentence so I could be sure I understood her correctly. She kept saying, “Yes, you got the grant. Yes, GENaustin has been voted on to become a 2013 Impact Austin partner. You got the grant!!!” We texted everyone we knew. We posted to every social media site we could think of. It was a wonderful night to celebrate a program that will change the lives of so many girls. And what makes it even better? This is our second time to win an Impact Austin award and expand our services throughout central Texas. Impact Austin has made a huge difference in the growth of GENaustin, visibility for our organization, and our reach to girls who need us. We are forever impacted by this group of philanthropic women who care so deeply for their community.

And check out these great pictures from the presentation night and award ceremony:

Thanks so much to the incredible women of Impact Austin for their support of GENaustin and other nonprofits in our community. Read more about Impact Austin’s 2013 Partners at the Austin Statesman. And find out more about the work of the 180 Program here.

As daughters get older, dads can sometimes become less involved in their lives- at a time when their daughters need them more than ever. If you’re feeling disconnected from your daughter, check out these tips!

Spend one on one time

Make time to hang out, just you and your daughter. It’s important to have that time and space to talk and to share details of her life.

Join her in activities she enjoys

Sometimes Dads feel like they don’t share any interests with their daughter, but look harder. Find the activities you both enjoy doing, or step outside your comfort zone and bond with your daughter on her turf, doing the things that matter to her. Check out the game below for a fun way to do activities you both enjoy.

Ask her about her life

If you feel like you don’t understand the changes that are happening in your daughter’s life as she enters middle or high school, the best way to fix that is to ask! It’s important that your daughter feels like she can talk to you in a safe and open environment, and your guidance is essential in her life. Read more about the impact of supportive, engaged fathers here.

Teach her new skills

By teaching your daughter skills, you’re helping raise an independent, confident young person who feels capable of facing life’s challenges.

Check out Girl Talk Therapy’s excellent suggestions for reconnecting as well!

Play the Connect with Your Daughter Game

1) Decide on time and money limits.

2) Have your daughter to write down five things she would like to do with you. At the same time, make your own list of activities you think would be fun to do with her.

3) Swap lists. Choose one activity from your daughter’s list, and she can choose one from yours.

4) Schedule the activities and make it a priority to do them when you’ve scheduled.

(Connect with Your Daughter Game reprinted from Daughters Newsletter)

If you haven’t already, check out some of our past father’s day posts:

Celebrating Fathers

Breaking Away From Harmful Gender Expectations: a Father’s Perspective

The Importance of Supportive Fathers

Happy Father’s Day!

Girls today face more pressure than ever before. They’re expected to get straight A’s, do a bunch of extracurricular activities, prepare for applying to college (starting years in advance, sometimes!) AND deal with all the emotions that come with growing up. And the start of summer doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve left all their stress behind. If you’re a girl, you know you’ve still got a lot going on- a summer job, camp, sports you’re playing- plus conflict with friends doesn’t end just because the school year has. Here are tips to help beat stress, year-round:

Get Enough Sleep

You can’t manage everything you’ve got going on if you’re sleep deprived. Teen girls need between 8.5-9 hours of sleep per night.

Simplify Your Schedule

It’s impossible to make time for everything. Instead, learn to prioritize what’s really important to you (spending time with your best friend, being in that play) and cut the extras.

Keep a Journal

Writing down everything that’s going on with you can help you gain perspective and manage your feelings around any problems you might be having.

Take Time to Relax

Take the time to do whatever it is that makes you feel calmer- whether that’s reading, running, building model airplanes- whatever works for you.

Talk to Your Parents or a Trusted Adult

If you’re feeling stressed, talk to your mom or dad about it. They’ve been there too, and they probably know good ways to cope. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, they can remind you of all the things you’ve accomplished in the past, and how you’ve overcome other obstacles that have come your way. Even though right now you’re stressed about something, you’re going to get through this, too.

What other ways do you deal with stress? Let us know in the comments!

As daughters grow up, it can be challenging to figure out at what point they get to make their own decisions about makeup, clothing, hairstyles, etc. At the same time, sometimes moms struggle not to unintentionally pass down body image issues they’ve developed over the years unto their daughters. Hair is one area that is sometimes fraught with challenges. We’ve already blogged about Jada Pinkett-Smith’s decision to allow her daughter to cut her hair, and non-celebrity moms face the same kind of decisions as well.

This mom shared her perspective:

I grew up hating my hair. Mousy brown, super fine, lifeless… I dreamed of having bouncy, shiny hair like those orgasmic beauties in the shampoo commercials. It’s probably why I’ve had no problem trying so many different styles throughout my lifetime — no matter how bad it gets, it can’t be much worse than the hair I was born with.

So when I was blessed with my daughter, I latched onto her black, thick, shiny Asian hair like she was Rapunzel and I was desperately climbing for my one chance to experience long, flowing, gorgeous locks. Seriously, her hair is perfect.

So when she started talking about cutting it short several months back, I would nod and smile and know that it just wasn’t going to happen. A few months ago, she stepped up her game, telling anyone who’d listen how she wanted a Mohawk. As I do when she asks for something that’s absolutely out of the question, I told her she could have one when she was 14.

I was pretty confident in my decision… until the doubt began to creep in. What was wrong with me? Why couldn’t she have super short hair that she could style into a “fauxhawk”? I realized that I was projecting my own self doubt and insecurities onto my strong, sassy daughter. If she wants her hair cut, who am I to stop it from happening? Yes, kids might tease her… you know it happens. But the only thing worse than that is teaching her that she should make choices in life solely based on how other people (not even people she cares about) might perceive them.

Find out what this mom decided to do here.

What do you think? How much control should daughters have over their appearance? How do you balance helping them make good decisions with allowing them to develop the self-esteem that comes from personal choice? How do you ensure the decisions you help them make don’t come from a place of personal insecurity?

The personal hang-ups we unwittingly pass on to our daughters can have a huge negative impact. In this letter from a grown daughter to her mother, the woman describes how her mother’s ‘fat talk’ and constant dieting shaped how she viewed weight and the importance of appearance:

One night, we were dressed up for a party and you said to me, ”Look at you, so thin, beautiful and lovely. And look at me, fat, ugly and horrible.”

At first I didn’t understand what you meant.

”You’re not fat,” I said earnestly and innocently, and you replied, ”Yes I am, darling. I’ve always been fat; even as a child.”

In the days that followed I had some painful revelations that have shaped my whole life. I learned that:
1. You must be fat because mothers don’t lie.
2. Fat is ugly and horrible.
3. When I grow up I’ll look like you and therefore I will be fat, ugly and horrible too.

Years later, I looked back on this conversation and the hundreds that followed and cursed you for feeling so unattractive, insecure and unworthy. Because, as my first and most influential role model, you taught me to believe the same thing about myself.

With every grimace at your reflection in the mirror, every new wonder diet that was going to change your life, and every guilty spoon of ”Oh-I-really-shouldn’t”, I learned that women must be thin to be valid and worthy. Girls must go without because their greatest contribution to the world is their physical beauty.
Just like you, I have spent my whole life feeling fat. When did fat become a feeling anyway? And because I believed I was fat, I knew I was no good.

But now that I am older, and a mother myself, I know that blaming you for my body hatred is unhelpful and unfair. I now understand that you too are a product of a long and rich lineage of women who were taught to loathe themselves.

Be a part of stopping the cycle of body hatred, whether you are a mother or not. Don’t engage in ‘fat talk’, not to younger girls and women for whom you are a role model, and not to your friends. Just as fat talk can have negative consequences on self-esteem, turning it around and engaging in body positive talk can start to change the way not only you personally view your body and self-worth, but the way all the women around you view themselves, as well.

How did you first hear about GENaustin? What made you decide to get involved?

After completing the McCoy MBA program while working at Dell, I was eager to reengage my personal commitment to civic service and really impact my community. Just as I was starting to research volunteer opportunities, the Women In Search of Excellence (WISE) group at Dell was teaming up with GENaustin for to participate in the We Are Girls Conference. I was blown away by GENaustin’s mission and felt like this was something I could really get behind and make a difference. I volunteered immediately to be a part of the action and have been committed ever since.

What has been your favorite part or your most memorable experience being a GENaustin volunteer?

Over the past 2 years, I have volunteered with the We Are Girls Conference, the GirlConnect program and have coordinated a mentoring program that brings twelve 7th grade girls to tour the Dell Round Rock campus annually. All of the programs are extremely rewarding in different ways, but I always like how the GirlConnect program uniquely uses technology to help address issues that all girls face around body image and the media. Also, I am always so full of pride watching the girls in a GirlConnect session using Dell notebooks to create their own thoughtful Ezine content on the meaning of REAL BEAUTY. It is a great feeling to help give girls the tools to look past beauty stereotypes and to help recognize all the reasons they are beautiful just the way they are.

How has volunteering enriched your life?

I believe we need strong and confident young women to make our community great, but our young girls face challenges that test their self-esteem daily. Those challenges have only grown more extreme today with the addition of technology and a hyper-connected society. Having faced bullies in childhood myself, I feel a personal connection to these girls and want to help them combat the negative influences and to give them the ability to protect themselves during this complicated time in their lives. I always leave a GENaustin volunteer event feeling proud, joyful and like I am high-fiving my middle school self!

What would you say to someone who is thinking about volunteering with GENaustin?

Just get involved. I promise you won’t regret a moment of it. These girls need us in so many different ways. These girls are our future leaders, mothers, wives, employees and much more…and they need our attention and guidance to reach their full potential. Not only are you going to give the girls the gift of your insight, wisdom and perspective, they are going to give you many smiles and probably teach you a few things as well.

Thanks to Michelle for all of her work and for her interview! If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer yourself, email [email protected] for more info!

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Thank you to YNPN Austin and all of our competitors for a wonderful night of non-profit fun! The money GENaustin won will go toward much-needed programming for girls in Austin.

Thank you so much to everyone at Dell and members of WISE whose hard work and collaboration made our 2013 GENaustin Road Trip to Dell a big success!

On May 6th GENaustin took a group of girls from KIPP Austin College Prep to the Dell Campus where they had the opportunity to meet women working in technology and tour the Dell campus, learning more about Dell technology and Dell’s impact around the world.

The girls had speed-dating style meetings with Dell WISE members from a variety of jobs and backgrounds:

They also saw the Dell Social Media Command Center:

According to the girls, some of the highlights of the field trip to Dell included discussing future careers and learning about all the different types of jobs Dell offers. They also enjoyed the Social Media Command Center and getting to try out fancy Dell technology. The girls really enjoyed meeting all the women of Dell/WISE and described them as intelligent and hardworking leaders, whom they could look up to. The girls agreed that “it would be cool to work at Dell because you are always busy, doing something new, learning something new and meeting new people.”

Thank you to everyone who made this special day possible!

A new study shows Facebook is still the most popular social networking site among teens (although interest appears to be waning slightly, with Twitter and Instagram taking the second and third positions). Teens spend, on average, 2 hours and 2 minutes online a day, with most of that time being spent on social networking sites. This handy infographic spells out more about how teens spend their time on social media:

Frequently, though, it’s not just older teens who are using social media. A new article in the Washington Post explores the implications of the growing popularity of the photo-sharing site Instagram among those younger than 13. Although technically (like Facebook) you have to be over 13 to join Instagram, that disclaimer is not easily found, and many preteens are on the site- with or without their parent’s permission. Children’s advocates say that access to social media before children are ready can have negative, and even dangerous, consequences. A new change.org petition is asking that Facebook (which owns Instagram) automatically make default settings for 13-17 year-old’s private, and that it disable geolocation for that age group as well. (Geolocation lets Instagram determine and share the exact location where a picture is shared, something parents say can unintentionally reveal too much personal information to strangers on the internet.)

Besides putting pressure on social media sites to be more responsible with young people’s information, what can parents who are concerned about their preteen’s or teen’s use of social media do? We have some suggestions:

1) Make the decision about what you think is the appropriate age for your child to be on social networking sites (be it Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or something else.)

2) Make sure you have access to their accounts, and know who their friends are. Be engaged in their digital lives.

3) Have a conversation about privacy settings, and make sure your teen or preteen is aware of who they’re sharing information with.

4) Set ground rules for what gets shared online, and how. No posting photos that could make others feel excluded. No nasty comments. Say “no” to strangers.

5) In case it comes up, teach your teen how to respond to cyberbullying.

6) Make sure your teen or preteen knows they can always talk to you about anything that’s happening in their social-media lives.

What do you think? What’s the right age to start using social media? How much responsibility should social media sites take in insuring teenager’s information remains private, and that those younger than 13 are not using the sites?