Mark your calendars for January 22, 2004, when GENaustin will host bestselling author Rachel Simmons. Simmons wrote the New York Times bestseller Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls, the first book to explore the phenomenon of bullying between girls. Her brand new book out in December, Odd Girl Speaks Out: Girls Write About Bullies, Cliques, Popularity, and Jealousy, delves further into the issue, but this time from girls’ perspectives. She will be GENaustin’s guest on a panel along with teen girls who will give frank and honest advice as well as answer questions of girls and parents.

The event will begin @ 6 p.m. at the Dell Jewish Community Center. Light snacks and beverages will be provided. A $15 donation to GENaustin is suggested. RSVP to the GENaustin office @ 414-0472, or office@genaustin.org.

Simmons’ work has been profiled in media ranging from The Oprah Winfrey Show to The Washington Post. She is currently the director of The Girls’ Leadership Institute, a Sidwell Friends summer program and a consultant to schools all over the country.

For more information about Rachel Simmons, GENaustin and the event, please visit the Rachel Simmons Press Release.

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, Sept. 17, because famed expert on media literacy, Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D., will be making her way to Austin! She’ll be in Austin to talk to girls in the community, their parents and their teachers about the tobacco industry's marketing to young women. Ms. Kilbourne is visiting in conjunction with the GENaustin Speaker Series. Ms. Kilbourne will be giving her talk on behalf of the GENaustin group oriGENal voice: Austin girls speaking out against Big Tobacco.

Ms. Kilbourne is best known for her award-winning documentaries "Pack of Lies," "Slim Hopes" and "Killing Us Softly." Don't miss this great opportunity to learn from this renowned speaker.

The event will be held from 7-9 p.m. at Caswell House, 1404 West Ave., near 15th Street. Refreshments will be provided and a $15 donation at the door is greatly appreciated – all proceeds will directly benefit GENaustin.

Seating is limited, so RSVP soon – 512.495.7173.

For more information about Reel Women, visit their Web site at www.reelwomen.org.

Please join us for the upcoming Fall Art Show and Silent Auction. This fundraising event will include local arts and crafts, great food, tarot readings and more. Admission is FREE. The auction will be from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 28, at the Lazy Oak Bed and Breakfast, 211 West Live Oak.

For more information, contact Renee Buck at 512.447-8873 or visit www.lazyoakbandb.com.

On Tuesday, Sept. 30, the State Theater Company will do a benefit performance of Be Aggressive. The benefit show is hosted and sponsored by CheerStation, the 'Official Cheer Sponsor' for the show, and all proceeds go directly to GENaustin.

Be Aggressive is Annie Weisman’s darkly comic journey into the intense world of two 17-year-old California cheerleaders. Inspired by Weisman’s own adolescent years in suburban San Diego, the coming-of-age-drama is directed by State artistic director Scott Kanoff and features local favorites Jenny Larson and Kira Pozehl as Laura and Leslie, two girls about to enter their final year of high school. Anchored by the metaphor of its protagonists’ intense dedication to cheerleading, the play’s themes deal with many teen issues that have recently landed at the forefront of an American female agenda: self-esteem, relational aggression, peer pressure, media influence and teen-parent relationships, to name a few.

For more information on the event and how to get tickets, please visit BE AGGRESSIVE Press Release.

Special Note: Be Aggressive contains mature language and content and is not recommended for children under the age of 16.

"Girls Get In Free," Board Member Trish Murphy's latest effort, will be released on or around September 25.  Songs include "Thelma and Louise"; a duet of "Cowboy Man" with Bob Schneider; full-band versions of "The Trouble With Trouble" and "St. Christopher," and more groovy surprises.

Trish along with Texas Rollergirls will be releasing her CD at a really cool event at Playland Skate Center on October 16th. Proceeds of the party will go to GENaustin. To order copies of Trish's new CD, visit www.trishmurphy.com. For more information on the event, please visit Trish Murphy Press Release.

This site was last updated on 11/24/2004.

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