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ISSUE THREE
GIRL GENIUS
Cover & Social Media Layout by Shivali Gulati Social Media Art by Joyce Guo Cover Art by Shelley Thompson
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY @girlgeniusmag Girl Genius Magazine Girl Genius Magazine Girl Genius Magazine girlgeniusmagazine. wixsite.com/official 1
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Written by Shivali Gulati Edited by Andrea Gonzalez Photo by Catherine Navalta Layout by Shivali Gulati
"privilege: a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group." When I tell my female friends interested in tech that I've never faced any discrimination for my interest in computer science, here's how the conversation will generally proceed: “Oh really? You're lying. Just wait until you get to college.� Despite living in the heart of Silicon Valley, I was what my friends would call lucky, a young one in tech, and, most surprisingly, privileged. It had become a privilege to be supported as a female in tech. I recognized my privilege after witnessing a debate in an online hackathon Discord server
about how female hackathons are supposedly discriminatory. Here, on my phone, I was seeing female leaders being called sexist for attempting to bridge the gender gap. Here, I was seeing individuals perpetuating impostor syndrome by agreeing that females should accustom to not seeing themselves represented in co-ed coding events or companies. Here, I was seeing females losing this privilege. Female empowerment does not stop after 24 hours or after a 6-week coding camp. At Girl Genius, we seek to empower females in STEAM year-round, and I hope this issue leaves you feeling connected and empowered with the rest of our community.
Shivali Gulati Founder Of Girl Genius Magazine
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CONTENTS Layout by Avneet Grewal
2 5 9 11 13 21 24 25 29 33 35
E D I T O R ' S
L E T T E R
By Shivali Gulati
M E E T
T H E
T E A M
By the Girl Genius Issue III Team
T E A M
H I G H L I G H T
By Abby Liang & Zainab AlRamlawi
M E E T
M I S S
C E O
By MISS CEO Ambassador & Mehak Garg
T H E
P O W E R
O F
G E N - Z
By Izzy Lapidus, Tanvi Tiana Dhingra, Madison Ramos, & Carolina R.V. de Andrade G E N
Z
G I R L
G A N G
By Sequoia Smith (GenZ Girl Gang) E M P O W E R M E N T
A N T H E M S
By the Girl Genius Issue III Team
N A I L I N G
T H A T
I N T E R V I E W
By Tanvi Tiana Dhingra & Cassie Areff
S W I P I N G
F O R W A R D
By Madeleine Sullivan, Anaya Patel, Mia Cardenas, & Deanna Sharpe
H A C K A T H O N
E M P O W E R M E N T
By Audrey Kim & Ishika Kohli
C O M P U T E R
S C I E N C E
G E N D E R
G A P
By Deanna Sharpe, Ritu Atreyas, & Madison Ramos
3
39 41 47 51 55 57 59 62 65 67
T H E
M E R E
4 %
By Anaya Patel
E D U C A T E D
&
E X P L O R I N G
By Carolina R. V. de Andrade, Faith Jacobs, & Anaya Patel
C O L L E G E
A P P
G U I D E
By Nicole Wolff & Madeleine Sullivan
S T E A M I N I S T ' S
G U I D E
T O
C L U B S
By Cassie Areff, Faith Jacobs, & Ritu Atreyas
S O
W H A T ?
By Esther Duong
M E D I C A L
B I A S
By Raitah Jinnat, Deanna Sharpe, & Ishika Kohli
H I S T O R I C A L
C O L U M N S
By Nicole Wolff, Audrey Kim, & Raitah Jinnat
T O
T H E
R E A L M
O F
D R E A M S
By Elif Kaya
F I N A L
N O T E
By the GG Issue 3 Directors Team
T H A N K
Y O U
P A R T N E R S
By the GG Issue 3 Partnerships Team
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MEET THE CREATORS BEHIND ISSUE THREE
CREATIVE WRITING
WRITING Director: Garima Sharma Cassie Areff Ritu Atreyas Carolina R. V. de Andrade Tanvi Tiana Dhingra Faith Jacobs Raitah Jinnat Audrey Kim
WRITING Ishika Kohli Izzy Lapidus Anaya Patel Madison Ramos Deanna Sharpe Madeleine Sullivan Nicole Wolff
EDITING Director: Jyothikaa Ramann Esther Duong Andrea Gonzalez Ore James Shaguffta Kaur Sophie Krajmalnik Abby Liang
Director: Emma Quinn Swathya Singh Chauhan Riley Cooke Esther Duong Anne Gvozdjak Samyukta Iyer Elif Kaya Anaya Patel Saina Suri
BLOGGING EDITING Xueyi Lu Chiffon Nguyen Mehek Nirula Anaya Patel Vivian Wang Athena Yao Julia Zacharski
Director: Madison Ramos Anum Ahmad Nikki Agrawal Emma Benyaminy Mia Cardenas Carolina R. V. de Andrade Siddhi Kabadi Madeleine Sullivan
ARTISTS Director: Athena Yao Sena Atesoglu Julia Chiappe Adelina Rose Gowans Joyce Guo Mia Kotalik Jasmine Serna Manouk Streiff-Hallisey Shelley Thomson
Layout by Shivali Gulati | Art by Adelina Rose Gowans
SOCIAL MEDIA Director: Victoria Chang Maria Denise Cuenca Andrea Gonzalez Varshini Gopinathan Shivali Gulati Rachelle McCoy Madison Ramos Kriti Sundaresa
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PARTNERSHIPS Director: Zainab Alramlawi Maria Denise Cuenca Andrea Gonzalez Shivali Gulati Maya Kokaly Agnes Mar Huong Nguyen Nadine Ordaz Chloe Yan Aurora Yuan
GRANTS
LAYOUT DESIGN
Director: Leesel Fraser Athmiha Bhaskaran Maria Denise Cuenca Nandini Goyal
Director: Abby Liang Gimena Escobedo Avneet Grewal Shivali Gulati Vanessa Guo Rebecca Kanter Athena Yao
YOUTUBE Production Director:Â Zoe Ngo Editing Director: Cassie Areff Priyanshi Nigam
WEB DEVELOPMENT Directors: Abby Liang & Shivali Gulati Avneet Grewal Anne Gvozdjak Siddhi Kabadi Chloe Yan Julia Zacharski
But above all, you should join to make an impact towards a brighter future. Jyothikaa Ramann, Director Of Editing 7
Apply For Issue IV!
We are looking for female changemakers interested in spreading education and awareness of the STEAM fields to girls from all over the world through our platform.
bit.ly/girlgeniusissue4
Teams Artists Blog Creative Writing Editing Grants Layout Design Partnerships Social Media Writing YouTube
Art by Jasmine Serna
Team Highlights Why is empowerment important to you? Empowerment fosters growth in strength and confidence for a community. In each passion I have explored, I have found a community. Stepping out of your and society's comfort zone, such as girls in STEAM, can be difficult, especially when alone. I have a tendency to give up easily, but with an empowered community, I’m able to persist in pursuing my passions. With regards to empowering girls in STEAM, luckily there are organizations out there to help us feel encouraged and inspired by helping us to dismiss our fears. Within empowerment
ABBY LIANG, 17 DIRECTOR OF LAYOUT DESIGN, WEB DESIGNER & EDITOR
are diverse perspectives and support for both my challenges and my accomplishments. Since January 2019, Girl Genius Magazine has provided me this sense of community and empowerment. We are the next of female change makers, so it's important that we support each other, whether through our extracurricular endeavors or our academic pursuits. Outside of Girl Genius, I am a founding member of a local organization called STEAM Sisters that empowers young girls in STEAM, based on the idea that early exposure to
STEAM topics will help cultivate their passions, regardless of any societal stereotypes.
" I hope that they will also empower each other, creating a community and becoming the next female STEAM leaders. "
Layout by Shivali Gulati Edited by Sophie Krajmalnik & Jyothikaa Ramann
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ZAINAB ALRAMLAWI, 19 DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS Empowerment is the key behind my passion and self-confidence, which push me to achieve my goal of being a successful leader in my community. Whenever I feel frustrated, afraid, or in need of assistance, I have always found supportive people who stand by my side, even in bad circumstances. These empowering people and communities have helped me enhance my skills, enrich my knowledge, and increase my courage, aspiration, and light to find my own way. I have the responsibility to give back by pushing my society forward, giving people a platform to share their voices, and to change for the best.By being part of Girl Genius, I was able to further my goal in the STEM field and help others do the same.I also helped establish many clubs and hackathons to empower other girls in STEM and give them the opportunity to take the first steps towards their dreams and make the change they want to see in the world. Empowerment creates leaders who change our world!
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Miss CEO's Summer Leadership Academy
EMPOWERING GIRLS THE RIGHT WAY: MEET MISS CEO Written by MISS CEO Ambassador, Mehak Garg | Edited by Julia Zacharski | Layout by Vanessa Guo & Shivali Gulati
Miss CEO offers world-class leadership education, mentorship, and career exploration opportunities that empower young women and inspire them to become great leaders. Since its founding in 2011, Miss CEO has delivered over 200 high-quality programs and trained over 15,000 students from all around the world. Each year, Miss CEO selects several high school ambassadors to further the impact of Miss CEO through various projects. Girl Genius had the opportunity to speak with an ambassador about the projects Miss CEO organizes.
Leadership Conference Originally intended to be a fullday event at Stanford where girls can learn leadership skills through different interactive activities, the leadership conference is now going to be conducted online in mid-April. Career Exploration Team The career exploration team is working on interviewing women with astounding careers from various fields to expose girls to different careers. The team will organize different resources such as informational links, internship opportunities, and workshops on a website. YouTube Team The YouTube team is working on creating content to showcase Miss CEO's events, cover informational content in a video format, and spread Miss
CEO's message on another platform. We are currently working on an internship video where we interview different high school interns and also give tips for how to get a high school internship. Storytelling & Social Media Teams The storytelling and social media team shares stories, tips, and tricks through various social media platforms. We are creating interactive activities that people can do on our Instagram so that they can learn more about leadership in a more engaging and fun manner. We are also working on ambassador takeovers where different ambassadors can talk about how they display leadership and give tips for other girls.
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THE POWER OF MISS CEO 85+ combined years of leadership experience
Miss CEO Networking Event At The Tech Interactive
200+Â workshops and programs delivered 15,000 students impacted Miss CEO Founder in the middle meeting Stanford's She++ Fellows
"I decided to launch Miss CEO in order to provide young women with leadership training, mentorship, and career exploration opportunities so they can excel in ALL phases of their lives. Since our founding in 2011, we have taught over ten thousand students all over the world and we are continuing to grow!" - Nita Singh Kaushal Founder, Miss CEO
Miss CEO Founder teaching students how to create an impact
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THE POWER OF GEN Z Written by Izzy Lapidus, Tanvi Tiana Dhingra, Madison Ramos, & Carolina R. V. de Andrade Edited by Shaguffta Kaur | Layout by Avneet Grewal | Artwork by Manouk Streiff-Hallisey
I’m sure you’ve heard the term “Gen Z,” but maybe you’re wondering what exactly is Gen Z. Well, Gen Z technically refers to the generation following “millennials;” in other words, those born between the years 1997 and 2010. There are currently 74 million Gen Zers in the world! Powered by their youthfulness, Gen Zers are extremely motivated activists, with tenacity like no other. They see the injustice present in the world today and want to use their voices and social media platforms to change the world. Gen Zers aren’t waiting for the world to change around them, they’re the ones changing it. At the forefront of Gen Z change making and activism are the Gen Z girls. These young women are redefining what it means to take up space and command an audience. They recognize that the stories of women throughout history have not always been heard, and demand that it is time to listen. Using their anger, passion, frustration, and grit, Gen Z girls and young women are founding their own organizations and businesses, inspiring more girls to pursue STEM, empowering the next generation of leaders, and quite literally changing the world. Writers at Girl Genius Magazine had the pleasure of interviewing three of these incredible Gen Z women, and we’re so excited for you to read about the amazing work they’re doing. 13
A U D R E Y
P E
@audreyisabelpe Interviewed by Izzy Lapidus Izzy Lapidus interviewed Audrey Pe, an 18-year-old advocate for women in STEM, primarily those in Technology. She works towards closing the gender and tech accessibility gaps across the Philippines. She founded WiTech (Women in Technology) at age fifteen, a nonprofit organization that empowers youth by breaking gender barriers and inspires youth to use technology to make a positive difference in society, and has been making waves as a leading STEMinist ever since.
WHAT IS THE PRIMARY ISSUE THAT YOUR ADVOCACY WORK CONCERNS?
1 .
My work with WiTech (Women in Technology) deals primarily with closing gender inequality and tech inaccessibility gaps in the Philippines. We did this through hosting the first ever women in tech conference for students in the Philippines, bi-monthly women in tech talks entered around how technology and sustainable development goals, and our outreach program that taught high school students from war-torn Marawi basic programming skills. I founded WiTech because I experienced a lack of support in entering the tech industry and wanted to do something about it. Essentially, I didn’t want to wait to enter the tech industry to help solve a problem that impacts me and so many of my peers. I was (and still am) persistent in wanting to act on issues like gender inequality and lack of access to technology that affect my community. " I
F O U N D E D
S U P P O R T
I N
W I T E C H
E N T E R I N G
D O
B E C A U S E
T H E
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S O M E T H I N G
E X P E R I E N C E D
I N D U S T R Y
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L A C K
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W A N T E D
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I T . "
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WHY IS YOUTH ADVOCACY IMPORTANT TO YOU?
2 .
Youth advocacy is important to me because it is quite simply the future. It means that young people are mobilizing and acting upon issues that impact current and future generations. Young people are stepping up and making sure that the problems society currently faces aren’t just the responsibility of adults but youth as well. I personally feel so empowered by youth advocacy because it shows me that young people around the world are doing amazing things and that I can do the same. WiTech was inspired by so many changemakers around the world that taught me to act upon issues in my community and not let age stop me from making a difference.
HOW HAS BEING A YOUTH ACTIVIST CHANGED THE WAY YOU VIEW THE WORLD?
3 .
Being a youth activist has actually made me more optimistic. Engaging with community issues on daily issues can be tiring, but I use that energy to fuel and inspire me. I am surrounded by peers who are also working towards a better future and that in itself is a push to keep going and to know that I’m not alone. Becoming a youth activist has given me a community (online and offline) as well as platforms via talks and events to bring attention to my advocacy at WiTech.
WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATIONS?
4 .
Michelle Obama and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I’ve read both of their books and can’t help but be in awe of how they overcame barriers, in terms of gender, race, and culture, to get where they are today. They are often lauded for their extraordinary achievements, but what really inspires me is their grit and tenacity when no one was looking. Their drive to study hard when they were one of the few women in the room and willingness to voice their opinions even when they didn’t have seats at the table made me realize that we don’t wait for opportunities--we make them ourselves. 15
@selynnasun S E L Y N N A
S U N
S E L Y N N A
S U N
S E L Y N N A
S U N
S E L Y N N A
S U N
Interviewed by Madison Ramos
Madison Ramos interviewed Selynna Sun, a thirdyear computer science major at California Polytechnic State University (CalPoly) in San Luis Obispo, California. Selynna is an avid member of the hackathon community with a vested interest in encouraging hackathon involvement. Outside of attending hackathons, she is a Major League Hacking Coach and has founded and organized two hackathons: Los Altos Hacks, the West Coast’s largest high school hackathon, and SLO Hacks, Cal Poly’s 36-hour hackathon.
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H O W
W E R E
C O M P U T E R
Y O U
F I R S T
S C I E N C E ?
I N T R O D U C E D W H A T
D R E W
T O
Y O U
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I T ?
I was first introduced to computer science through High School Hacks, a 1000+ person hackathon in the Bay Area. Prior to that, I wasn't particularly interested in computer science, but I was convinced to go upon hearing that there was free food. Long story short, I came out of that hackathon loving everything about computer science—particularly the community, the logic and problem solving behind it, and the breadth of topics.
W H A T
D R E W
Y O U
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F I R S T
E X P E R I E N C E ?
I grew up watching my dad build random Android apps in his free time, and unfortunately thought it was not for me, but going to HSHacks changed all of that. It was eye-opening to see 1000+ high schoolers gathered at PayPal HQ for the same purpose: to build something from your wildest dreams over that weekend. I had a blast learning how to build an Android app with new and old friends, and was so hooked on the fact that there were so many people in my area passionate about building and learning in their free time.
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W H A T
I N S P I R E D
Y O U
T O
F O U N D
Y O U R
O W N
H A C K A T H O N S ?
In the spring semester of my junior year, I volunteered at the second iteration of HSHacks and it gave me a pretty comprehensive glimpse into how hackathon organizing works. HSHacks II had some disappointing decisions with how things were run day-of and I felt that if I was organizing my own hackathon, I'd know what to do and what not to do. Additionally, it was challenging getting my high school friends to go to HSHacks II with me, so what better way to get more people from my high school into the community than to start my own? I was pretty on the fence about all of this though, until I attended Hackcon III (a hackathon organizer's conference run by Major League Hacking). There, I was inspired by all the collegiate hackathon organizers who were all so passionate about doing good for the community and constantly reassured me that organizing a hackathon was something I had the capability to do. That led me to start Los Altos Hacks (now running its 5th iteration!). After going to college, I also noticed the lack of a hacker community. I had trouble convincing friends to go to hackathons with me, and no one really built side projects in their free time. Remembering how successful Los Altos Hacks was in terms of kickstarting a hackathon community at home convinced me that starting a hackathon at Cal Poly was the right move—that's how SLO Hacks started.
" R E M E M B E R I N G
A
H A C K A T H O N
C A L
H O W
S U C C E S S F U L
C O M M U N I T Y
P O L Y
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H O M E
R I G H T
A L T O S
C O N V I N C E D
A R E
H A C K A T H O N I T
M E
M O V E — T H A T ' S
H O W
I S
H A C K S
W A S
T H A T
H O W
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H A C K S
T O
B E
A
K I C K
A N
S T A R T I N G
H A C K A T H O N
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S T A R T E D . "
I N V O L V E D
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S L O
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T O D A Y ? M L H
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W H A T
C O A C H ?
I stepped down from running SLO Hacks after our 2019 event, but I serve as an advisor for the current team along with some of my previous co-directors. I'm also an MLH hackathon coach, where I go to events across North America, helping organizing teams run their events successfully and bringing technologies and tools to hackers' hands. It's pretty wild travelling to cities I never would've gotten the chance to go to normally and engaging with the hacker communities there—I would've never expected the communities to be so different but be so united in terms of their passion for building and learning. As a coach, I've been able to meet so many people around the world, practice my public speaking, and mentor others at a totally different scale. My journey with hackathons has been quite long, and I hope that giving back to the community by advising and coaching others can pay it forward to future generations of hackathon organizers. 18
R I Y A
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R I Y A
R I Y A
R I Y A
@riyakatariax
R I Y A
R I Y A
R I Y A
K A T A R I A
Interviewed by Tanvi Tiana Dhingra Tanvi Tiana Dhingra interviewed Riya Kataria - a youth activist focused on civic engagement in the United States. Kataria has done advocacy work for many movements such as climate change, gun violence prevention, LGBTQ+ rights, and women’s rights. She believes it’s important to stop relying on the government and the older generation and instead work to solve these problems that we recognize. Being part of the LGBTQ+ community was a major factor in her decision to become a youth activist.
K A T A R I A K A T A R I A K A T A R I A K A T A R I A K A T A R I A K A T A R I A K A T A R I A
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WHAT IS THE PRIMARY ISSUE THAT YOUR ADVOCACY WORK CONCERNS?
A lot of my advocacy is primarily focused on civic engagement, especially in areas of low income and minority youth. I focus a lot of my work in other aspects of activism as well, such as climate change, gun violence prevention, LGBT rights, women’s rights, and more, but I find that civic engagement tends to be the root of all of these activist movements, so I find the most prevalent on which to focus.
If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that if you want to get something done, we can’t rely on our government or our elders as much as we thought we could.
WHY IS YOUTH ADVOCACY IMPORTANT TO YOU?
WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATIONS?
Youth advocacy is essential because all of these activist movements have been founded on these ideas of youth advocacy. If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that if you want to get something done, we can’t rely on our government or our elders as much as we thought we could. It’s essential you take these problems into your own hands and come up with revolutionary solutions to them. We’ve seen this in the climate crisis, in the gun violence epidemic, and in countless other places. It’s essential that we start fighting for our own voices because we’re not being listened to right now.
Honestly, I have too many inspirations to count. Of course in my family, my maternal grandma and my paternal grandpa, as well as my parents who are huge inspirations to me. Outside of that, I am constantly inspired by activists like Roxie Richner, Anusha Chinthalapale, Navraj Singh, Malavika Kannan, Kenyatta Thoman, and more. 20
GEN
Z
GIRL GANG Written by Sequoia Smith (GenZ Girl Gang) Edited by Deja Foxx (GenZ Girl Gang) & Anaya Patel (Girl Genius) | Layout by Avneet Grewal
GenZ Girl Gang started as a bold experiment to see how our generation can use social media as a communitybuilding tool in order to reshape and redefine how we practice sisterhood in the age of infinite connection. Now, more than ever, Gen Z is using social media to create and build communities that know no geographic or demographic borders. Our generation is developing understanding and connection across lines of race, socioeconomic status, and sexuality in an unprecedented way. At GenZ Girl Gang, we have cultivated and continue to build a socially conscious community of
young women, femmes, and nonbinary individuals. Together, we work with all of our community members to imagine and share opportunities, bridge generational gaps, and learn from and teach each other. GenZ Girl Gang’s dedication to creating and using a digital platform to support our community members in achieving their highest potential has come to life as we both connect people to and create opportunities for them on and offline. One of our community members writes, “GGG’s ‘Opportunities’ story highlights helped me land my very first internship position with All Womxn’s Project! Without GGG, I doubt I would have heard about such a wonderful opportunity, and I am very thankful for all the hard work that some individuals do in order for people like me to glean opportunities.” But it doesn’t stop at internships; we’ve hosted our own in-person events, created wellness and mentorship chats, helped our members land gigs and jobs, and connected with new programs where our members have been able to take up leadership positions. We truly believe in the power and potential
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of our Girl Gang and all of the opportunities we share that are sourced by submissions from our community members via Instagram direct message and shared via Instagram stories. It’s just one of many ways we’re pushing the limits of these platforms to organize a network of young people who put collaboration over competition.
"
Having a reliable network can be an integral element to successfully building and developing one’s career, especially for members of marginalized communities.
Having a reliable network can be an integral element to successfully building and developing one’s career, especially for members of marginalized communities. At GenZ Girl Gang we recognize the world we’ve inherited is far from a meritocracy where talent is the driving force for career opportunities. Rather, we exist in a society where 80% of jobs are never advertised to the public but exclusively to their internal employees and networks. But we know that at its core, networking is about building relationships. Relationships – with friends, followers, family, teachers, classmates, mentors – are the building
blocks of what creates your network. In this way, you're networking not only at businesscard-and-suit-filled events but every time you cross through Instagram or FaceTime a friend. The world is changing, and we’re here to give our Girl Gang the modern networking tools to create a future where an astronaut is connected to a community organizer who is connected to a mom who is connected to a Senator, all because they had the opportunity to build meaningful relationships in their youth. Using our digital platform to curate a space for networking in-person and online is a key pillar at GenZ Girl Gang. Through our campaigns, we host in-person activations where our community members are able to take their community online to networking offline. This past July, we created a summer campaign called Demand and Disrupt that aimed to empower our community members to demand their needs within their professional lives and disrupt traditional views of work values regarding professionalism. Our inperson event consisted of our leadership team hosting 22
workshops on the art of cold emailing and IG: The New Business Card. At GenZ Girl Gang, we focus on using our fluency in Instagram to our advantage by applying it like a virtual business card. To maximize your network-ability through Instagram, we suggest using your name (if available), adding the @s (tags/accounts) of organizations you’re involved in, linking to your other social media, choosing five words to describe yourself in your Instagram bio, and curating your feed. GenZ Girl Gang has created and continues to build such a strong network of young people who want to make a change. Our community members network with each other to help start school clubs, non-profits, magazines, social movements, etc., and they even hype one another up by sharing their fellow member’s initiatives on their social media. It is these digital skills, habits of collaboration, and interdisciplinary connections that we as an organization arm our community members with as they as a generation take on some of the most pressing and irreversible issues we've ever seen.
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Layout by Athena Yao
OUR FAVORITE
Empowerment
Scan on Spotify to view the full playlist!
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
"I Love Me" - Demi Lovato "The Man" - Taylor Swift "That's My Girl" - Fifth Harmony "Amazing" - Juke Ross "I" - Taeyeon ft. Verbal Jint "Run the World (Girls)" - Beyoncé "Stronger" - Kelly Clarkson "Good As Hell" - Lizzo "Nightmare" - Halsey "God Is A Woman" - Ariana Grande "Confident" - Demi Lovato "Perfect Day" - Hoku "Invincible" - Pat Benatar "Epiphany" - BTS "Take On the World" - Sabrina Carpenter, Rowan Blanchard 16. "DDU-DU DDU-DU" - BLACKPINK 17. "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" - Pat Benatar 18. "Stronger" - Britney Spears 19. "I'm Every Woman" - Chaka Khan / Whitney Houston 20. "She's So Gone" - Naomi Scott 21. "7 Rings" - Ariana Grande 22. "Just the Way You Are" - Bruno Mars 23. "Just a Girl" - No Doubt 24. "Respect" - Aretha Franklin 25. "Pride" - American Authors
ANTHEMS 26. "Rise" - Selena Gomez 27. "6 Inch" - Beyoncé 28. "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" - Britney Spears 29. "No" - CLC 30. "Knocks You Down" - Keri Hilson 31. "Keep On" - Sasha Sloan 32. "So What" - Loona 33. "Forget" - Marina and the Diamonds 34. "Outro: Wings" - BTS 35. "This Is Me" - Keala Settle 36. "Roar" - Katy Perry 37. "Love Myself" - Hailee Steinfeld 38. "Survivor" - Destiny’s Child 39. "Queen's Don't" - RaeLynn 40. "Change Your Life" - Little Mix 41. "Independent Women, Pt. 1" - Destiny's Child 42. "Scars to Your Beautiful" - Alessia Cara 43. "“F**kin’ Perfect” - Pink 44. "La Respuesta" - Becky G. & Maluma 45. "Girl On Fire" - Alicia Keyes 46. "Fight Song" - Rachel Platten 47. "Power" - Little Mix 48. "Out of the Old" - Olivia Rodrigo 49. "Never Give Up" - Sia 50. "Firework" - Katy Perry 24
nailing that
Artwork by Mia Kotalik | Layout by Shivali Gulati & Abby Liang
INTERVIEW Written by Tanvi Tiana Dhingra & Cassie Areff | Edited by Ore James
25
Applying for a job or position may seem daunting, especially if it is your first time. We’re here to give you a few tips and tricks for fantastic resumes and interviews to make this process easier! When applying for jobs, your resume and interview(s) will shape the way your interviewer sees you and determine if you get the job. Therefore, it is essential that your resume and interview skills are polished and convey the amazing skill set you have to offer. With numerous or even thousands of applicants, you need a fantastic resume that makes you stand out to get your foot in the door. After that, there are many preparation techniques you can utilize to showcase your abilities and display how you are a good fit.
RESUME Having an amazing resume is crucial because it is often the employer’s first impression of you. Although the overall format is up to you, there are a few key elements that you should include: contact details opening statement list of key skills list of technical skills personal attributes career overview educational qualifications references an opening statement that covers some of the following: what you are looking for in this job, what you bring to the table, and what you can do for the employer
When writing your resume, be aware of key words related to the job, as interviewers will be looking for these. This also means it is necessary to tailor your resume to the job for which you are applying. Nevertheless, it is helpful to have a record of all your experiences to select the relevant ones at the necessary time. If you don’t have any relevant experiences, choose ones that have transferable skills for the job you are applying for. On your actual resume, the most important information should be at the top so that it is easily recognizable. Additionally, in terms of experiences, write in reverse chronological order with the most recent at the top. Each experience should have a few bullet points discussing your responsibilities and achievements in that specific role. You should also talk about the your impact in that role—a great 26
way to be more impactful is by using numbers and statistics! This makes your
INTERVIEW
contribution more tangible. Also, don’t forget to mention any awards you’ve won!
Since you tailored your resume to the specific position, you will be quite familiar
Your company will most likely go through
with the job itself. However, make sure
many resumes, so make sure yours is
you know all about the company, from its
concise and skimmable. Your interviewer
mission to its recent achievements and
also might not be from the field you are
culture. Know why you are a good fit for
applying for, so restrain from using too
the company and how it will help you
much jargon.
develop your skills. Also, know the company’s target audience and
When it comes to format, go for a basic
competitors to show your interest in the
but modern font between size 10-12 and
industry, especially if you are entering the
include a lot of white space. Before
workforce for the first time. With these
submitting, make sure that your name is
facts, your interview answers will be more
present in the document, you have
detailed and specific to the company and
proofread beforehand, and that you are
its goals. The final key aspect to know
submitting it as a PDF to maintain
about a company is its key players: CEO,
formatting.
CFO founder, and so on.
Once you have perfected your resume by
After familiarizing yourself with the
tailoring it to the job opening, you will be
company, research your interviewer(s). Be
one step closer to getting hired. However,
knowledgeable about their roles so that
an amazing resume is not all you need.
you can find ways for them to help you
After your resume has gotten you to stand
learn more about the company. Then,
out from other applicants, you must have a
rehearse interview questions with a friend
stellar interview to seal the deal.
or a parent to be prepared. Remember to explain your thinking and answers clearly.
By using these strategies, you can improve both your resume and interview skills. By tailoring your resume and preparing for your interview with research, the effort you put into preparing will hopefully set you apart from other applicants. With this in mind, start editing your resume and practicing your interviewing skills—your next job is right around the corner! 27
RESUME & INTERVIEW TIPS Your resume should only be one page. If you already have a LinkedIn, use the Ceev chrome extension to quickly create a resume with all of the information on your profile for free. Use action verbs for each bullet point in your job description. Quantify the impact that your contributions caused. This allows the recruiter to understand the magnitude of your contributions. Don't include your photo on resumes. If you're applying for an internship or job in tech or engineering, it is critical to mention software, coding languages, and frameworks you are able to use. If you're in high school and are applying for internships or part time jobs, mention your leadership positions in your extracurricular activities, relevant course and awards. If it's an online interview, join the video call 5 minutes early to avoid technical difficulties. Be prepared to answer questions like, "What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?" and "What is an obstacle you have faced and how did you overcome it?" When talking about your weaknesses, always mention what you are doing to improve. Always have questions prepared to ask at the end of the interview. 28
Written by Anaya Patel, Deanna Sharpe, Madeleine Sullivan, & Mia Cardenas Edited by Abby Liang Art by Sena Atesoglu Layout by Shivali Gulati & Gimena Escobedo
SWIPING FORWARD
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Over the last decade, social media has become one of the largest stages for female empowerment across the globe, as quick access to thousands of posts within the click of a button and the swipe of your thumb makes it easy to find inspiration and influence. Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter – basically every platform – has been utilized to create change, whether it’s for social movements or body empowerment. Nevertheless, social media has also generated a backlash effect where girls attempt to live up to the perfect photoshopped pictures they see on their feeds. Similar to the functions of newspapers, radio, and television in previous decades, social media has become a catalyst for social change. Social media has given today’s youth a platform to speak out against oppressive structures and bring attention to important issues. For artists, social media has allowed them to post their art for the world to see and voice their truths for the world to hear. For example, Alice Aedy is a notable photojournalist and filmmaker who uses Instagram (@aliceaedy) to spread her work and awareness regarding feminine and environmental issues. Aedy’s
“Climate and the Cross” project highlights the intersection between climate and gender in order to demonstrate the links between climate change and, essentially, justice. Even more well-known activists such as Greta Thunberg (@gretathunberg) gained their status through the easy propagation of information and events around the world. Social media has facilitated change and awareness about female autonomy and issues regarding sexual assault and domestic abuse. The #MeToo Movement, which garnered support through a trending hashtag on Twitter, provided women an opportunity to speak out about their own traumatic experiences, a space that has historically been denied to girls. Social media empowered women across the globe to confront their past and call out abusers for their crimes. The #MeToo Movement also spurred investigations of sexual assault within big corporations or committed by well-known community members, leading to material political change. Another community social media has given a voice to is girls in STEM-specific fields. She Can STEM is an Instagram page dedicated to highlighting girls in STEM across the globe. 30
By bringing attention to women of color and their projects, She Can STEM strives to close both the gender and race gap by inspiring other girls to join the field and reach their potential. She Can STEM also spotlights prominent female scientists who have been denied credit in our history books for their notable contributions to their fields. Other pages such as STEMTeen (@stemteen) provide youth a space to advertise resources and tips for those entering STEM careers and empower teens to continue their STEM journeys. However, profiles managed for social movements are only a small part of the algorithm. Alongside memes, most posts consist of pictures of others – hanging out with friends, vacationing with family, or even simply studying for finals. The bulk of these posts have aided in the movement towards lifted self-esteem and support. Body positivity and diversity movements have been on the rise within the past decade. The blonde-hair-blue-eyed girl-with-an-hourglass-figure trend still impacts the body image of girls growing up in society.
On top of that, beauty standards are constantly shifting, leading to widespread insecurity. On social media platforms, those who adhere closest to both worldwide, regional, and local beauty standards receive the most attention, leaving girls who don’t look like that wondering – where did I go wrong? Along with colorism and whitewashing facing women of color, face-tuning and fad diets have also been present on social media throughout the years. One example of a fad diet that’s heavily promoted by celebrities like the Kardashians is Fit Tea, a detoxifying tea that has no science backing up its claims of helping you lose weight. Face tuning is not inherently wrong, but when someone’s entire body and face has changed, it pushes the notion that our normal female bodies are not enough. With this rise of face tuning and dangerous fad diets, social media has slowly become a place that tells women you are not enough unless you are skinny and fit Western beauty standards. 31
Today, due to the rise of the modern feminist movement and its growing support, a lot of these pressures and issues have been called out online. Women are not as silent as they once were, and that’s monumental. We, along with other womxn (an inclusive term, including non-cis gendered women) supporters have led progressive change when it comes to social media. It’s important that online, we stay true to ourselves, and are not forced to conform to norms and standards put out through social media.
Though there is a long way to go before unfair societal norms are gone, we are swiping in the right direction: forward.
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HACKATHON EMPOWERMENT
Written by Audrey Kim & Ishika Kohli Edited by Anaya Patel Layout by Vanessa Guo Art by Joyce Guo
One of the best ways to sharpen your skills in any field is experience. However, when people begin their journey into the careers of computer programming or engineering, they often feel the only way to gain experience is through at-home coding or courses. Fortunately, there are more interactive projects that allow you to receive coding expertise while still having fun: Hackathons! A hackathon is an event where different people – usually teenagers with interests in coding or computer science – collaborate to code a project. These events make it easy for anyone to join, even those without prior experience, and become comfortable with the vast field of computer science. Hackathons tend to be all-day events in which the participants have time to get to know their group members, network with and gain knowledge from mentors, design and present their projects, and meet other people with similar enthusiasm to them. When speaking to someone who did a Hackathon, they mentioned that the energy was sensational. They felt belonged, empowered, and inspired. Specifically, two amazing women with similar beliefs have made a remarkable impact in their fields: Isabel Abonitalla and Lily Perry.
Isabel Abonitalla participated in hackathons empowering women, specifically mothers. Notably, she involved herself in Maternal Mortality & Morbidity Code-a-thon. There, she created MamaCare, a mobile app that educates pregnant & postpartum women on risk factors and symptoms. Importantly, it also calls physicians if symptoms surpass acceptable thresholds. These features have been life-changing for pregnant women. Accordingly, she was able to combine her interests in both medicine and computer science and became a prime example of how a hackathon can create something revolutionary.
Lily Perry, likewise, created an innovative app at a hackathon. At AthenaHacks 2019, Perry identified a real problem in today’s world and conceived a solution: WeMove. WeMove is an app designed to pair female with another female walker when they feel unsafe walking a short distance in public. Through this app, she was able to devise a mechanism to protect women and establish a safer and smarter environment. With this phenomenal application, produced at a Hackathon, Lily Perry won Best Mobile App. 34
the creativity issue
road to freedom • may 2020
THE GENDER GAP IN COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSES WRITTEN BY DEANNA SHARPE, RITU ATREYAS, & MADISON RAMOS
C
Computer science is an ever-growing field
own childhood. Lego Friends, in particular,
to which students find themselves drawn to.
has faced criticism as the sets lack the
However, despite its growing importance,
“educational construction element of
many groups find themselves
equivalent products aimed at boys.” Through
underrepresented and are consistently
Lego Friends featuring girls, salons,
discouraged from exploring the field as a
swimming pools, and convertible cars, girls
result of long-established conventions. One
are discouraged from exploring science and
group that is particularly isolated composes
engineering from a young age. Overall, this
nearly half of the world’s population: women. It
discouragement is prevalent in computer
is proven that computer science courses are
science classes later on.
crucial to developing interest in CS from a young age; however, girls are often taught that
When it comes to AP Computer Science
they are not meant to work in technology, and
courses, it is clear that there is a distinct
feel excluded from male-dominated classes.
imbalance in the gender ratio. To begin with, a mere 28% of AP examinees were female in
First of all, due to societal roles imprinted on
2018, the highest number recorded to date.
both genders from childhood, women are
However, the College Board has taken
generally advised against partaking in the
movements to honor schools for steps that
same activities males do. For example, the
have taken towards gender parity; today, they
“girls play with dolls and boys play with trucks”
award the AP Computer Science Female
notion that several of us can recount from our
Diversity Award to schools reaching 50+% 35
Yes, it is hard being one of the few girls in your CS class, but please don’t let that discourage you. If you want help, advice, or support, there are many online organizations to connect with other girls in STEM and/or CS. It’s so enriching to have other girls supporting one another, so don’t give up.
Art by Adelina Rose Gowans
female representation in their CS courses.
computer science sixfold. And, while
Based upon data collected from the College
the female share of bachelor's degrees in CS
Board’s AP Course Ledger, 4311 schools
has dropped and stabilized around 18% in
offered AP Computer Science A and 4993
2008, the numbers cumulatively display that,
M
offered AP Computer Science Principles in the
currently, computer science is very much a
2018-19 school year. Of those schools, though,
male-dominated field.
only 179 received the Female Diversity Award
for AP CS A and 675 received the award for AP
Moreover, first-hand accounts of women
CS Principles. Subsequently, 95.85% of AP
in computer science courses can vouch for
Computer Science A classes and 86.48% of AP
the impact of the gender gap. Girl Genius
Computer Science Principles courses are still
members in IB Computer Studies 1 and AP
male-dominated. Since only 4.15% of AP
Computer Science A reported that the
Computer Science A classes are 50+% female,
percentage of girls in their courses ranges
one can understand why a discouraging
from 11% to 45%. Furthermore, 50% of GG
environment may be formed for interested
members said that having more girls in their
females. Not to mention, taking AP CS is said
class would have improved their experience.
to increase the likelihood of one majoring in
One GG member shares her experience being 36
one of three girls in her class of 28 and the
If you want help, advice, or support, there are
only girl of color. She says, “[the class was]
many online organizations to connect with
taught by an old white male who clearly
other girls in STEM and/or CS. It’s so
believed that I didn’t belong in the class, along
enriching to have other girls supporting one
with the other two girls. [He] picked favorites
another so don’t give up. You are the future!
and those favorites were the boys.” Another
You are ultimately paving the way for more
GG member had a similar response, “The
girls to follow in your footsteps.”
The goal is to value a woman's perspective anywhere a woman may step foot.
experience was okay, but there were many
There are many programs—such as
occasions where me and other girls felt left
Technovation, DigiGirlz, and Kode with Klossy
out and treated like we didn’t understand the
—that work to encourage and empower girls
lecture when we did. Additionally, it was hard
in CS, giving them the confidence necessary
to ask for help because we were not taken
to explore their interests without fear. Yet,
seriously enough.” On the other hand, a few
despite these recent efforts to incorporate
had a good experience even with the class
women into computer science, some believe
being predominantly male; others, whose classes were more balanced, also reported good experiences.
T
this is doomed to fail. The failure is claimed to be because of the character differences between women and
With the help of advocacy and up-andcoming organizations, women today are encouraged to combat computer science’s
men. To date, a large portion of the male population feels there are a lot fewer women in computer science because of women’s
gender disparity and to delve deeper despite
choices, not discrimination. Due to the gender
current obstacles. Girl Genius members
roles discussed earlier, it is clear that
themselves have advice to give to girls
childhood impressions can affect the type of
interested in taking on CS courses: “Yes, it is
activities that different genders partake in as
hard being one of the few girls in your CS
they get older, so this notion that women
class, but please don’t let that discourage you.
choose not to partake in computer science 37
has some merit to it. Those who choose
Revisioning the computer science field is
computer science, though, have encountered
important to the currently advancing world.
discrimination and been met with confusion. A
Each step to embracing diversity can start
woman’s perspective on computer science is
within the home and classroom. The gender
considerably less machine-oriented than that
gap in CS classes starts with the beliefs
of a man. In fact, studies by Carnegie Mellon
instilled in our minds from childhood, that
indicate that a woman’s approach to computer
boys and girls do different things. That should
science is different. The study denotes comp
change to being encouraged to do what
sci culture which is oriented around men and
you’re passionate about, regardless of your
the stigma around women partaking in it. The
gender. To engage different demographics,
“geek ethos,” even within media, is attributed
the world can work with organizations on
to men. Therefore, of course, some implicit
strategies against both implicit and explicit
and explicit biases have been noticeable
biases in schools and the workforce. Now the
considering the recent rise of female
question remains: will computer science
participation in computer science courses. This
develop into a subject for both women and
is not to say, however, that there aren’t men
men alike on equal parameters?
who value the new take and demographic in this field. A woman’s perspective in this field is Edited by Esther Duong Layout by Abby Liang
valued depending on where you go, but now the goal is to value this perspective anywhere a woman may step foot.
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THE MERE FOUR PERCENT Written by Anaya Patel | Edited by Xueyi Lu | Layout by Shivali Gulati
39
You’re two years old, You toddle into a dark movie theater as you hold your mom's finger, You try to sit through the whole movie, But you drop your sippy cup and screech until the credits roll. You’re six years old, You lay sprawled on your couch, eating cheese puffs and watching The Lion King, You’re mesmerized by the mandrill and the monkey and the meerkat, But you wonder why Nala and Sarabi were the only girls who roared. You’re twelve years old, You watch Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back on your day off from school, You’re overwhelmed by the life-like clay figures and stunning jumps to hyper speed, But you’re benched during the light-saber duels. You’re eighteen years old, You’re entranced by the beautiful, butt-kicking women of the Kill Bill Universe, You envision yourself there: a Tarantino, a Fincher, a Spielberg, But you have no female examples to model. Powerful, beautiful, forceful women denied a place on the stage, Robbed, rejected, refused. Their names are embroidered into a Dior cape, But not eternalized into a gold-plated bronze statuette. You bang and bang and bang on the door, Yet the entrance to the film world just narrowly creaks open. In comes fewer opportunities and less support, But you still plunge into the room of female directors, the mere 4%. You’re hit with rolls of cynicism and films of hate, Your head is filled to the brim with you don’t belong and what do you know, You question your art, you doubt your place, But you stay, you fight, you create. You link arms with your female comrades, and Together, you bulldoze down the door. Together, you strengthen the 4% and the digit grows: 12, 28, 50. Together, you champion change. You’re now forty-two years old, You take a deep breath in a maroon-velvet seat, relaxed and relieved. You see your big, bright, bold name as the title sequence plays, And you smile as a tear runs down your cheek.
Art by Shelley Thompson
40
educated & exploring: THREE WOMEN & THEIR STEAM JOURNEYS
41
EDITED BY SOPHIE KRAJMALNIK ART BY JOYCE GUO LAYOUT BY ATHENA YAO
Sasha serving as a Girls Learn International Delegate at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in March 2019.
SASHA TUNSIRICHAROENGUL
EDUCATED & EXPLORING We are fortunate to live in a time where strong women are able to visibly be on the front lines for their passions. Opportunities for women in STEAM and other maledominated fields are plentiful, it is simply a matter of exposure. We interviewed three different young women to tell us about their respective backgrounds, opportunities to which they were exposed, and their STEAM stories.
17 | San Antonio, Texas | @sashaa.tun Interviewed by Anaya Patel
Sasha is a 17-year-old from San Antonio, TX interested in both music and biology, especially neuroscience. In this interview, Sasha shares her journey in STEAM. How did your love for STEAM begin? My love for STEAM began at two different points of my life, with my interest in the arts developing first. In Kindergarten, my parents enrolled me in my first piano lesson. Honestly, I had no choice in the matter, but during the days leading up to my lesson, my five-year-old self began to imagine playing in beautiful concert halls and receiving standing ovations. It was merely the "Asian way" to learn the piano, but the instrument became my pride outside of school. I would spend hours on the bench, methodically practicing the same notes my teacher had taught me. As I grew, so did my love for classical music and the adoration I had for brilliant pianists. My passion for the sciences, on the other hand, began in middle school. I was in sixth grade, and it was my first biology class. My teacher told our class that neuroscience was one of the most undiscovered fields of study, and naturally, I was hooked. We talked about the nervous system 42
and I became increasingly fascinated with the threepound organ that is responsible for all of our functions. As I went through middle and now high school, my favorite classes were repeatedly in biology. Now, this is my twelfth year still playing the piano, and I have maintained a strong passion for biology and the health field. What has been the biggest obstacle to your success? One of the biggest obstacles to my success is time management and knowing my priorities. This is especially relevant to the piano and my interest in the health field, since beginning in high school, I no longer had time to fully commit to both. After many stressful nights trying to cram school work on top of piano and HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) club work, it became clear that I needed to figure out my priorities. After much reluctance, I decided to stop competing in piano competitions. I resolved that piano was a hobby I would never lose, but medicine was what I truly wanted to pursue in my future. With more time to focus on my health career interest, my HOSA club grew. We doubled our club size, more than doubled the number of members qualifying for state competition, and I was elected as the HOSA Area 1 president. What are you planning to study and for what career? I am leaning towards a major in Neuroscience. As of now, I plan to continue the piano as a hobby in my college years. My "dream job" is a neurosurgeon, since I enjoy hands-on work and have a deep respect for individuals who have the power to save lives with merely their hands.
Sasha, age 15, playing Petroff Adagio No. 2 on the piano
"Don't let anything stop you from striving towards your goals, and remember that challenging yourself and facing failures will only be a part in your beautiful journey." What has been your favorite part of your STEAM journey? My favorite part of both the arts and STEM parts of my STEAM journey is the people I get to meet. Whether it's a piano competition or HOSA conference, I am constantly being surrounded by people who share my love and passion for piano or the health field. It is inspiring to be around people who have put in the same hours laboring over the piano keys or studying health facts.. What advice do you have for girls joining the STEAM world? Girls not only have every right to be in the STEAM world, but they BELONG in the STEAM world. Regardless of the sex-based discrimination you will inevitably face in your journey, remember that you belong here. Brilliant minds that can contribute to the STEAM world and society at large do not only exist in boys and men. You deserve all the opportunities you work for and are in full control of your future. If you are just joining the STEAM world, know that there are hundreds of thousands of girls and boys who are supporting you. Don't let anything stop you from striving towards your goals (cheesy as it might sound), and remember that challenging yourself and facing failures will only be a part in your beautiful journey.
Sasha presenting her research at a science fair
43
CAMILLE PARKINSON 19 | George Mason University | @camille.parkinson Interviewed by Faith Jacobs
Camille is a 19-year-old student at George Mason University in Fairfax County, Virginia, where she is studying Conflict Analysis and Resolution. She is in the Army National Guard and hopes to use her education to help work with other countries in creating peace treaties and deals and help with war conflicts in the future.
"It’s okay to be in a room where you're not in your comfort zone. You have the ability to achieve so much when you speak up, work hard, and persevere."
Describe what it was like growing up and attempting to get involved in your interests in a male dominated society. Have you ever experienced gender discrimination firsthand? In school, it was common to have your point or idea dismissed, especially if I worked in male-dominated groups. I learned to stand your ground and be bold. This advice still holds true, now that I am in the Army, an entirely male-dominated environment. The secret to being able to survive in a male-dominated world is by not being afraid to input your opinions and standing tall and strong! Initially, I was angry at my treatment, but I then realized society enabled the perpetrators to perceive women as less powerful. If, growing up, they had been taught that women’s opinions matter and that you cannot shut out their voice, then perhaps I and other women would not have had these experiences. I learned it is my job to be an advocate. What advice would you give to your younger self, knowing what you know now? Don’t be nervous and don’t let your nerves overcome you. It’s okay to be in a room where you're not in your comfort zone. You have the ability to achieve so much when you speak up, work hard, and persevere. You have the potential for greatness if you just follow your heart and soul. Women are phenomenal. I would also read this quote by Shirley Chisholm: “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” This quote now sits with me so well and motivates me to see my authentic self.
Describe some of the opportunities you were offered that led you positively to where you are now. What do you recommend girls in middle and high school do before graduating? I value the opportunities that have allowed me to grow and learn as a young woman. I recommended that girls in primary and secondary school continue to work hard and strive for what they want. Don’t be afraid to ask for opportunities your male counterparts dominate and don’t be afraid to speak your mind and hold true to your values. It’s easy just to sit back and allow your voice to go unheard but we need to shy away from the easy escape and chase after the hard ones. When you stand up for yourself as a female, you’re standing up for us all. Lastly, how do you think women and girls should go about breaking the patriarchal status quo? How do we as girls bring about real change? I think women need to discuss the patriarchal system freely. Don’t be afraid to address it and discuss it with men, because in my experience, most men aren’t aware of patriarchy; they are blinded by their privileges and don’t see their wrongdoings, whether intentional or not. We as girls need to rise up to unify ourselves and end the stigma that certain occupations and opportunities are only meant for men. We need to come together as one to create change and engage in discussions about the disenfranchisement that women experience on a dayto-day basis. 44
How did your love for STEM begin? My love for STEM began with my first achievement in scientific olympiads, specifically when I won a silver medal at OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematics Olympiad of Public Schools). After that, I could participate in the PIC (Junior Scientific Initiation), where I had the opportunity to have contact with olympic math and, for each problem solved, my heart beat stronger for that field. Due to this opportunity, I could accomplish a gold medal in the following year, resulting in full scholarships for private schools. As I had contact with other science field and projects, my will to solve questions using a pencil, writing numbers, and making intercepts became a dream of helping to solve real world problems. This was the beginning of my passion for developing projects.
BRIZA AIKI MATSUMURA 16 | São Paulo, Brazil. | @brizamatsumura Interviewed by Carolina R. V. de Andrade
Briza is a 16-year-old from São José dos Campos, State of São Paulo, Brazil. She is in her third year of high school, and is passionate about solving problems and empowering others. Entrepreneurship is her favorite tool for making a change in the world.
What’s your favorite part of STEM and why? Mathematics is, for sure, my favorite part of STEM and it will always be the part that made a huge impact in my life. However, Engineering, in the meaning of getting my hands dirty and making things work, has also called my attention. What are your interests besides STEM? My biggest interest besides STEM is entrepreneurship, a passion that arose when I had my first contact with it at thirteen years old. I also started to like a lot of ONU (United Nations) simulations, since my first contact with PoliONU, a model United Nations event at Colégio Poliedro. Nowadays, I am the table director of PoliONU and USPMUN (United Nations Simulation Model of the University of Sao Pãolo). What are you most proud of about your journey? When I first participated in scientific olympiads, I had a complicated family situation, as my father had a drug relapse. It was a difficult phase and I needed to dedicate a lot of my time to take care of my family, which made me quit several activities in which I was involved. This experience taught me about resilience, making myself stronger to face daily challenges, in the academic or personal field. In 2016, I carried the Olympic Torch in my city, and my father, who had recovered, could see me in this unforgettable moment. 45
What is the biggest challenge you have ever faced? In the context of being a girl in the STEM field, I realize that my biggest challenge to grow in this area was the lack of motivation and credibility that we receive. I believe that every woman has experienced discrimination and/or been treated differently due to her gender. It was not any different for me. Being the only girl in a robotic group or in scientific olympiads, unfortunately, turned out to be a routine. For me to understand that I have the same potential as any other boy took a long time and my journey with this struggle is not completely over. The biggest obstacle that I (or better, we) have been facing is related to the comprehension that we, women, are as competent and capable as anyone. How did your journey change you and the things around you? My journey was constantly full of a will to be different and I believe that it has changed me and my environment for years, specifically my former public school. When I won my first gold medal in a science competition, I was still in public school, which made the students realize that achievement was not distant or impossible. Another time I had the same feeling was when I participated in ProLĂder, a leadership program that focuses on social entrepreneurship, at the age of 14. At the time, I was the youngest person to participate. My acceptance into the program encouraged other teen leaders to participate, and, in the following year, the average age of participants decreased. Finally, my most recent experience was about expanding the projects in my school, which has been broadening and giving value to this area, being, in parts, influenced by my project Games4Life that I have developed with some other students.
What advice would you give to girls that want to follow a similar path or/and pursue a STEM career? Girls, you are capable and competent, no matter what they tell you everyday. Every time they try to decrease your value or say that you can’t do something, lean on your path even more. We know that the amount of girls that decided to follow this way is not even close to what it should be, but keep going strong and give your hand to your fellow colleagues and friends, because together, we can get involved in science and climb the ranks to become leaders in our fields.
"Girls, you are capable and competent, no matter what they tell you. Every time they try to decrease your value, lean on your path even more" What kind of impact you have or expect to have on society? Currently, my biggest dream is to be an entrepreneur in the education field. I believe that, as noticed how much the education has changed my life, my desire to change lives with this same tool has just increased. I hope to impact the public education in Brazil and make sure that opportunities are available to every teenager. What are your plans for the future? I expect to study at an American university next year to enrich and expand upon my knowledge, primarily in the field of entrepreneurship. After this experience, I want to come back to Brazil and provoke changes in education through private initiatives.
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a girl's guide to surviving the college app process
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Around junior year, every high schooler begins the college application process. This uncharted territory might seem stressful, but don’t worry — this comprehensive guide can get you through it. It can be helpful to check which schools accept which applications (such as Common Application, Coalition Application, QuestBridge, etc.) before applying, but for this guide, we will emphasize the Common Application. Written by Nicole Wolff & Madeleine Sullivan | Edited by Ore James Art by Jasmine Serna | Layout by Abby Liang 47
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Standardized Testing
The first requirement to start your application is standardized testing. The SAT and ACT are almost always required for whichever college you apply to. Remember to register for these tests in advance and take some practice tests to prepare. Khan Academy is a useful tool, as are prep books (such as the Erica Meltzer books), though they are in no way necessary. It can be useful to take practice tests for both to see which you prefer — they are slightly different in terms of timing and question types, and almost no universities will require them both. Another group of tests are the SAT Subject Tests, and only a few schools require these. They range in topics from math to physics to Spanish, and it’s useful to take them the summer before senior year or right after finishing the subject’s AP class. Prospective STEM majors may want to take the Math 2 subject test and one science test. Always remember to check a college’s undergraduate application requirements to see exactly what is needed.
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Extracurriculars Extracurriculars are another seemingly scary part of the process. With so many options, it can be daunting to find ones that are meaningful to you. One piece of advice is to focus on quality over quantity. Colleges don’t want to see that you joined every club at your school, they want to see the impact you left in the few specific clubs you were in. Having a leadership position in three clubs or participating in a competitive club like an academic team is much more impressive (and believable) than saying you are a member of 10 different clubs. When finding extracurriculars, join ones that reflect your interests. If you want to be a veterinarian, join a pre-vet club or volunteer at a local shelter! If you’re interested in politics, join Model UN or debate! There are plenty of skills that are useful for STEM careers besides research, competitive science fairs, math/science/robotics clubs, etc. (though if you do them certainly include them!). For example, teaching, writing and tutoring are extremely useful and show that you possess the skills required to succeed in college. Although it’s important to show dedication to your future, also join clubs for fun, such as a book club or volunteer organization, to show your character and personality. 48
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Essays
Now for the part that intimidates students the most: essays. The first essay is the general Common Application essay. The prompts are released in early June. As for the rest, many universities release their supplemental prompts around August. Start thinking about your essays the summer before senior year, and work on writing them and getting advice during the fall months.
For the Common Application essay, even if you are interested in STEM, you do not need to write about STEM. The essay can be about anything that highlights a good trait of your character: dedication, strong interests, culture, empathy, etc. For supplemental essays, most colleges ask these two questions, among others: “why this college” and “why this major.” Focus on very detailed specifics for the “why college” question. You should have done lots of research (you usually don’t need to visit if it’s too far away) and you should know what specific opportunities you want to be involved in, particularly academically. Try to focus on how you'll learn the skills necessary to pursue your target career, what classes you may take, which unique opportunities you could have, etc. Talk a little, but not entirely, about the extracurriculars of the college - it may help to talk about what you’ve done and connect it to what you want to do on campus. Additionally, let your passion for a certain subject shine in the “why major” essay. Always keep in mind that essays should show the parts of you not necessarily on your resume. A key step in the essay-writing process is getting somebody to edit the essay. This can be a parent, a trusted friend, a teacher, or an outside source. Several schools have college counselors available for this, but remember: it is not necessary to rely on help from a counselor on your application. Focus on making the essay genuine and sound like yourself. You don’t necessarily have to spend money getting input from a hired professional, because at the end of the day, you are the one who will earn your acceptances.
Essay Tips from the Girl Genius Team Try to just be yourself — let your thoughts flow by writing a complete draft without any edits. Look over it, and see if it actually represents who you are. Upon writing your drafts, take a step back and reread the essay a few days later, just to see if you still like it. 49
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Recommendations
During high school, it’s important that you form a relationship with your teachers. Not only does it show your interest in the class, it will also showcase your character as a person. For people who are shy, try talking one-on-one with your teacher instead of in front of the class. Let your teacher get to know you! Most likely, they will reciprocate.
When it’s time to ask for letters of recommendation, don’t freak out! The best way to go through this is to make a list of the teachers that know you best and the classes in which you did best. You want a teacher who will write a glowing letter for you. Choose a class you were passionate about, or even one that was difficult, as it shows your dedication. Communication is key - informing teachers of the schools and majors you’re applying to is beneficial. It’s important to keep in mind that the teacher you ask may have 20 others requesting letters too, so ask earlier rather than later. The end of junior year and beginning of senior year are the best times to ask so teachers can prepare and set their own schedules. In addition, ask in person! Never ask via email. It’s unprofessional, and face to face is more direct. Letters of recommendation are important, but don’t stress about asking. Any teacher you ask will be excited and happy to help you on your path to college, and it will fully show in your letter of recommendation.
S R O I SEN
Now you are ready to begin the college application process! Look toward this process not with fear, but with excitement at the new beginnings college can bring.
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clubs and extracurriculars all STEAMinists should know about Written by Cassie Areff, Ritu Atreyas, & Faith Jacobs Edited by Jyothikaa Ramann | Art by Julia Chiappe | Layout by Gimena EscobedoÂ
Schools are full of STEAM clubs and extracurriculars, but the vast number of them can be overwhelming. Many people end up wondering which activity will be a good fit for them without knowing any steps to take to figure it out. Additionally, many STEAM clubs experience gender imbalance, which can be intimidating and even deter some girls from becoming involved. We aim to ensure that you feel comfortable finding or founding a club or extracurricular that aligns with your interests. 51
How do you find STEAM and STEAM related clubs?
50% 100%
Part of a CS cl ub & took a CS course Parti ci pate i n a sci ence cl ub
50% of Girl Genius members who are part of a CS club also took a CS course, ranging from IB Computer Studies 1 to AP Computer Science A to even an online one (Coursera, Udemy, Codecademy).
A CS club can give you the exposure necessary so you aren’t overwhelmed on the first day of your CS course. All surveyed GG members take part in a science club (physics, biology, or chemistry). Challenging yourself by taking classes, including but not limited to AP Physics 1, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, or AP Environmental Science will prove useful if you’re looking to stand out and showcase your knowledge with other club members. On the other hand, joining a club can provide you with opportunities to apply the knowledge you’re gaining in your classes. You can also reach out to club members for homework help. Clubs may often have certain course prerequisites. Schools may require you to enroll in a certain business course in order to take part in clubs such as FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) or DECA. Other STEM related clubs may require knowledge of calculus. Think about what clubs you’re planning on joining when selecting courses and think about the courses you’re taking when selecting clubs. Having clubs and courses that complement each other will also help demonstrate your passion for the subject. Out of the GG members i ntervi ewed. . .
66.7% 83.3%
Have Science Olympiad at their school Have Robotics club at their school
Get involved: join a club! 52
Science Olympiad Science Olympiad is an American team competition where students compete in events pertaining to various scientific disciplines. SciOly is split up into various divisions: Life, Personal, and Social Science Earth and Space Science Physical Science and Chemistry Technology and Engineering Inquiry and Nature of Science If your school does not have a Science Olympiad team, consider starting one. According to the website, “first, find like-minded students willing to flex their academic muscles and form a group. Ask a science, math, tech or computing teacher in your school to coach the team. Check if the principal or your school district has funding for a science extracurricular activity. Get a few parents to help out with scheduling, rides to the library, contacting experts.” For even more information, check out https://www.soinc.org/join/start-team.
Robotics
“Under strict rules, limited time and resources, teams of students are challenged to raise funds, design a team 'brand,' hone teamwork skills, and build and program industrial-size robots to play a field game against like-minded competitors. It’s as close to real-world engineering as a student can get.” - FIRST Robotics
If you’re looking for exposure to engineering, robotics is definitely worth looking into. Not only do you get the experience, FIRST rewards teams for achievements, including excellence in design, demonstrated team spirit, and more. Even if you don’t think you have the engineering skills, other skills like programming, metalworking, graphic design, videography, and public speaking are equally important. If your school or area doesn’t have a FIRST Robotics team already established, you can start your own. You will have to find adult mentors, at least 10 other people, a suitable space with the necessary power tools, and community sponsors. Check out httpswww.firstinspires.org/robotics/frc/starta-team for more information.
Even though there are numerous interesting clubs (check your school website for more information), it is also important to ensure that you do not overwhelm yourself. Don’t forget that each club is a time commitment. 53
s t a r t i n g
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c l u b :
create your own community As many know, a wise man by the name of Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.� Take this advice personally as you explore your interests. One of the best ways to get involved and expand your perspective is to start a club or organization locally. You may decide to start something within your school or community, wherever you assess that there is need. Throughout your creative process, consider what is at the heart of what you are most passionate about. Do you want more practice within this passion? What do you want other people to love about what you love? From there get to work organizing the logistics and gathering others who share similar interests. All of this is much easier said than done, so it is important to keep in mind hard labor versus a labor of love. Entertain the possibility of starting a club of your own. It can be scary putting yourself out there, but the experience is exceedingly rewarding.
Founding a club is also an option. If none of the existing clubs currently align with your interests, most schools only require a faculty advisor and a few friends. For example, Eco Fashion Club stemmed from the combination of environmental science and fashion. Upon founding clubs, you have the opportunity to make new friends who have similar interests, but also to synthesize two interests and dive deeper into them. Ultimately, if the club of your interests does not exist, you can create the club and create your own community.
Do you want more practice within this passion? What do you want other people to love about what you love?
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So What ?
Written by Esther Duong Edited by Jyothikaa Ramann | Art by Julia Chiappe | Layout by Vanessa Guo
I’m backstage, sitting in an uncomfortable chair and playing with the edge of my black dress. Through the curtains, I hear the muffled classical music playing on stage. I long to cover my ears, but I know that it’s childish to do so. I never thought I would end up here, even though it seems as if I’ve been trained for this before I could even talk. But this is it. The final countdown, if I want to be dramatic. It’s not as if I poured my blood and soul into this moment: playing the piano for hours on end, forgetting to hydrate myself, my butt leaving a strong indent on the piano bench. The only girl to make it to finals. The thought sends a shiver down my spine. “This has never happened before,” I heard people whisper when the results were posted yesterday night. “And apparently, this is a newcomer.”
So what if I’m a girl? I want to shout at these strangers. At the judges who looked at me disapprovingly before I even touched the piano. I want to scream at my piano teacher who told me that competing internationally would be a bad idea, and that it would be a lot of pressure I, a girl, couldn’t handle. I want to shout at this whole damn world who wanted to define me by the gender with which I am associated. I practiced just as much as the Asian boy next to me, I want to say, if not even harder. 55
But I don’t. Instead, I purse my lips and smile amusingly, or glare if the comment was more defaming than the others. Then I get their mouths moving for a different reason as I sit on the piano bench beneath the gleaming stage lights, playing a medley of music that makes me rank higher and greater than ever before. So now I am here, the last one performing for the finale. I try to ignore the fact that I’m surrounded by boys: my opponents, the backstage helpers, all the damn judges. Instead, I tell myself over and over again: You’ve made history making it this far, don’t freak out, don’t overthink. Focus on your performance. Focus on yourself. And make history all over again.
The sound of polite clapping shakes me into awareness. The nerves in my body suddenly come alive all at once. So, this is it. I stand up and the curtains open. I see the grand piano waiting for me to make my music.
It's showtime.
It's showtime. 56
medical bias:
AN EXAMINATION OF NEGLECT
Written by Raitah Jinnat, Deanna Sharpe, & Ishika Kohli Edited by Chiffon Nguyen & Andrea Gonzalez Art by Sena Atesoglu | Layout by Rebecca Kanter
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Both in the medical field and under medical care, women of color have endured mistreatment when compared to those of other demographics. Women have also been deemed inferior to men for centuries. When both factors are combined, those with a superiority complex have acted upon this complex in their workplace, such as in hospitals. This stems from implicit bias—the unconscious attitudes and attributions that influence perception. This leads to the growing medical bias against women of color in the healthcare system. Because of this implicit bias, POC women’s healthcare concerns are often downplayed by professionals. For example, there’s the tragic story of Kira Johnson, a pregnant black woman who was neglected in comparison to other pregnant white women and died as a result of a missed case of internal bleeding. This true story brought tears to POC families who had similar experiences getting medical care. This story accompanies the grave statistics of how pregnant black women in the United States are three to four times more likely to die in childbirth when compared to white women because implicit bias feeds into the misconception that black people have a higher pain tolerance than other demographics. Women, in general, also get poorer treatment for heart attacks than men do, because women show different symptoms of having a heart attack. The tests, based on male anatomy, are at fault: they are not nuanced enough to detect these symptoms. Medical education considers the male body as the norm, with everyone else as a variant. Furthermore, women are seen as more anxious and dramatic, so their concerns are often disregarded.
According to Virginia Ladd, executive director of the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Over 40% of women diagnosed with a serious autoimmune disease have basically been told by a doctor that they’re just too concerned with their health or they’re a hypochondriac.
Autoimmune issues often overlooked in women include polycystic ovary syndrome, fibromyalgia, and lupus. However, organizations such as Multicare are now working to empower healthcare through education. These organizations require staff to participate in cultural competency training that reduces implicit bias. The content learned ranges from exploring demographics served, to establishing cross-cultural communication. A diverse workplace is also essential to this training, as it introduces more perspectives. Both of these practices emphasize how healthcare should be equally available for all. Knowledge will empower people and develop an empathetic environment; this is why medical schools are also encouraging doctors to see patients as individuals rather than another dot within a demographic. This involves preparing students to dispel stereotypes through thorough questioning and analysis of a patient. The Racism and Bias Initiative at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, for example, has established phases towards creating a climate in healthcare that will undo racial biases and misconceptions, such as “black people feel less pain”. Patients, meanwhile, can empower themselves through gaining critical knowledge of their health issues and then pushing their physician to take them seriously.
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women in steam:
A CENTURY OF ACHIEVEMENTS Written by Nicole Wolff, Audrey Kim, & Raitah Jinnat | Edited by Julia Zacharski Art by Shelley Thompson | Layout by Rebecca Kanter Many of us know of the more renowned female leaders in STEM; Marie Curie, Florence Nightingale, and Katherine Johnson are several names that may come to mind. However, there are plenty of others who have changed the course of science that few people know about. In a field where women are still underrepresented, it’s important to take some time to acknowledge those before us with substantial impacts in the STEAM fields.
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isabelle stone physicist (1868 - 1944) Isabelle Stone was the first woman from the United States to be awarded a PhD in physics, but there is little more than a Wikipedia article in her name to show it. Stone received her PhD at the University of Chicago, and her advisor was Albert A. Michelson of the wellknown Michelson-Morley experiment. Her and Marie Curie were the only two women to attend the first International Congress of Physics in the 1910s. Stone’s work focused on experimental physics, particularly electrical resistivity in thin films, and she even wrote several books on the topic. Though her later work was not ground-breaking and did not win a Nobel Prize, Stone proves one key lesson to women wishing to pursue STEM or any other subject with little representation: you should never be afraid to take the first step and be the first to do something.
hedy lamarr actress & inventor (1914 - 2000) Hedy Lamarr was a striking Jewish actress who starred in many films throughout her career, including Oscarnominated Algiers. Lamarr’s charisma earned her the title of the “most beautiful woman in film”. However, she started to get frustrated over being typecast in films as a sexy but almost mute figure, so she began inventing on the side. Lamarr was extremely intelligent, patenting ideas for communicative technology. During World War II in 1941, Lamarr obtained a patent for frequency hopping to solve the problem of enemies blocking signals from radio-controlled missiles. This is where radio frequencies could be jumped around to prevent thirdparty interference. In later years, this idea became the foundation of Wi-Fi, GPS, and bluetooth technology. Though Lamarr passed away in 2000, she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014 for her 60 contributions.
grace hopper programmer (1906 - 1992) Grace Hopper was one of the first modern computer programmers who would show her prowess during World War II. Although she was originally rejected because of her age and size, she joined the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1943 and was commissioned as a lieutenant in 1944. There, she was responsible for programming Mark I and creating its user manual. Hopper also helped with top-secret calculations for various parts of the war effort. She was even the first to find and “debug” a “bug” in a computer, literally, after finding a moth inside the Mark II. Hopper would retire from the Navy as the oldest serving officer in the U.S. Armed Forces. Today, the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing is the world’s largest gathering of women in computing, and its name highlights the legacy Hopper has left behind.
jennifer doudna biochemist (1964 - present) Jennifer Doudna is a biochemist is best known for her discovery of CRISPR-Cas9, which would be the basis of more efficient gene editing. Her fascination with science began when she was a child growing up in Hawaii, appreciating its biodiversity and natural beauty. Doudna became passionate about biochemistry after hearing a lecture about how cancerous cells occur from a female scientist. During her career, she had a breakthrough involving how RNA catalyzes protein synthesis. In 2012, she discovered CRISPR-Cas9 alongside microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier, and this discovery has since posed ethical questions over its applications. Doudna has meanwhile recently opened her lab to run COVID-19 tests to analyze the ongoing pandemic. 61
turn challenges into changes and stress into success
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m l a e r to thtoe the realm ofofdreams rd eams One more crumpled paper was thrown into the trash can as Gloria sighed and muttered, "I have been working on you for weeks, and still, something doesn't add up!"
She appeared to be struggling to suppress the urge to throw down everything she had on her desk, including her lucky pen, which always brings inspiration when writing a play, at least had brought it before. She took a sharp breath, trying to maintain calmness, but she couldn't help the tears shimmering in her eyes that were completely uncontrollable. After all those hours of hard work, all she got was red eyes and a running nose. She told herself, "I have sacrificed too much for this," her voice cracked as she continued, "This is the only thing I can do, or at least thought I could do. Maybe I should just stop trying.” Her phone chimed while she was rambling, like a call for help. As she reached for her phone, her racing thoughts about her incompetency were replaced with her fear of her mom learning that she had dropped out of college to become a writer. When she unlocked her phone, a slow smile appeared on her face as she let out a huge breath. It wasn’t her mom though she knew that eventually, the truth will come out. It was an email from someone who she expected least to hear from. The email was titled: “To the Realm of Dreams”. “It’s me, 15-year-old Gloria. Life is a bit rough now, as you might remember, she still doesn’t let me become a writer but I bet you overcame that, now that you’re an adult. You probably told her that you wouldn’t sell your dreams for a higher paycheck, or that it’s your life, not hers. I wonder how her face looked like when her little girl finally rebelled against her."
This made her realize that she was doing what she wanted all along, the only problem was that her mom didn’t know. Perhaps the feeling of remorse was preventing her from finishing her piece, she thought. She picked up her phone, called her mom, and told her to come home immediately. Her mom was surprised that she was at home but Gloria didn’t say a word and told her mom that it would be best if they talked face-to-face. She didn’t have enough time to collect her thoughts because her mom would come soon. A few minutes later, the doorbell rang. When her mom saw her eyes all red, she dropped the umbrella from her hand and hugged her tightly. She took Gloria’s face into her hands, caressing her cheeks with her thumbs. Gloria took courage and told her mom that she dropped out. After confessing, a heavy weight was lifted from her shoulders. Though later, a pain got struck in Gloria’s heart, when she saw the concern on her mom's face fade away, as though she didn't care about her anymore.
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written by elif kaya “Mom, talk to me,” Gloria said. “You already made your decision, and didn’t bother to talk to me! What do you want me to say?” her mom yelled. Gloria bellowed, “All I want is for you to support me, and you can’t even do that!”
The heated argument turned into a heartfelt discussion once they started empathizing with each other. “It wasn’t an easy decision, Mom. I love you. But I should be the one shaping my life, not you,” she soothed. “I love you too,” her mom added, “but this is not the ideal future I dreamt you would have.” “I know. I didn’t want to let you down but I will be happier, trust me,” she said. “I don’t have a choice, do I? Alright, you have my support,” her mom concluded.
Although she was surprised that her mom agreed upon her dreams after years of obstinacy, she didn't question how it all happened. After all, she got what she wanted. She finally felt as powerful and as in control as a horseman taking the reins in his hands. All this helped her overcome writer's block. Once her mom was gone, she ran to her room, and a big smile appeared on her face as she started writing.
Written by Elif Kaya Edited by Vivian Wang Art by Jasmine Serna Layout by Abby Liang
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FINAL NOTE
We asked our Issue III directors two questions: "What do you expect the feminist movement to bring forward?" and "Why should someone apply to Girl Genius?" Here are their responses! "Female empowerment does not stop after 24 hours, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the feminist movement will help females tackle imposter syndrome and recognize more aspiring females in the STEM field. You should apply to Girl Genius because, not only will you grow as a leader, but you will meet the best support system you could ever find." -Shivali Gulati, Founder "I envision a future in which females are empowered and encouraged to pursue STEAM fields without worrying that they’re “not good enough” compared to their male counterparts. The thing I love the most about Girl Genius is that it enables you to find an uplifting community of inspirational, like-minded girls and women while using your talents and skills to contribute to a movement bigger than yourself." -Athena Yao, Director of Art
"I want the feminist movement to encourage people to embrace their individuality and to love themselves. I think Girl Genius is a great place to meet new people while using your individuality towards helping others!" -Garima Sharma, Director of Writing
"I hope that young girls will find it completely normal to have ambitious goals in STEAM-related fields and that they have strong role models to look up to. Girl Genius teaches you a lot of things in terms of writing, editing, design, grants – whatever your specific role is –, communicating with your team, and how an organization with over 100 girls is able to come together to create a project." -Emma Quinn, Director of Creative Writing
"The feminist movement fosters empowerment, shares the passionate voices of all women, evokes confidence, and sparks a change.For these reasons, apply for Girl Genius! You will not only be able to explore your interests and join the STEAM movement, but you will also gain a community that is always there for you." -Abby Liang, Director of Layout Design
"I expect the feminist movement to help minimize the wage gap and allow women to advance in the world. People should apply to Girl Genius for a supportive network. -Leesel Fraser, Director of Grants
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THANK YOU
"I expect the feminist movement to bring equality for women in all aspects of their life and to break the stereotypical images society has drawn for us since we were young. Apply to Girl Genius because it is a supportive and inspiring community that empowers women from all around the world in STEM fields." -Zainab AlRamalwi, Director of Partnerships
"I expect the feminist movement to bring forward more inspiration through stories, opportunities, and gatherings to invoke more confidence for girls and others around the world. Everyone should apply to Girl Genius because we as the next generation need to encourage the world to take the next step forward in equality, knowledge, and self-improvement. But above all, you should join to make an impact towards a brighter future." -Jyothikaa Ramann, Director of Editing
"I expect the feminist movement to bring forward equality in rights and opportunities. People should apply to Girl Genius because it allows people to recognize the new opportunities that women have in STEAM fields." -Cassie Areff, Director of Video Editing
" I envision a future where every woman in STEAM is valued and everyone is encouraged to explore! Girl Genius has one of the most supportive communities out there for high school and college women interested in STEAM, and we’d love to have more passionate females join us in our quest to encourage others to explore science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics." -Madison Ramos, Director of Blogging
"Empowerment, support for fellow females across all fields, and pride! It is such a great platform to not only collaborate but learn how to manage (if you apply as a leader) and meet fellow girls who are doing their thing!" -Zoe Ngo, Director of Video Production
Responses by our Issue III directors | Art by Manouk Streiff-Hallisey, Mia Kotalik, Sena Atesoglu, Athena Yao, Adelina Rose Gowans, & Joyce Guo | Layout by Athena Yao
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Thank You To Our Partners
Layout by Vanessa Guo
67
68
01100101 01101101 01110000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 01101101 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101 01101101 01110000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 01101101 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101 01101101 01110000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 01101101 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101 01101101 01110000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 01101101 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101 01101101 01110000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 01101101 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101 01100101 01101101 01110000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 01101101 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101 01101101 01110000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 01101101 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101 01101101 01110000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 01101101 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101 01101101 01110000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 01101101 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101 01101101 01110000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 01101101 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101 01100101 01101101 01110000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 01101101 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101 01101101 01110000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 01101101 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101 01101101 01110000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 01101101 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101 01101101 01110000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 01101101 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101 01101101 01110000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 01101101 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101
THE END OF ISSUE THREE
GIRL GENIUS