New Girl City: Agents of Change 2018–2019 Pilot Program Report

NEW GIRL CITY: AGENTS OF CHANGE 2018 - 2019 PILOT PROGRAM REPORT1

The Lower East Side community has a long history of electing women to public office. And they get things done!!! That’s why we call The Lower Eastside Girls Club ‘the house that women built!’ *

—— Lyn Pentecost

Co-Founder and Executive Director

We must encourage, cultivate and train [girls] to take up space, grab a seat, lead, coordinate, and put themselves in the position to make the critical and transformational decisions and systemic change our mothers and grandmothers fought for; and we now fight for today.

—— Ebonie Simpson

Managing Director of Government Relations

and Development Initiatives

* Girls Club was made possible with the support of: NYC Councilwomen Margarita Lopez, Rosie Mendez, Carlina Rivera: Manhattan

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Borough Presidents C. Virginia Fields, Gale Brewer: Congresswomen Nydia Velazquez, Carolyn Maloney (and a few good men!)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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About New Girl City

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Partnerships and Goals

6 Vision 8

Press Launch

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MLK Day of Action Kickoff

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The Issues Concerning Girls in Their Communities

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Keep Running Shirley: Civics Summit

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Collective Action Project

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Skills for Action Workshops and Local Civic Action Projects

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Agents of Change Conference to Present Civic Action Projects

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A Vote For Her is a Vote for Us

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Pilot Program Findings

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ABOUT NEW GIRL CITY New Girl City: Agents of Change NYC is a new city-wide leadership initiative from The Lower Eastside Girls Club (LESGC), championed by the New York City Council Women’s Caucus. Designed to educate and activate future female leaders for NYC and beyond, New Girl City (NGC) brings together female-identified young people (ages 14

Who is our Agent of Change?

She’s a DREAMER DOER WORKER VOTER She QUESTIONS BORDERS PUSHES GENDER BOUNDARIES STRIVES FOR JOY, POWER AND POSSIBILITY IN ALL SHE SETS OUT TO DO She will CHANGE THE WORLD, STARTING WITH NEW YORK CITY BECAUSE IT’S TIME.

to 21) across the city to learn the symbiotic relationship between civics/public office and social justice. They train and build critical skills in community organizing, issue analysis, solution development and utilize the arts, speech, and action to make an impact.

Why did we create NGC? New Girl City is designed to address the dire gender parity issues related to women in civic leadership and public service. Only 12 women are represented in the 51-member NYC Council (23%) and the state and national parity averages are no better: according to Rutgers’ Center for American Women and Politics, women hold 23.7% of seats in Congress, 25% in Senate and 23.4% in the U.S. House of Representatives.

LESGC has a long and successful history of addressing environmental, entrepreneurial and ethical issues through our innovative and community-focused initiatives. We empower girls and women to actively change their community’s circumstances.

NGC program activities incorporate an intersectional range of issues affecting our community, environment, and the lives of women, people of color and marginalized New Yorkers.

Is it our ultimate hope that our young women are positively engaged in civics: whether it’s voting in every election, registering their friends and families, advocating for the issues they care about, working for a campaign or an elected official, or running for office themselves.

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PARTNERSHIPS This initiative would not have been possible without our partners, Sauti Yetu of the Bronx and Resilience Advocacy Project of Brooklyn. These incredible organizations were recommended by Bronx Council Member Vanessa Gibson; and Majority Leader, Brooklyn Council Member Laurie Cumbo.

GOALS • To DEVELOP THE KNOWLEDGE and

skills of young women in the areas of community engagement, organizing and skill-based action.

• To CULTIVATE THE DESIRE of New York City young women to actively participate in solving their community’s issues through civic engagement.

• To UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE of female

leadership at all levels by giving them an understanding of the unique role, vantage point, and value that women possess.

Sauti Yetu is a community organization dedicated to mobilizing African immigrant women to improve the quality of their lives, strengthen their families and develop their communities.

• To CONTEXTUALIZE the current local, state,

and federal politics of the day and ground the girls in the urgency of their experience with A Vote for Her is a Vote for Us summit.

• To ACTIVATE participants’ parents

and families to continue or begin encouraging the community engagement and civic action of their children and their community.

Resilience Advocacy Project is a platform for NYC’s most underestimated youth to develop the skills, confidence and support they need to build authentic community power and take their rightful place at the center of transforming the policies and systems that stifle their potential.

• To COMPENSATE young people for

the valuable, yet often thankless, work of social change.

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VISION As we developed our program model for New Girl City, we recognized that our primary objective is to develop young women’s leadership by cultivating and honing skills in:

* * * * * *

Community Organizing Civic Engagement Social Justice Activism Debate/Public speaking Art (film. photography. design, music) as a form of joy and activism Health and Wellness Life Skills

Through a myriad of interactive activities, workshops, and through engagement with esteemed panelists and mentors, we conducted the following program activities:

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL 2018 JANUARY 2019

FEBRUARY 2019

MARCH - APRIL 2019

MAY 2019

JUNE 2019

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On October 11, 2018, we formally announced the launch of NGC with a press event that welcomed distinguished guests from city and state leadership.

On MLK Day, we hosted our Day of Action Kickoff, in which our participants from Brooklyn, Bronx and Manhattan came together to learn the key elements of environmental, ethical and entrepreneurial leadership.

They engaged in the practices modeled by our chosen Pioneers of Progress: Sonia Sotomayor, Ella Baker and Shirley Chisholm.

We hosted Keep Running Shirley: Civics Summit; a two-day symposium dedicated to learning the nuts and bolts of civics in New York State, and understanding the critical roles city and state government play in advancing equity for women, girls and their communities. Additionally, we held a Keep Running Shirley Rally on the steps of City Hall to celebrate black women in politics as a part of Black History Month.

Our participants stayed in their respective boroughs to conduct Skills for Action Workshops and Local Civic Action Projects. They learned the nitty gritty of what change looks like through issue identification, research and solution development. They used art as a tool for activism and grassroots lobbying. Additionally, as a part of our Collective Action Project focused on Environmental Justice, we presented our STEM research to the United Nations.

We hosted the Agents of Change Conference, where participants presented their Civic Action Projects to their communities. Principals, elected officials and parents from our partner boroughs attended the event to learn from women artist/activists and hear about the girls’ projects. We then participated in the Ecological City Procession for Climate Change Solutions.

A Vote for Her is a Vote for Us: Making Your New Girl City Summit closed out our inaugural year in a two-day event. The summit engaged participants in a simulation to learn the ins and outs of the campaign trail. Participants ran for New Girl City mayor, borough president and council-member, or were assigned campaign roles, like budget director, campaign manager, and policy director to facilitate the candidates’ race.

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L–R: Amarimba Charles, Ebonie Simpson, Councilwoman Alicka Ampry-Samuel, Councilwoman Carlina Rivera staffer Sheila Rodriguez, Councilwoman Vanessa L. Gibson, and Councilwoman Margaret Chin staffer Marian Guerra

October 11. 2018

PRESS LAUNCH LEADING WITH STRONG WORDS OF WISDOM

We formally announced the launch of New Girl City with a press event that welcomed distinguished guests from city and state leadership. We were honored to hear remarks from these women about the importance of initiatives like NGC and their excitement for our participants.

Our champions of the afternoon included: Councilwoman Carlina Rivera, Councilwoman Vanessa L. Gibson, Councilwoman Alicka AmprySamuel, Chief Democracy Officer Ayirini FonsecaSabune, Assemblywoman Latrice Walker, and representation from: Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo, Councilwoman Margaret Chin, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and others.

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ABOVE: L–R: Councilwoman Gibson, Ebonie Simpson, Councilwoman Ampry-Samuel

LEFT: Assemblywoman Latrice Walker speaking about the needed support New Girl City provides to young women.

OUR CHAMPIONS SEND US SUPPORT I am thankful to be a member of the NYC Council and the Women’s Caucus, the dynamic [twelve] women that represent the City of New York, out of 51 members. I always say what we may lack in quantity, we make up in quantity. We are out there in the trenches with you representing girls all around the City and the State of New York. Women are change agents, and this initiative is going to culminate all the great work happening here at the Girls Club.

— Councilwoman Vanessa L Gibson

I am excited to be a part of creating a leadership pipeline where all young women feel like they have the opportunity to be a leader and I am so excited that this program will really inspire young women to be agents of change in the City Council and citywide.

— Councilwoman Carlina Rivera Co-Chair of the NYC Council Women’s Caucus

Now more than ever, girls and young women need the affirmation and the reminder that they can make positive change and be leaders in their neighborhoods, our city, the nation and the world as a whole. The Lower Eastside Girls Club’s New Girl City helps drive that point home and engages more young women and girls to be active leaders in their communities. I applaud this initiative.

— Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D–NY)

We see daily the many barriers in their way including systematic discrimination, biases and lack of training. I can think of no better day than International Day of the Girl to announce the New Girl City: Agents of Change initiative which will help to empower our young women while training them on citywide leadership and civic engagement.

— Council Member Adrienne Adams (D–Jamaica)

I am absolutely delighted that the Lower Eastside Girls Club is launching New Girl City: Agents of Change NYC, with the support of the New York City Council.

It will help to address the severe lack of gender parity that we see in the City Council and in legislative bodies and elected offices throughout the U.S. — Council Member Helen Rosenthal

As we’ve seen over and over, girls and young women have the power to change the world. The Lower Eastside Girls Club’s dynamic New Girl City initiative will harness that power by training future female leaders to mobilize their communities and engage in critical issues facing New York City and society at large.

—Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer

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OUR CHAMPIONS SEND US SUPPORT Agents of Change is such a remarkable fellowship because it provides women and girls the support that they need in times where they are deemed not important. I applaud City Council Speaker Johnson and the Women’s Caucus for making this institute available for so many women and girls as they embark on new journeys in their lives to break barriers and create change.

I see this space with NYCHA developments directly across the street, you cannot help but feel inspired and empowered about all the amazing things that women are doing and what women can do. I am proud to be a member of the City Council, I am proud to be a member of the Women’s Caucus, and proud to be supportive of anything and everything that comes out of the Lower Eastside Girls Club.

— Councilwoman Alicka Ampry-Samuel

— Assemblywoman Latrice Walker

— Ayirini Fonseca-Sabune

By investing in communitybased leadership development organizations like the Lower Eastside Girls Club, our City is leading the movement to ensure that our girls not only become the leaders of tomorrow – but have the tools and mentorship needed to be leaders in our communities today.

Chief Democracy Officer for the City of New York

— Councilwoman Margaret S. Chin

Empowering young people to be agents of change in their communities and their world is essential to the health of our democracy. The New Girl City program is supporting the development of young leaders who will make a difference in our city for years to come.

Co-Chair of the NYC Council Women’s Caucus

The universe, time and time again, has brought me into spaces where I have

we know that women are often the

Through collaborating with the Girls Club, I know we will get more women in public office. I look forward to working with the Girls Club, which I am obsessed with, to ensure I am out of job one day by ensuring there is a pipeline to the pipeline my organization is working to sustain.

folks that have the solutions.

— Moira McDermott

seen the hard work and dedication of both the staff and the members [of LESGC], and I am so excited to support this initiative in my new capacity as founder of NYC Action Lab...there is too much at stake and

— Carlene Pinto

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Founder of NY Action Lab

Executive Director of the 21 in 21 Initiative

Board Member Jacqui Lewis and Councilwoman Rivera

January 21, 2019

MLK DAY OF ACTION SUPPLYING THE KEYS TO LEADERSHIP

We were honored to have Councilwoman Rivera, Councilwoman Vanessa L. Gibson and Activist/Girls Club Board Member Jacqui Lewis engage with our girls in an opening keynote chat. The conversation set the stage for the six months ahead, showcasing leadership as a constant process of learning and growing, especially from our past and present champions.

To equip our participants to become future leaders, our curriculum was based on present leadership and building on their legacy; thus, the teams were named after phenomenal NYC-based women pioneers. We supplied girls with the keys to effective leadership from pioneers of progress, Ella Baker, Shirley Chisholm and Sonia Sotomayor.

ABOVE: Councilwoman Vanessa L. Gibson

LEFT: Participants during Community Building and Photoshoot workshop.

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PIONEERING PROGRESS Each pioneer cohort was assigned to focus on a pillar of progress: • Shirley Chisholm: policy making, legislation and politics • Sonia Sotomayor: legal action, interpretation and justice • Ella Baker: community action, radical and grassroots organizational development With these different approaches to change, the girls were taught about the critical components of Effective Leadership: Environmental, Ethical and Entrepreneurial. We define these three “E’s” to be a well-rounded approach to making holistic and hard-hitting social change.

WORKSHOPS AND ACTIVITIES

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Art and Activism Mural Project of Ella, Shirley and Sonia In our Alphabet City Art School participants worked together to paint a mural of our Pioneers of Progress with artist and activist, Sophia Dawson.

•

Community Issue Surveying & Journalism In our Voice, Identity and Power (VIP) lounge, Andrea Gordillo from Loisaida, Inc. Center— an organization addressing economic and social disenfranchisement of poor and low-income Latino residents— walked participants through the important background work of issue surveying and press within grassroots movements.

•

Community Building and Photoshoot In our Center for Media and Social Justice, the girls discussed their visions for a city created and led by them. Then, every participant wrote their vision, answering: "What do you want to see in your New Girl City?" and documented their ideas through photography. (See on page 11)

During the survey we asked our 56 participants

What’s the biggest issue for you in you community right now?

The size of the words represent the most dire matter for our girls:

Environment

Metrocard Fare

Transparency of government spending and budgets

NYCHA Gangs

Bullying

Racism

Immigration

Violence Homelessness

Education

Gun Control Gentrification Sexual Abuse Minority Unemployment

Public Safety

Mental Health

LGBTQ Community Sexual Health Education

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February 18–20, 2019

KEEP RUNNING SHIRLEY CIVICS SUMMIT Starting on President’s Day, we ran a two-day civics summit named after Shirley Chisholm; the first black woman elected to US Congress and first woman to seek nomination for the President of the United States. As one of our pioneers, we believe Chisholm is an excellent example of strong leadership for our participants and the topics of the day.

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What Grassroots Gender Justice Looks Like: Tabitha St. Bernard-Jacobs

DAY 1: UNBOUGHT AND UNBOSSED CIVICS CRASH COURSE: SEXUAL HEALTH JUSTICE

Let’s Get Ready to Rally Workshop

We kicked off our day with a facilitated discussion around sexual health justice. The girls talked about what well-being meant for their bodies, sexuality and reproduction, and how important civic engagement is to ensure those rights were protected. By covering Roe v. Wade, Trump’s Reaction to NYS passage of RHA and more, they learned the role each level of government has in social justice goals related to sexual health.

WHAT NEW YORK IS DOING FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS Jacqueline Ebanks, Executive Director of the NYC Commission on Gender Equity and Monique Owens, Empire Fellow for the Governor’s Agenda on Women and Girls, spoke about the concrete approaches New York City and State are taking to advance the hopes of women, girls and female-identifying people.

After a short screening of Unbossed and Unbothered (The Shirley Chisholm documentary) in the planetarium, girls took what they learned from our guests and mapped out NYC’s female elected officials and the issues effecting their boroughs. In the afternoon, the National Women’s March Director of Community Engagement, Tabitha St. Bernard-Jacobs, joined us to talk about grassroots gender justice.

What New York is Doing for Women and Girls: Jacqueline Ebanks (L) Monique Owens (R)

LET’S GET READY TO RALLY Participants created posters for the Keep Running Shirley Rally, which took place at City Hall the next day. They wrote speeches for the rally, developed and painted thoughtful slogan posters and discussed what the rally meant to them.

WHAT IS A CHANGEMAKER? Wrapping up the day, participants broke out into small teams and chose a community issue to address through a change-makers point of view: what is a new way forward that benefits everyone?

What’s a different solution we can try now? How can we help others thrive and adapt in a changing world? With this mind, the girls could enter the second day of the summit with revolutionary eyes.

Putting Our Leaders & Issues on the Map Workshop17

Girls standing behind Women’s Caucus of NYC Council Chairs Margaret Chin and Carlina Rivera.

DAY 2: DAY AT CITY HALL In collaboration with the Women’s Caucus of the NYC Council, the Keep Running Shirley Rally was held on the steps of City Hall.

Our girls stood behind Caucus Chairs Margaret Chin and Carlina Rivera as they celebrated black women in elected office.

Inside City Hall, participants discussed prevalent issues in their community with councilwomen in a mentoring session.

We awarded the Keep Running Shirley Awards to 26 black women elected in NYC and NYS at the City Hall Chambers.

DAY 3: GRACIE MANSION At the official residence of NYC’s Mayor, participants toured the “She Persists: A Century of Women Artists in New York, 1919–2019” art installation.

The exhibition displays works of 44 New York-based female artists who were imperative to creative culture.

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ABOVE: Presenting the Keep Running Shirley” Awards to City Council Members; Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo, Inez Barron, Debi Rose and Adrienne Adams, with Carlina Rivera.

LEFT:Girls visiting the NYC Council Chambers with Councilwoman, Vanessa Gibson.

March 21, 2019

COLLECTIVE ACTION PROJECT The United Nations annually raises awareness of the importance of forests at it’s International Day of Forests educational summit. New Girl City participants had the opportunity to present their art, activism and STEM research project, advocating for environmental justice.

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MARCH–APRIL 2019

SKILLS FOR ACTION WORKSHOPS AND LOCAL CIVIC ACTION In March and April, participants stayed within their boroughs to research, develop and execute their local civic action projects.

MARCH DEFINE YOUR VISION, GET INFORMED AND GATHER SUPPORT

“Art makes knowledge accessible across boundaries of status, race, gender, location and nationality and properly used can bridge the separations.”

— Kevin “Rashid” Johnson

STEP ONE: ISSUE IDENTIFICATION AND CONSENSUS

STEP TWO: INSPIRE ACTION (ART AS ACTIVISM)

While determining which issues to focus on, the girls recalled skills gained from previous sessions: how to become a changmaker from the Civics Summit and how to analyze community problems through the three Es of Effective Leadership from MLK Day of Action.

With their official issues identified, participants learned the significant ways art can engage, inspire and move people to action. They experimented with various mediums to articulate their issues through art including: posters, documentary, photography, audio interviews, podcasts and more.

Once they reached a consensus, the groups began the ground work: 1. Generate evidence of your proposal by researching to identify key talking points.

2. Identify community stakeholders to interview on the issue.

3. Conduct interviews to develop understanding of the issue from different perspectives.

4. Create a clear, concise and compelling group statement and a proposed solution.

5. Find collaborators who bring diverse points-of-view and complementary skills to the table. These should align with goals anchored by your values and vision.

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APRIL GET INVOLVED. TAKE ACTION.

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

— President Barack Obama

GRASSROOTS LOBBYING 101 Participants learned the most efficient ways to communicate with local representatives in order to encourage them to make the decisions that benefit their constituents:

• • •

Organize support: show the people rallying behind you Direct contact: make phone calls and write emails and letters Visit in person: set up meetings with officials to put a face to the issue

Participants also gained insight on how to prepare for lobbying:

•

Assemble a one-page report with background information and contacts

•

Deliver a direct message: provide clear, concise and compelling commentary on the issues impacting your community

•

Establish common ground: state mutual interest and commitment to the wellbeing of your community

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L-R: Robin LaVerne Wilson (AKA Dragonfly AKA Miss Justice Jester), Jocelyn Bonadio-de Freitas and Maria de Los Angeles.

May 11, 2019

AGENTS OF CHANGE CONFERENCE TO PRESENT CIVIC ACTION PROJECTS

Building on our experiences with youth conferences and forums, we worked with our partners to organize Agents of Change where participants presented their civic action projects. The conference featured our artist-activist panel, an environmental march and our civic action presentations to elected officials and community members.

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Girls participating in the Ecological City Procession for Climate Change Solutions.

ART AND ACTIVISM PANEL

ECOLOGICAL CITY MARCH

Attendees heard from a panel of artists who center art as a tool of activism featuring:

We encouraged all attendees to join as we marched with Earth Celebrations—a nonprofit based in the Lower East Side, “dedicated to engaging communities to affect ecological and social change through the arts.” — for their annual Ecological City Procession for Climate Solutions.

Robin LaVerne Wilson, AKA Dragonfly AKA Miss Justice Jester: A conceptual political artist, striving to enlighten the world towards joy, justice and compassion.

Maria de Los Angeles: Our spring 2019 Artist-inResidence who addresses issues of migration, displacement, identity and otherness through drawing, painting, printmaking, and fashion.

Jocelyn Bonadio-de Freitas: Musician, organizer, educator, event producer and ArtistIn-Residence at The Loisada Inc. Center.

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CIVIC ACTION PRESENTATIONS Lower Eastside Girls Club, Sauti Yetu and Resilience Advocacy Project members presented their civic action projects in addition to an issue-based art component. Community members including local representatives, community organizations, principals and Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal attended.

LOWER EASTSIDE GIRLS CLUB: SAVE OUR STOPS! LESGC focused on the MTA’s abrupt implementation of the Select Bus Service which has eliminated M14A/D stops without properly notifying the community. The stops eliminated are ones directly affecting the elderly, youth and handicapped populations most.

RESILIENCE ADVOCACY PROJECT: RENT HIKES AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN BROOKLYN RAP concentrated on the intersectionality and its impact on quality of life, community, economy and environment. From their research, participants found that new construction of luxury buildings leads to further displacement and lower quality of life for others.

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SAUTI YETU (1): HOMELESSNESS Sauti Yetu researched the reasons why homelessness is such a prominent issue affecting many lives in NYC, including imprisonment, mental health issues, lack of community support and unaffordable housing.

SAUTI YETU (2): INCOME INEQUALITY The second group from SY presented on income inequality as a race and genderbased issue with many implications in the US. They stated that this economic issue must be addressed at all levels in order to give a chance for communities to improve.world?

With this mind, the girls could enter the second day of the summit with revolutionary eyes.

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The Resistance Revival Chorus and New Girl City participants outside of the planetarium.

JUNE 14–15, 2019

A VOTE FOR HER IS A VOTE FOR US: MAKING YOUR NEW GIRL CITY SUMMIT In the last event of the inaugural year, participants engaged in a two-day summit in which they were provided mentors, developed policies for their New Girl City and were tasked with cultivating a campaign to run for office (mayor, borough president and city councilmember of New Girl City).

DAY 1: KNOCKING DOWN THE HOUSE In our planetarium, participants gained insight into the plight of women candidates during a screening of Knock Down the House. The documentary follows four women, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, during their run for Congress in 2018. Thanks to the Resistance Revival Chorus, the evening ended on an inspiring and uplifting note as they sang “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody,” and “Joy in Resistance.” RRC is a collective of more than 50 women who come together to sing protest songs in tribute to the historical importance of music in the protest movement.

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DAY 2: SUMMIT DAY WOMEN RUN AND WOMEN WIN The day began with a panel that included New York City candidates of different backgrounds and experience levels.

NGC participants had opportunities to ask about why panelists chose to run, why they chose those positions and what their biggest barriers as candidates have been. The panel included: District Leader Aura Olavarria; State Committeewoman and candidate for City Council, Amanda Farias; Board of Elections Commissioner Tiffany Townsend; Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer; and Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal and candidate for City Comptroller (who stayed for the remainder of the day!). One of the toughest questions asked was, “How does elected office amplify and stifle your activism?”

CAMPAIGN TRAINING WORKSHOP After forming groups, girls were randomly assigned the roles of a campaign team: Candidate (between mayor, city council-member and borough president), campaign manager, field staff and directors of finance, policy and communications. The facilitators walked the teams through the exercises and need-to-know information of the day.

We were lucky to have volunteer facilitators who are active in politics and campaigning to mentor and guide participants as they completed their campaign responsibilities: Democratic District Leader Kim Moscaritolo; Director of Constituent Services for Councilwoman Carlina Rivera, Sheila Rodriguez; Sylvia Kim; Tatiana Jorio; Shawn Young; Treasure Brooks and New York County Democratic Committee member (and New York’s youngest Democratic official) Hannah Zimmerman.

ROLE CALL CANDIDATE: This participant is the face of the campaign.

They are to solidify their team’s elevator pitch and attend the endorsement party where they may receive backing for their campaign from organizations. At the end of the day, they will present their platform.

CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Ensures the issue statement of the candidate is reflected throughout the campaign.

This person also researches and compiles a list of key endorsers and target supporters. The gathered information comes in handy during their attendance at the endorsement meeting and donor party.

POLICY DIRECTOR: Researches and draft a policy statement the campaign team agrees on. Since they are the expert on the issue, the policy director is in attendance at the endorsement meeting to ensure messaging is correct.

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Creates campaign materials including flyer, poster with slogan, campaignappropriate social media posts and campaign “website.”

FINANCE DIRECTOR: Produces a budget for which the campaign can function, which includes allocated money given at the donor party and the support from endorsements.

FIELD STAFF: These staffers help where attention is needed. Field staff assist the compilation of key endorsers and target supporters, and collect signatures during canvassing throughout and outside LESGC.

READY...SET...RUN! Throughout the Girls Club’s Center for Community, campaign spots were set up for team members to divide and conquer. The setup included:

• • • • •

Center for Media + Social Justice — Elevator Pitch workshop & Video/Photo Op Digital Media Lab + Upper VIP + Alphabet City Art School —Research & Communications VIP Lounge — Endorsement Meetings Room Baker Hall —Donor Party Throughout +Outside of LESGC —Canvassing

When campaign teams completed all their stops, participants gathered for final remarks and presentations.

We were delighted to have Councilwoman Rivera and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign manager, Virginia Ramos Rios, speak about the importance of young women engaging in New Girl City.

The candidates presented a wide variety of platforms: Displayed policy statements advocating for underrepresented communities, affordable housing, public transportation and more. Every presentation was developed with their New Girl City community in mind. At the end, we put it up to the vote; announcing the leaders of New Girl City. (View their platforms on page 28)

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CANDIDATES FOR NEW GIRL CITY BOROUGH PRESIDENT

Gun violence, overall equality and improving our communities.

Improve safety on public transit, establish quota for rent control and decrease gang activity.

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CITY COUNCIL MEMBER

MAYOR

Improve housing conditions, stop raising MTA fares and the closure of East River Park.

Affordable housing, equity in public space and awareness of unequal treatment.

Improve access to public transit, affordable housing and stop gentrification.

Combat homelessness, advocate for free universal healthcare and institute affordable housing for all.

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When New Girl City launched and ended we asked our participants:

Would you ever envision yourself in politics or running for office?

On day one at the MLK Day of Action Launch

On the last day at A Vote for Her is a Vote for Us

>1%

45%

said they were interested in politics or running for office.

said they were interested in politics or running for office.

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THANK YOU Initiative Sponsor: The New York City Council Thank you for making New Girl City: Agents of Change a reality for members of the Lower Eastside Girls Club and beyond. Our participants have grown empowered, engaged with civic leaders and have become more likely to be the change we need in this world.

Program Sponsor: ConEdison Thank you to our program sponsor, ConEdison, for supporting New Girl City’s environmental justice efforts.

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