AUGUST 2021
Girlfriends Girlfriends is a publication of Girl Scouts of Nassau County
Bravely Be You! As we look forward to the 2022 Girl Scout year, it is hard not to look back at the past two years. We all experienced a global pandemic, we witnessed social justice in action and, we are all hoping for an economic upturn. Most of us experienced loss in some way and all of us experienced some level of trauma. As a social worker, my concern for our youth and their mental health is something that lingers with me every day. Although Girl Scouts is not a direct service organization charged with supporting mental health or even social emotional issues, we do make an impactful difference. Through the pandemic, Girl Scouts tackled the challenges of our times and helped girls navigate a changed world. Girl Scouts identified three focus areas critical for girls’ success right now and provided girls with content and experiences in those areas. True to our mission we supported girls by mitigating learning loss, supporting mental health, and promoting equity. In June, Girl Scouts of Nassau County hosted a Bravely Be You program where we explored being proud of who we are and prioritizing self-acceptance. In addition to doing self-portraits, girls had the opportunity to share some of the affirmations they wrote for themselves. I always say, “We do our best work when we listen to our girls” and this was no different. For our 2021-2022 year, I challenge all of us to not only prioritize self-acceptance but to also empower our girls to feel safe being themselves no matter who they are. Inclusion and self-acceptance are more important, now more than ever. —RMB
Affirmations written by girls at the Bravely Be You program “I will never give up, even when things seem like they aren’t going to be all right, take a breath and try again.” —Nyah “I am forgiving, I’m considerate, and I am memorable.” —Victoria “I am ready, no obstacles will stand in my way and I have a curiosity that is too big to measure.” —Faye “I am beautiful, no matter how I think I look. I can be as strong as I can be.” —Camille
“I am a great student and I excel in all my classes.” —Liana “I am living to my fullest potential.” —Cirah “They always say that a picture’s worth 1000 words, well good thing I’m an artist.” —Maddie “Use your full potential or you’re not using potential at all.” —Carina “It doesn’t matter what you look like, it matters if you’re a good person and you are brighter than the brightest star.” —Charlie
We have a new look! You might notice a difference in the way this issue of Girlfriends looks… We have updated our logo, are using shapes that mirror badges, an expanded color palette, and even a new Girl Scout font to make things more readable.
Why you may ask? The Girl Scouts’ brand is evolving to meet today’s girls’ needs. The Trefoil has power and a recognition factor that helps us tell the Girl Scout Story in a modern visual way. Our brand will always support our mission and the Girl Scout Promise and Law. We will keep the foundational brand elements front and center as we strive to create and deliver consistent and powerful Girl Scout messages and highlight the programs and experiences for you and your girl. As part of the rollout of our new brand, we will be offering Service Units specialized training to help us all present Girl Scouting in its best light. Stay tuned for training opportunities. As always, the GSNC marketing department is here to assist you with your design needs. Just email us at customercare@gsnc.org for assistance. We hope you like the new look as much as we do! You will be seeing more of it in our materials as we transition to this new branding in the coming months.