At Girls Empowerment Network, we are truly appreciative of the phenomenal volunteers, advocates, and supporters who help us ignite the power in girls every day. Each year, our staff generates a list of outstanding nominees, narrows that list down, and celebrates the folks who have made a substantial impact at the agency.
We are thrilled to announce our three Emerging Leaders of the Year! Emerging Leaders are dedicated volunteers under the age of 25 who have demonstrated exemplary leadership. Without further ado, let’s meet these magnificent folks, Priyanka Gupta, Valeria Morales, and Jasmine Sun!
Priyanka Gupta
What surprised you most about your volunteer experience with Girls Empowerment Network?
I think what surprised me most was that it was really easy for me to open up and form a network. I've always been really timid and shy. It's been hard for me to step up and take responsibility, but the community I was met with at Girls Empowerment Network made it really easy for me to open up and take on responsibility that I've never been able to do before. Whether it was public speaking, leading a group of girls, or writing a speech, it became very easy for me because the community was just so warm and welcoming and that was an experience I've never had before.
How has volunteering at the Girls Empowerment Network impacted you?
As a high school student, it was very impactful because through volunteering you learn a lot about communication, leadership, and teamwork. Those are like real-life skills that I didn't get taught in high school. Those skills helped me build confidence and that’s something that is applicable in all areas of my life. The inspiring moments and experiences that I had volunteering with girls like accomplishing tasks, working through challenges, hearing empowering words from other people all have a direct impact on me and how I live my life as a high school student. When things are really stressful, those experiences and influences are really important in the way that I solve my own challenges, or I work with my own teams.
What is a specific aspect of your volunteering experience that you really enjoyed?
For me, the most meaningful work that I did was definitely girl advocacy day last year because it was the biggest volunteer experience I've done with girls. It was also an opportunity to see the impact of what we were doing because I was there every step of the way. I was there when we were planning it, planning how the different stations would be set up-- every step of the way I felt very included. When we got there, it was like a really incredible experience because we got to see how what we were planning supported those girls. At Girl Advocacy Day we led girls to talk to senators in the legislature and they were so excited, but some were nervous. Being there for them was an experience I never had before because I’d always been on the receiving end but being on the “leading end” was a very empowering experience. I think there is so much we can learn from girls and there is so much we can offer to them and those relationships are so impactful and significant to me.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering volunteering at Girls Empowerment Network?
I’d say do it! It’s an opportunity you’re not going to get anywhere else. I’ve had volunteer opportunities at school through NHS or clubs but this specific experience you get at working with Girls Empowerment Network where you can directly help girls and be a part of a team with a positive environment is unmatched.
What advice would you give to your sixth-grade self?
I'd say a really important piece of advice I'm just learning now that I wish my 6th-grade self had known is “it's simpler than you think”. I was a chronic overthinker so whether it was school assignments or friend drama I would overthink everything. Thinking back now all those experiences were much simpler than I made them out to be. If I could tell my 6th-grade self to “stop overthinking everything is more simple than you think it is” then I think that would have made it easier for me to manage my time and cut out people that were being mean to me.
Who is your She-ro?
I'm going to say my mom just because she's taught me what it means to have strength by and to have inner strength. It's a lot more than just being physically powerful or being like a strong speaker, it's all about your mindset. She taught me about being a good human being first before everything and using that to guide you through anything you do. Her principles really guided me throughout my entire High School career and now I'm a senior applying to colleges and starting this next step in my life. Looking back, if I hadn't followed her advice, I would have gone down a totally different path. She is my she-ro because she has always believed in me and who I am even when I didn’t know who that was.
Valeria Morales
How has volunteering with Girls Empowerment Network impacted you?
I feel good not only being productive and doing something, but I also love to know that I’m helping girls just like me. It’s not only impacted me because I’ve encouraged my cousin to get involved as well, so we’re both always looking for opportunities to decorate Spark Kits again! I am so passionate about helping other girls and I love to include my family in it as well.
What is a specific aspect of your volunteer experience that you enjoyed?
I love decorating Spark Kits because I’m a really creative person. When I first saw the application for decorating Spark Kits in Houston I thought: “OMG I want to do this!” because I really enjoy drawing, painting and stuff like that. I also really enjoyed Pathfinder too because I got to have so many new experiences. My favorite part of Pathfinder was getting into writing and now writing is something I want to keep around in my life. I used to think I was such a bad writer, especially as someone who isn't a native English speaker, so I always felt very bad about my writing and my grammar. I like writing a lot more now because of the writing workshop we did during Pathfinder.
What advice would you give to your sixth-grade self?
There’s so much. First of all, I would tell myself “you don’t have to be distressed about the simplest things, everything works out and will get better. Just be confident in yourself and do what you want to do. Get out there, live your life, and don’t feel stressed about things because everything turns out all right”. Obstacles will happen along the way and when stuff gets really hard along the way, just remember everything will work out in the end. You’ll be fine.
I have always been an anxious person, so I felt so intimidated by everything. Now I know that there is no need to feel that way because everything will be okay. I just want to make girls-- or other people in general-- feel comfortable and not intimidated or scared. Don’t be scared to ask for help or learn something new by asking questions. That’s why I love Girls Empowerment Network and why I started a club at my school for first-generation college students, like myself, because I don't like kids to feel like they're behind but are too afraid to ask questions that will make them seem unintelligent or not good enough. That’s why I love working with GIRLS and working on First Gen Alliance.
Who is your She-ro?
Definitely AOC. She is such a powerful woman and is so well-spoken. I aspire to be like her. She is so confident in everything she does and is so proud of herself and her background without trying to hide it or hold back. As a Hispanic girl, I think she is so wonderful and strong. I want to be like her when I grow up!
Jasmine Sun
What specific aspect of your volunteer experience have you really enjoyed?
I think just being able to interact with the girls and being able to learn about some of the stuff they’re experiencing, what their lives are like, and seeing them being really excited to talk about what’s happened during their week. I think that’s really great.
What would you tell someone who is considering volunteering at Girls Empowerment Network?
I think it’s a really valuable experience for anyone who wants to be able to contribute in some way to help these girls feel more confident and empowered. A lot of these girls really do benefit from having someone to be there to listen to them and provide guidance if they ask for it.
What did you learn about yourself during your time at Girls Empowerment Network?
I learned that I have strengths in areas that I didn’t think I had strengths in. I also learned about the areas I needed to grow in - areas where I learned, “I definitely need to work on this.” I think it was really valuable way to assess myself and figure out who I am as a person and as a mentor.
Who inspires you to be the amazing girl advocate that you are?
Most personal to me would be my mom. She’s always been there to help me out, she’s been super capable, and she’s taught me how I can navigate the world best and handle all the responsibilities. She’s a full-time worker and she takes care of me and my sister. I really respect how much she’s put into taking care of everything. There’s also Rebecca Sugar. She created the show Steven Universe. The reason why I nominate her is because she’s one of the first LGBTQ people to create a show on Cartoon Network. I really love the fact that she talks about so many relevant issues like consent, body positivity, things that we talk about at Girls Empowerment Network. So, I really admire her for having such a positive, warm outlook, but also for being willing to talk about these relevant issues.
What advice would you give your sixth-grade self?
Take it easy! A lot of the stuff you’re worried about, that you think is so important, it really doesn’t matter that much in the grand scheme of things. It’s okay to just be okay, you don’t have to be perfect or feel like you need to be the best at anything. It’s okay to be living and having fun and being okay with yourself.
General recommendations/advice to girls?
Jasmine has two wonderful book recommendations for girls to check out: Gloria Anzaldua's Borderlands/La Frontera (for high schoolers/adults). Also, Jacqueline Woodson's Brown Girl Dreaming (for middle schoolers).