Our first Yes-& project, the Miss Representation Screening and Community Conversation at the Museum of Art and History (MAH) on December 6th was amazing.  More than 90 Santa Cruz County educators, students & committed leaders gathered to screen a great film, followed by lively discussions, questions, ideas, suggestions and collaborations. Just what we all hoped for!

The movie itself, written and directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsome was well received. One high school student shared how surprised she was that women are so poorly represented in our society.  She added that this needs to change and, based on her participation in the action groups, is already engaged in creating that change. Immediately after the screening, the attendees were divided into 5 different groups representing neighborhoods and schools throughout North and South County.

Each group was asked to discuss:

(1) What’s already working in our communities and schools in helping empower girls

(2) What isn’t working or isn’t available

(3)  Ideas for programs or projects that can accelerate a change in culture and media to support girl empowerment

After the brainstorm sessions, everyone gathered back in the main lobby for an idea synthesis and to see what actions were going to take the momentum forward.

What’s Working  There is already some amazing work being done to empower girls. For example, Link Crew (peer to peer mentoring), National Coalition Building, Conflict Management Programs, Equity Club, Anti-bias Curriculum, Reading Books and Viewing Media by Women Authors, PVPSA, Mini Mermaids, Planned Parenthood, TedX Community for Juniors, Women in Science, Organic Food and Health Consciousness, “I Decide” program, Diversity Center Outreach, Junior Guards, City of Watsonville Neighborbood Services Program, Delta School “Exploring Life Options”, and Mount Madonna’s Volleyball Collaboration Team.

What isn’t Working.   Examples include: the need to engage boys in these kinds of discussion, a lack of respect when describing women’s actions (use of negative words or tone), lack of resources on how to be a leader, young boys access to porn, lack of networking possibilities, school dances pressure to engage in activities girls don’t want to do, male coaches/teachers making sexual inappropriate comments to girl students, pressure to date, girls being mean to girls, teen pregnancy, lack of clothing ethics, body image problems, padded bras and bathing suits marketed to prepubescent girls, dismissing problems as catty, lack of anti-bullying policy or not followed through, harassment, cyber culture, interpersonal communication, and parents don’t say “no”, and lack of family dinners, .

Ideas for Empowerment.  Such great creativity came from groups of leaders and teens.  These included:  Consciousness raising, media literacy programs, mentoring programs for girls, creating media that better represents the reality and experience that local girls are having, create girls support groups at high schools, hire more women coaches for sports teams, parental education programs for awareness and discussion, group activities for boys and girls to break down stereotypes, community service with gender focus, and leadership development modeled on gay straight alliance that takes on gender stereotypes,

Action Plans.  From all of the great ideas developed in the breakouts, attendees agreed that these three projects have the most promise AND agreed to step up and make them happen.  We will be looking for outcomes in three areas:

1. Community-wide screening of the film in schools and /or theaters along with media literacy training and discussions. The plan is to leverage the Santa Cruz Film Festival,  curriculum and various film versions that Miss Representation, in partnership with Girls for a Change, has created to get the widest possible screenings of the film throughout the entire county — aimed at reaching girls, boys, parents and educators.

2. Speed mentoring program linking girls and women leaders.  Girls for a Change has created a program and all the materials needed to host a speed mentoring event.  This group will figure out how to create an opportunity that matches girls with mentors, using resources already created.

3. Social media and an online teen film festival.  This program involves asking high schools boys and girls to create their own video for an online film festival. This will serve as a platform for our youth to speak their truth about how they want to see girls and boys portrayed in media. We also want to identify where the media is portraying girls or boys in a bad light and let the advertisers and companies know we are not buying it. We’re are participating in the Miss Representation campaign on Twitter, inspired by Girls For a Change. If you see a product or advertisement that misrepresents or degrades women – whether in a store, online or in a magazine – here’s what you can do to make a difference:On Twitter, post a description or a picture of the offensive item with this hashtag: #notbuyingit.

YES we uncovered the insidious messages to girls in our society AND each of the action groups are off and running to address the problem.

Off we go!

This all happened because a group said “yes” to possibility. Who knows what’s next?!?!