The GGE Update: It’s Time for NYC to Listen to Black Girls

 

By Hollisha Liverpool-Brown

 

Dear Community,

In May 2015, the New York City Council launched the Young Women’s Initiative (YWI), the nation’s first initiative dedicated to improving outcomes for young women and girls and gender-expansive youth. Eight years later, on May 8th, 2023, Girls for Gender Equity (GGE) joined New York City Council Speaker Adrienne E. Adams and the New York Women’s Foundation as they renewed their commitment by launching “YWI 2.0”. Recognizing the importance of this critical moment in history, we collectively hosted the first of a series of listening sessions to hear from young women and girls and gender-expansive youth across New York City on the issues surrounding their communities.

Speaker Adrienne Adams along with former Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, GGE’s Founder and CEO Joanne N. Smith, and Camille Emeagwali, Senior VP of Programs and Strategic Learning at the New York Women’s Foundation, all shared remarks about the legacy and promising future of this collaboration, the importance of listening to and centering youth voices, and the profound impact of investing in young people. In the words of Joanne N. Smith, “This is an incredible moment in our democracy where our collective strength as Black, Latina, AAPI, indigenous, immigrants and more will band together to be the strongest budget investment, practice and policies for and with the young people who need it the most.”

For the listening session, youth organizers from GGE’s Young Women’s Advisory Council (YWAC) came up with four topic areas and co-lead conversations around them with fellow New York City-based young people. They chose Mental Health, Reproductive Justice, Food and Nutrition, and Safety in the Medical Field because of the impact these issues have on their daily lives, which were highlighted and exacerbated due to COVID-19. 

With the support of youth representatives and staff from Sadie Nash Leadership Institute, The Brotherhood Sister Sol (Bro/Sis), and Staten Island Urban Center, we engaged in a World Cafe-style conversation, where young people and community partners answered various questions in groups and were tasked with coming up with recommendations. Ranging from supplying low-cost healthy foods in low-income neighborhoods, making mental and physical healthcare more accessible and affordable, expanding reproductive justice education, and much more, these recommendations were then shared with the larger group.

With the continued resources, support, and funding from the New York City Council through the Young Women’s Initiative, in collaboration with the New York Women’s Foundation, Girls for Gender Equity and other YWI-funded organizations will continue to listen to the experiences of young Black girls and gender-expansive young people of color so they can live with full expression, safety, and freedom. 

We are grateful for the continued support and commitment from the City Council and the recognition and respect given to young people in NYC.

Hollisha Liverpool-Brown is the Deputy Director of Programs for YWI and YWAC at Girls for Gender Equity.