Since the 2016 presidential election, there has been a call for women’s rights across the country. Choate is no exception to this phenomenon, with several new women’s advocacy initiatives across campus including Girl Up and Like a Girl.
Girl Up is an organization existent outside of Choate that supports girls in Guatemala, Ethiopia, India, Liberia, Malawi, and Uganda by fundraising, advocating, and educating. The mission of Girl Up is to empower young girls who lack resources and a voice to be educated political leaders. Across the world, more than 1,000 Girl Up chapters communicate to make a significant impact on the government’s decisions regarding laws on women.
At Choate, Laura Solano-Florez ’20, Samantha Scott ’20, and Izzy Peel ’19, have started their own Girl Up chapter on campus. Each month, the club is given a goal to complete from the official organization, which ranges from fundraising to writing letters to the U.S. government to amend bills in favor of young women.
Solano-Florez wanted to not only fundraise for Girl Up, but also to educate Choate students on the issues women face today. “I hope to create a club that builds leaders and friendship and helps girls realize the power they have,” she explained.
Scott mentioned, “Choate is a very diverse place, filled with fortunate people. We want to help open their eyes to the realities of our world through firsthand experiences granted to us by these young ladies. It is important for everyone to understand that some people don’t have the resources we have, and that every little bit we do to help them matters.”
The Choate Girl Up Club plans to collaborate with UNICEF to host fundraisers and community service events. The club also plans to discuss the book I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai, which discusses Yousafzai’s struggle against sex-based educational restrictions in her Pakistani hometown. She continued her advocacy even after being shot by the Taliban.
Like a Girl is a club founded by Shamari Harrington ’18 with the goal of creating a space for women in the weightroom. Harrington, a track athlete who makes frequent use of the gym, commented, “One day, I was working out by myself in a gym full of males. I always saw women working out outside, but they never came in. I asked whether they felt uncomfortable being in the gym, and they replied that they did. That’s why I started the club: so that female athletes can engage with one another and have fun.”
Like a Girl’s future plans include a SAC dance collaboration with the Body Project and a Zumba class open to the entire school.
These initiatives reflect increased interest in advocating women’s rights. Larissa Owusu ’17, co-president of the Choate Diversity Student Association (CDSA), explained, “The campus needs some space for women to come and share their experiences, seek support, and ask for advice. This space will attempt to make women equal to men, and if it doesn’t, it will at least come up with solutions and campaigns to do so.”
Solano-Florez added, “Advocacy is the act of learning about an issue and spreading the word around your community, specifically to government officials; it pushes for changes in legislation that are the basis for the issues women face today.”
Along with the clubs and initiatives, Choate has improved resources for women on campus. Jerri Norman ’17, another co-president of CDSA, explained, “Choate is a community where if students feel that there is something lacking, they can ask for it and get it. This year, we’ve seen a lot more support from the community among women and those who support women.”
Owusu commented, “I hope that these calls for women’s rights don’t stop. There are many ways of helping women in many different subjects, like women in STEM and reproductive rights, and as we have more conversations regarding women’s rights, I hope this momentum perpetuates.”
