Printer Friendly Version - ‘She’s Speaking’ Helps Girls Get Strong

She’s Speaking presents students at Essex Elementary School with copies of Strong Magazine For Girls. Pictured with some of the school’s student leaders are (left) Essex Elementary School Social Worker Marjorie Russell and (far right) She’s Speaking founders Stacia Libby and Lorrie Milton. Photo courtesy of Susan Daniels

When members of She’s Speaking, a local organization dedicated to empowering girls and young women, were looking for resources to make available to area middle school girls, they found a match with Strong The Magazine For Girls. Based in Connecticut, the magazine features articles on women who have influenced the world and on young girls who are making a big difference, in addition to regular columns on staying healthy in body and mind. This spring, the She’s Speaking board made the decision to purchase copies of the magazine and distribute them through schools and youth-based organizations.

The first recipients were participants in two programs run by the Tri-Town Youth Services Bureau in Deep River. Fourth-grade girls in the Reach Out! mentoring program and middle school students in the Youth in Action program were each given a copy of the magazine. Essex Elementary School students are also part of the spring distribution, with copies of the magazine given to each of this year’s graduating 6th grade girls, and for other students during the next school year. In September, She’s Speaking will provide an annual subscription to each elementary school and middle school in Chester, Deep River, Essex, and Old Saybrook, so all students have access to the magazine on an ongoing basis through their school’s media center.

She’s Speaking is an all-volunteer group based on a shared vision of a society where women have an equal voice and value, and the belief that taking action at the local level can have great impact on large scale issues such as pay inequity and under representation in business and government leadership positions. Members are dedicated to raising awareness and helping girls and young women in Chester, Deep River, Essex, and Old Saybrook to be self advocates through education, support, and inspiration. She’s Speaking is under the fiscal sponsorship of the Community Foundation of Middlesex County and relies upon the support of donors and sponsors to fund programs and offset operational costs. For more information, visit www.shesspeaking.org.