Girls Speak: The Impact of Violence

At Girls Inc. of Alameda County, we are inspired by the girls we serve. We are proud to say that they have a genuine passion for creating positive change in the world. This year, the girls in our Advocating for Change Together (ACT) program identified violence in Oakland as the most pressing issue they wanted to investigate and help resolve.

As part of that commitment, this year’s ACT cohort worked together to craft a survey about experiences with violence in Oakland. They surveyed residents in seven districts and created a set of findings and personal essays that were published in the East Bay Express on March 22. Their writings address the impact of displacement and unstable housing, anti-immigrant rhetoric and painful losses of family, friends, and loved ones due to violence.

Then, on April 24, the ACT leaders helped organized a community event to share their perspectives and present their survey insights. They also invited a panel of experts who discussed how these individual stories fit into larger narratives of systemic and interpersonal violence in our community. #GirlsHaveTheRight to a safe future, and we know our ACT leaders will be part of making that future a reality.