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International Day of the Girl

October 10, 2012

Photo: Fair Girls

On October 10, 2012 NYU Washington, DC hosted the biggest celebration in D.C. commemorating the first-ever International Day of the Girl! FAIR Girls, along with its community partners Covenant House, Sasha Bruce Youthwork, Washington Area Women's Foundation and DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation held the official proclamation ceremony and reception at the Constance Milstein and Family Global Academic Center. The official proclamation, drafted with input from FAIR Girls' teen advisors, was signed by Councilmember Yvette Alexander to officially recognize the Day of the Girl in the Nation's capital. We also heard from Tyra, a 19 year old participant of JewelGirls, FAIR Girls' economic empowerment program, and Victoria Pannell, a 13 year old actress and girls' rights activist. The inspiring evening showcased special performances from youth performing arts groups in the DC Metro Area and celebrated girls' achievements, talents, and voices in the community. All participating organizations presented literature and information about their programs and FAIR Girls' handcrafted jewelry made by D.C. girls and survivors of trafficking was sold at the closing reception.

Button: display or hide Schedule

6:00: Doors open
6:15: Proclamation ceremony with teen advisers and community partners
6:30: Georgetown Visitation Dance Ensemble (modern)
6:50: Remarks by Tyra, 19 year old FAIR Girls participant
6:55: "Summertime" song by Julia Dennis, 15 yr old singer and Girl Scout
7:05: Remarks by Victoria Pannell, 13 year old actress and girls' rights activist
7:10: Georgetown Visitation Dance Ensemble (hip hop)
7:20: Remarks by FAIR Girls
7:25: "Balm of Gilead" song by Julia Dennis, 15 yr old singer and Girl Scout
7:30: CityDance (modern)
7:35: Light reception/DJ Beauty & the Beatz (11 yr old DJ)
8:00: Closing

Read the Washington, DC Proclamation

Button: display or hide District of Columbia Day of the Girl October 11, 2012 WHEREAS, equality and universal access to education and opportunity for every girl and boy are among the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals supported by 189 countries including the United States; and WHEREAS, the United Nations established October 11 as the annual International Day of the Girl Child supported and co-sponsored by the United States and 97 other countries; and

WHEREAS, The “Day of the Girl” campaign calls on communities across the globe to recognize that girls worldwide face many injustices such as discrimination, gender stereotypes, sexual abuse, child marriage, labor and sex trafficking, and lack of educational and economic opportunities; and empowers girls to fight for their rights; and

WHEREAS, the District of Columbia, as the epicenter of the nation, should continue to explore gender empowerment issues such as improving services for all girls, especially girl survivors of abuse, trafficking, and discrimination, by advancing equal educational and financial literacy programs for D.C. girls of all ages, fostering economic opportunities, increasing safe housing for homeless, exploited and otherwise at-risk girls, and swiftly prosecuting those who commercially exploit and abuse children by joining FAIR Girls, Covenant House, Sasha Bruce Youthworks, Washington Area Women's Foundation, and other local organizations to speak out against gender-based injustices, celebrating all girls’ potential, and encouraging all girls to pursue their dreams.

NOW, THEREFORE I, Councilman Jack Evans, do hereby proclaim October 11, 2012 as the Day of the Girl in the District of Columbia, and do commend this observance to all of our citizens.

FAIR Girls prevents the exploitation of girls worldwide with empowerment and education. Through prevention education, crisis response, long-term care, and survivor inclusive advocacy, FAIR Girls creates opportunities for girls to become confident, happy, healthy young women. Founded in 2003, FAIR Girls was created to empower girls in the U.S. and around the world who have been forgotten, exploited or otherwise are at-risk of not reaching their potential. FAIR stands for Free, Aware, Inspired, Restored – this is exactly what we hope the girls we work with will become. FAIR Girls currently operates programs in Bosnia, Serbia, Russia, Uganda, and the United States. The FAIR Girls home office in Washington, D.C. works to prevent the exploitation of all girls, with a special emphasis on girls who have experienced homelessness, life inside the foster care system, sexual abuse, and trafficking.

Community Partners

photo: dc trust
photo: sasha brown foundation
photo: covenant house
photo: womens foundation of dc

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