Together We Rise

Yesterday was the fifth Alliance for Girls conference. Largest attendance, best venue, more girls, more precise presentations. Great, devoted work byEmma and Kailin. I continue to be amazed at the vibrancy of these gatherings. There is a unified vision and purpose that attendees share, that this work truly matters, that helping girls achieve their dreams will move society forward. While getting more young women into places of power in government and business is important, so is art and service and culture. Women’s leadership and influence will cause a permanent shift toward a fairer, more inclusive humanist world. While “leaning in” to power advocates for women to behave more like men, the sense in this room was more “leaning out”–that the heart and soul of a woman, shared, is core to societal change. Personal vulnerability, coming from truth, Is stronger than an assumed resolve that projects the idea of strength. (This was at the core of a lot of the criticism of Hilary, I think–a sense of inauthenticity that she just couldn’t shake.) The conference closed with a girls chorus singing smashing a cappella version of (Girl) in the Mirror–“If you want to make the world a better place take a look at yourself and make a change.” These women, and girls do that, and the world is changing.