https://www.girlsglobe.org Gender equality, human rights and social justice. Mon, 23 Jun 2025 08:03:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 https://i0.wp.com/www.girlsglobe.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/girlsglobe_icon_green2-1.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 https://www.girlsglobe.org 32 32 128553070 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/06/23/yunah-buvmbwe-zimbabwe/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/06/23/yunah-buvmbwe-zimbabwe/#respond Mon, 23 Jun 2025 08:03:01 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66618 Yunah Buvmbwe is a blogger and a community activist for women's rights. She is also a volunteer for local organizations. 

In this episode, Yunah discusses:

- experiences and observations that motivated her to begin writing poems about girls' rights when she was 12 years old…
- realizing that she could be a voice for girls and women who did not feel that they could speak out…
- what motivates her to continue writing about the challenges women and girls face…
- in college, learning about blogging, attending workshops, and creating her own personal blog, Today’s Truths—My Voice is My Purpose, What’s Yours?…
- writing for the Girls’ Globe platform…
- how reading about other women’s work in their communities helps keep her motivated…
- the importance of working to ensure that government policies are implemented, like the Education Amendment Act in her country…
- how writing helped her overcome shyness and build self-confidence…
- her connection with the women in her community, how their experiences inspire her writing, and the project she initiated to support women in addressing the real issues they face…
- her mother’s role in helping women in the community, too…
- how social media has helped her interact with other woman and see what they are doing in communities globally to advance women’s rights…
- the importance of creating safe spaces for women to share their ideas and their experiences…
- and why we all need to raise critical issues and challenge stereotypes that women face in our own communities.]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/06/23/yunah-buvmbwe-zimbabwe/feed/ 0 66618 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/06/12/francisca-sequeira-surf-therapy-and-girls-mental-wellbeing/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/06/12/francisca-sequeira-surf-therapy-and-girls-mental-wellbeing/#respond Thu, 12 Jun 2025 06:54:21 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66605 Francisca Sequeira is the founder and president of SOMA (Sufers Proud of African Women), the first surf therapy organization in Africa dedicated exclusively to girls.

Francisca, from Portugal, embarked on a new journey in 2020 during the pandemic. She was experiencing anxiety and panic attacks after losing her job as a flight attendant, and discovered surf therapy—a combination of surfing, mental well-being, and empowerment.

What started as a solo trip of self-discovery turned into a larger movement to support women and girls in the islands of São Tomé and Principe.

The organization’s vision is to create the next generation of independent and self-sustainable women, surfing infinite waves of well-being, opportunities, and equity across Africa.]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/06/12/francisca-sequeira-surf-therapy-and-girls-mental-wellbeing/feed/ 0 66605 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/06/06/alison-arngrim-usa/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/06/06/alison-arngrim-usa/#respond Fri, 06 Jun 2025 08:30:37 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66578 Alison Arngrim is an American actress, author, philanthropist, and advocate for the protection of children from abuse, exploitation, and neglect.

At five years old, Alison began her television career and is best known for her portrayal of Nellie Olsen on the NBC television series, "Little House on the Prairie."  

In this episode, Alison discusses

- her experiences of being a child actor and growing up in a family where working in show business was the norm,
- having a slow-down in bookings at eleven years old, prompting her father to tell her that her acting career might be over,
- at twelve years old, being cast as Nellie Olsen in "Little House on the Prairie",
- after years of being famous, doing shows and personal appearances, finding ways to schedule downtime and relax,
- how stardom affects people’s expectations of her in social gatherings,
- beginning her comedy career at fifteen years old, at the height of her popularity on Little House on the Prairie, by writing a comedy act with a group called The Village Idiots and performing in Los Angeles clubs and coffee houses four nights a week,
- beginning to her philanthropic work at twelve years old then, in the 1980s, when the actor Steve Trace went public with his AIDS diagnosis, volunteering to support the AIDS Project Los Angeles,
- in the early 2000s, becoming involved with a newly formed The National Association to Protect Children (protect.org), working with Congress and many States to enact legislation to rescue children, combat child exploitation and human trafficking, support cutting-edge technology, and increase government accountability and transparency,
- going public with her own abuse as a child,
- now serving as President of The Board of Directors of The National Association to Protect Children,
- and encouraging us all to use our strengths and our weaknesses.]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/06/06/alison-arngrim-usa/feed/ 0 66578 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/05/23/danielle-mullings-jamaica/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/05/23/danielle-mullings-jamaica/#respond Fri, 23 May 2025 11:41:50 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66557 Danielle Mullings is a dynamic young leader and technology enthusiast from Jamaica.

She does a fun mix of tech, youth empowerment, and media, hosting a youth TV show, moderating global science events, and serving on Jamaica’s AI Task Force. Danielle is currently juggling these responsibilities while part-time pursuing her Masters of Science in Translational Health Sciences at Oxford University while also working with regional and international entities. 

In this episode, Danielle discusses

- her commitment to bringing young people together, listening to their experiences and ensuring that their voices are heard.
- leadership roles early in her school and university years.
- incorporating the viewpoints of others in the youth leadership and advocacy space.
- working to increase the number of young people  involved in decision-making forums.
- growing up in a loving and supportive family, and the important life lessons her family taught her.
- being encouraged to pursue roles of increasing scope and responsibilities as a university student, including running for Guild President, leading thousands of students and being the official representative to the university administration, as well as the regional university administration, representing 50,000 students across the Caribbean.
- the role of technology in effectively gathering and using data to understand and communicate the needs of students.
- how her experiences led her to become the host of a youth TV show in Jamaica, showcasing young people, their stories, and their accomplishments.
- the importance of individualized approaches to self-care.
- ways to deal with our own self-criticise.
- the importance of volunteerism and how it can lead to unexpected career opportunities.
- having the courage to apply for roles that may seem out of reach.
- how introducing herself to a Government Minister led to being invited to join Jamaica’s AI Task Force and another government committee.
- the power of a simple compliment in encouraging others, and the reminder to be more positive as we speak with people day-to-day.
- and her advice to young women (and us all) to “shoot for the stars” as we find our voice.]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/05/23/danielle-mullings-jamaica/feed/ 0 66557 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/05/09/susan-jeremy-usa/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/05/09/susan-jeremy-usa/#respond Fri, 09 May 2025 07:29:58 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66529 Susan Jeremy is a solo performer, stand-up, playwright and public school teacher in New York City.

As a performer, she keeps her audiences laughing with many characters, music, observations, and dry wit. She is the author of seven solo shows which she performs internationally. Susan’s works have been featured around the world at comedy festivals, including the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. She is the recipient of the Best Comedy and Best Production award at Montreal Fringe Festival along with Best touring show at Hamilton Fringe. 

In this episode, Susan discusses her seventh solo show, Robert Will Show You the Door (Tales of Being Fired), and how being fired from a series of jobs led her to becoming a special education teacher. She reveals that she is an undiagnosed person with dyslexia and how this affected what she thought was possible. She discusses how performing led her to find her confidence and overcome her learning disability.

When she started substitute teaching she used her daily experiences to write her first a solo show. She brought the show to Montreal and it was an instant hit, landing her a contract to tour the show nationally, only to have it cancelled when 9/11 happened. Susan took this as a sign that she was supposed to work with kids. When she was offered a full time teaching job, she took it, walked away from show business and went to grad school at night. A feat that she never saw was possible.

Susan learned that the way forward is to not listen to people who say “you can’t do this” and never to doubt yourself. The mere act of trying is brave and will lead you on a path to accomplish things.

As a breast cancer survivor, Susan discusses how facing a life challenging illness made her  even more determined to accomplish her goals. She used humor as a survival technique and inspired others who were going through treatment. This led her to teaching children who were in the hospital. Having already survived cancer, she knew that these kids wanted to have a normal school session and not be seen as patients. 

She wants our listeners to trust themselves if they are uncertain, and if you don’t know how to do something, just act as if you do and the confidence will lead you through. 

You can learn more about Susan Jeremy and find information about her upcoming performances, at https://www.susanjeremy.net/]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/05/09/susan-jeremy-usa/feed/ 0 66529 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/04/03/why-im-leaving-social-media/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/04/03/why-im-leaving-social-media/#respond Thu, 03 Apr 2025 10:13:42 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66487 In this episode of the Hey Changemaker! Podcast Julia Wiklander shares the 21 reasons why she is leaving social media.

From surveillance capitalism to her creative process - she speaks about all the issues that she's had with these platforms and what made her make the decision to leave. 

After years of being in a bad relationship with social media, Julia Wiklander, founder of Girls' Globe, has decided that she's leaving. For some, this may be an easy decision, but as someone working with digital communications and media, it’s not as straightforward. Social media has been an important part of her work with digital commmunications for over a decade.

It’s through social media that Julia was able to begin building Girls’ Globe – making connections that wouldn’t have been possible without it.

And she has tried to please the algorithm, with everything from cringey lipsync videos to the 5-second Reels. Still, over the past 8 years, social media has become a bigger headache than it’s provided value in her life and work.]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/04/03/why-im-leaving-social-media/feed/ 0 66487 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/31/dr-patty-johnson-usa/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/31/dr-patty-johnson-usa/#respond Mon, 31 Mar 2025 12:15:20 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66478 Dr. Patty Johnson is a writer and psychologist who believes in healing through stories.

She is currently working on a memoir and has 2 published books—Essays of Night and Daylight and Breathe & Release: A 12 Month Journal for Healing from Anxiety.

In this episode, Dr. Johnson discusses:

- what sparked her interest in becoming a psychologist…
- being guided by behavioral medicine, a model of integrating both the physiological and the psychological…
- how important listening to people's stories has been in her life…
- being born in America to immigrant parents, and cultural differences that she and her family navigated…
- behavioral medicine, a model of integrating the physiological and the psychological…
- exploring how the mind and body work together...
- generational trauma…
- immigrant trauma…
- the beauty and complexity of growing up in two cultures…
- the importance of helping people align their physical symptoms with what is happening in their life or with what they have been thinking about…
- her love of writing and how, as an adolescent, writing helped her process feelings she was unable to discuss…
- the healing power of stories…
- our experience of seeing ourselves differently from how others see us…
- meditating on the power, strength, and ability we have to do things that we were told we could not do…
- the importance of realizing that it doesn't matter what other people say about us if we know who we are…
- and these inspiring words, “There's so much strength in fighting to be who we are.”]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/31/dr-patty-johnson-usa/feed/ 0 66478 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/21/dr-h-c-jen-blackwell-bem-and-sue-blackwell-united-kingdom/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/21/dr-h-c-jen-blackwell-bem-and-sue-blackwell-united-kingdom/#respond Fri, 21 Mar 2025 07:52:03 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66449 After 10 years of searching for the right support to enable Jen to follow her dreams, Jen and Sue Blackwell (Daughter and Mum) co-created DanceSyndrome in 2009, where everyone matters and all are encouraged to lead happy, healthy and purposeful lives.

DanceSyndrome is for people with and without Down’s syndrome and other learning disabilities, using inclusive dance as a vehicle in a unique, ground-breaking way which doesn’t exist anywhere else. 

Jen, Sue, and DanceSyndrome are international multi-award-winning leaders of change, disrupting the status quo and challenging perceptions and systems where necessary. They show everyone the art of the possible, whatever label or perceived ability we attach to ourselves or others, by taking one step at a time. Jen was born with Down’s syndrome and says, “With the right support at the right time we can go further and further”

In this special episode you will hear the voices of three women: Jen Blackwell, Sue Blackwell, and Tracey-Jane Hughes, who restated some questions for Jen. Jen and Sue discuss:

- creating DanceSyndrome and their experiences showcasing the performances of this dance company…

- facing and overcoming the bureaucracy and systems that saw Jen as a learning disability instead of as a person…

- the importance of true inclusion rather than tokenistic inclusion to enable everyone to be a leader in their own life…

- Jen’s love of dance throughout her life…

- being honored at Buckingham Palace….

- Jen being appointed Lead Ambassador for Innovation and Entrepreneurship by the High Sheriff of Manchester for her year of tenure in 2018.…

- encouraging all women and girls to speak out and speak up…

- and the importance of creating opportunities for all!]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/21/dr-h-c-jen-blackwell-bem-and-sue-blackwell-united-kingdom/feed/ 0 66449 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/05/christine-sayo-kenya/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/05/christine-sayo-kenya/#respond Wed, 05 Mar 2025 11:05:21 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66385 Christine Sayo is a passionate communications specialist and environmentalist from Kenya.

She is a lover of human rights and advocates for the rights of women and girls. Christine has been working in the NGO space for over fifteen years and has a dream to write and produce a TV show about non-profit organizations.  

In this episode, Christine Sayo discusses:

- why she began calling herself an environmentalist when working on her Master’s Degree and working for a non-governmental organization producing a show on environmental issues…
- facing the challenge of breaking down jargon so people can better understand environmental issues…
- for her Master's thesis, focusing on how the media can best communicate about environment issues…
- having her thesis published and being recruited by the environmental movement, Let's Do It! World, to be a representative in Kenya…
- in 2016, launching the non-profit Let's Do It! Kenya …
- hosting the first “cleanup” day in Kenya and having 20,000 people participate…
- the importance of engaging young people to drive change…
- traveling to different countries to discuss environmental challenges and solutions…
- the reminder that “every small step counts”…
- with her colleagues working in other countries, championing the successful effort to have the United Nations declare September 20 as World Cleanup Day…
- discovering that many of the grassroots efforts to conserve the environment were being led by women and young girls…
- working to have these women and girls included in decision-making spaces…
- the importance of mentorship and coaching.]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/03/05/christine-sayo-kenya/feed/ 0 66385 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/02/07/when-confidence-takes-a-hit/ https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/02/07/when-confidence-takes-a-hit/#respond Fri, 07 Feb 2025 09:46:30 +0000 https://www.girlsglobe.org/?p=66340 Episode 66. What do we do when confidence takes a hit? How do we handle feeling like we're not enough in light of all that's going on in the world? How do we get back up and maintain a sustainable level of activism?

With global setbacks in gender equality, human rights, and activism, many changemakers feel drained and question their impact.

In this episode of the Hey Changemaker! Podcast, Julia Wiklander tries to give some answers. She shares her own stories and dives into the struggle of maintaining confidence in uncertain times. 

Julia shares her personal experiences and practical ways to bounce back when self-doubt creeps in. Prioritize yourself. Build community, celebrate small wins, and do what fuels you.

Confidence will take hits, so getting back up and building resilience is necessary if we want to build a better world.]]> https://www.girlsglobe.org/2025/02/07/when-confidence-takes-a-hit/feed/ 0 66340