When we think about the challenges facing our communities and our world, we often look to experts, institutions, and adults in positions of power for answers. But meaningful change more often begins when those who experience challenges firsthand find the courage to speak up, imagine solutions, and take action. Often, change begins with girls.
At Global Girls Glow, we know that girls nationwide, and around the world, have the passion, vision, and drive to transform their communities for the better.
When provided with opportunities to use their voice and the resources to turn their ideas into action, girls work together and in meaningful partnership with their communities to create lasting solutions to the issues that surround them — solutions that are informed and strengthened by their own lived experiences.
Girls have the power to solve their generation’s greatest challenges. And across the United States, they’re already leading lasting change.
Below, meet three youth leaders in the U.S. who are solving local problems with big ideas: girls who recognized that something needed to change, and found the courage to act.
Berlyn, California
Recognizing that teens in her community — especially those from marginalized backgrounds — consistently struggled with their mental health, Berlyn created her own peer-led, traveling mental health initiative, Hands On Hearts.
Serving youth across Los Angeles, Hands On Hearts partners with community organizations and schools throughout the city to help reduce mental health stigma, promote self-care, and empower peer-to-peer connection and support.
“I believe youth voices — especially young women of color — belong at the center of community change,” Berlyn says. “Advocacy motivates me because I’ve seen firsthand how inequality impacts families and communities, and I want to be part of building solutions that bring greater access, awareness, and equity.”
“I believe youth voices — especially young women of color — belong at the center of community change.” — Berlyn
Through youth-facilitated discussions and interactive workshops, Berlyn hopes to promote accessible, culturally relevant self-care tools while creating meaningful shifts in how young people view and discuss mental health.
Isabella, Florida
Originally from Venezuela, Isabella arrived in the U.S. with her family when she was 14 years old. She had to quickly adapt to life in a new country, which included teaching herself English in the span of just two years to navigate a school system that seemed unable to properly support Spanish-speaking immigrants like herself.
Motivated by this personal experience, Isabella created her own educational program, Camino al Futuro, which aims to strengthen academic confidence and promote equitable access to school resources, extracurricular opportunities, and college preparation for students at her high school who are still learning English.
“I met many immigrant students who had been in the U.S. for years but still reached senior year without meeting graduation requirements,” Isabella said. “I realized the issue wasn’t lack of potential — it was a lack of information and support.”
Through regular meetings with students in the ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) program, Isabella provided Spanish-language education and practical tips on topics like graduation requirements, Honors and AP classes, extracurricular activities, college and career preparation, and more.
She plans to expand her initiative at the district level so her workshops can reach ESOL students across the region. She’s also currently writing a memoir based on her experiences, which she hopes will open people’s eyes to the realities of immigration.
Every GLOW Club is anchored by a trusted local mentor who knows the community from the inside. They create the conditions for girls to speak freely, then step back and let girls lead.
Samhita, Minnesota
Recognizing that young people nationwide are passionate about improving their communities — but often don’t know where to start — Samhita founded Spark Civics: a program that promotes youth civic engagement through innovation and technology.
Spark Civics has partnered with a local school and non-profit organization to host workshops that teach teens how to create and launch their own apps that address issues they care about, hosted forums that directly connect legislators with students to discuss critical issues, and created an educational civic innovation guide that is available for free in schools and libraries across both the U.S. and India.
“So many policies affect youth across the nation, but they don’t have the voice to influence those policies,” Samhita said. “Students have so many ideas, passions, and issues they care about. But they don’t have the support systems and networks that enable them to be involved.”
Samhita hopes to expand her organization nationwide, helping even more young people transform their ideas for change into real solutions for their communities.
“Students have so many ideas, passions, and issues they care about. But they don’t have the support systems and networks that enable them to be involved.” — Samhita
While each of these initiatives addresses a different challenge, they share one common thread: All three were created by girls who saw an unmet need in their community and chose to build the solutions themselves.
Their extraordinary stories highlight the power of girls’ leadership, and the importance of investing in youth leaders in the U.S. to build a brighter future.
Want to help launch more girl-led projects like these across the United States? Support The Built By Girls Project to fund our U.S. program expansion.
Global Catalyst mentors girls around the world to become powerful advocates and confident leaders. Our signature program, GLOW Club, connects girls in some of the world’s most underserved areas with trusted local mentors and a safe space to express themselves as they develop their agency, find their voice, and build their power. Since our founding, we’ve ignited the power of more than 100,000 girls, sparking a growing movement of youth-led change that is transforming communities — and the world — for the better.
