During my time at Barnard’s Young Women’s Leadership Institute, the other students and I discussed topics surrounding the feminist movement of the ‘70s concerning women of color. We also discussed current events. We talked about ways in which women can be leaders in everyday life and in the future. One of my favorite moments was when we had the opportunity to compare two different perspectives of feminism using two novels. We analyzed Feminism is for Everybody by Bell Hooks, which took a radical approach, and Lean in or Dig Deep by Sheryl Sandberg, which took a more liberal approach. One of the moments that impacted me the most was when I attended a workshop session. When I walked in the room, there was a wall full of images that spoke to feminism and sparked many ideas in my mind. Many of the images made me furious because they took part in degrading women. They seemed very sexist and added to the idea of gender stereotypes. Seeing all these images definitely made me more critical about the media and how harmful it is to the public. My time at Barnard College has definitely influenced my plans for my future. It is such an amazing school that offers higher education in such a unique way. It’s unique in the sense that it offers such strong female camaraderie, yet you are not isolated within just a group of women.  I am a rising senior, and because I really enjoyed being at Barnard and experiencing the New York City environment, I am planning on applying to this institution next year. These pictures are from some of the exciting excursions I went on with other students in the program. For example, we took a ferry that went to Staten Island and we passed the Statue of Liberty. It was very nice and warm out that evening. A group of girls and I took a little trip to Time Square. It was truly awesome seeing this area. What a rush! I also went on an excursion to the New York Aquarium in Brooklyn. It was very relaxing to see the fish and sea creatures.

I am very excited at the thought of having the opportunity to take leadership in the Young Women's Leadership Institute program. It excites me that I will get to explore women's studies in New York City at Barnard University and meet other young  women that share the same interest for this. One of the most important goals I have  set for myself is to not fear speaking out. I want to engage myself 100% during those 8 days and benefit from the discussions that will take place and share knowledge with the other members. It is my goal to stop being shy and step out of my comfort zone and dig in deeper in the program. What makes me nervous is that I won't have the answers to questions or that I won't be able to come up with the best response during discussions, however I have to keep in mind the point of the program is to engage myself, share and receive insights, and learn. That would be a challenge for me because at times I tend to feel insecure about my responses or answers in a discussion. I will overcome this challenge by stepping out of my comfort zone and reassuring myself that this will be an opportunity to be a more curious student. If there ever is a time where I feel unclear on a topic or information, I will ask for clarification and reassure myself that it is okay to feel confused at times and ask questions.

I would like to thank you for your kindness. Your support is appreciated! Thanks to you, I will be able to expand my knowledge on gender roles in society and women's empowerment. I will also have the chance to take leadership in the program at Barnard. Your donation will help me explore leadership issues in regards to feminist perspectives. Your donation has helped me out immensely. Thank you once again.