GEMS Summer Recap Newsletter
In 2019, ONGB set out to address gender inequity by equipping young girls with the skills they need to change the world. Thus, The Girls Equity Movement was born. Our entrepreneurship training program provides career mentorship, leadership training, exposure to technology & coding, life coaching and more.
Want to know what GEMs have been up to this summer?
This summer we ushered in the fourth cohort of our Girls Equity Movement entrepreneurial and tech development program. Cohort four consists of girls from all over the Bay Area, representing cities such as Oakland, Vallejo, San Ramon, and beyond. We kicked off our summer sessions with a virtual orientation and wrapped up the week with an in-person celebration to welcome our future world leaders!
Our summer sessions introduced the girls to social-emotional learning, SMART goal setting, and identity development. Additionally, the cohort became familiar with platforms such as Google Suite, Slack, Airtable, and more. These virtual tools enabled girls to learn the foundations of virtual professionalism and organization.
GEMs also participated in a week-long coding, data science, and engineering camp with Kids Teach Tech (KTT). The KTT camp was based on coding curricula from UC Berkeley and Georgia Tech University. GEMs concluded the camp by presenting their final coding projects to staff and other community members.
After a successful KTT camp, the GEMS attended a professional development session with Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM). FIDM is an internationally recognized private college and has been named one of the top 10 Fashion and Graphic Design schools in the world. The GEMS learned about career pathways in the fashion and design industry, as well as how to develop a strong resume.
To highlight the importance of emotional health and wellness, the GEMS engaged in a powerful discussion with Renee Cage- Watson. Ms. Cage-Watson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Life Coach and owner of Empowered by Courage Counseling. GEMs were able to receive messages about self-care, developing a routine, and creating a work-life balance.
With the summer coming to an end, GEMS are now transitioning back into school. To prepare for the academic year, we hosted a GEMS Back to School Bowling event at Bowlero! The girls came together for bowling, arcade games, and great food. In true back-to-school fashion, all GEMS who attended received a backpack, school supplies, and new shoes!
As cohort four starts a new school year, we are excited to begin our GEMS fall sessions which will hone in on entrepreneurship! If you know a high school girl that would benefit from our program, please let us know! Girls can still join cohort four before our fall sessions begin in September.
For more information about how to apply, visit Girlsequitymovement.org or contact the GEMs Directors of Program, Nakeyma Randle at nakeyma@oaklandnatives.org
Help us spread the word and invite female youth rising 9th – 12th graders who would be interested to be part of an awesome community of self-assured, college-bound, and career-focused young ladies!
