Recognizing the role that girls and young women have in preserving democracy and supporting civic engagement, Los Angeles County Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas, 2nd District, and Sheila Kuehl, 3rd District, introduced a motion on Oct. 13 in support of the Girls Build initiative. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors also declared October as Girls Empowerment Month. 

“It is our obligation to lead our communities through this moment that includes COVID-19, the resulting economic downturn and a national reckoning with structural racism. By highlighting civic engagement and leadership, Girls Build encourages young women to become empowered to protect their communities and democracy as well,” Ridley-Thomas said. “Engaging at a young age will have a measurable impact on their motivation as adults to address disparities and evoke social change, especially in communities of color.”

The motion calls upon L.A. County residents to learn more about the LA Promise Fund’s Girls Build initiative, which has a special focus on voter mobilization this year. In partnership with Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, the LA Promise Fund is striving to build a diverse coalition of 10,000 young women to register and pre-register to vote.

The supervisors said showing continued support for Girls Build acknowledges the significant impact the initiative has on young women and girls, and the significant impact the girls have on their communities. The motion also urges residents to register to vote and to help others to register.

“Anything we can do to encourage young people to get involved in elections and to make sure every eligible person in the county casts a ballot has my vote,” Kuehl said. “This motion will build an army of 10,000 young women of color to register their friends and family members and ensure that communities that are often under-represented are fully represented in 2020.” 

During the past five years, Girls Build has provided stipends to participants and $50,000 in college scholarships awards each year to six winning Girls Build teams. The initiative also celebrates gender equity and women’s success by introducing young women to hands-on opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) education, panel discussions with women leaders and films that champion girls’ and women’s empowerment. For information, visit lapromisefund.org/girls-build.