Summary
Organization name
Girls for Gender Equity
Tax id (EIN)
04-3697166
Address
Brooklyn, NY 11201
For 23 years, Girls for Gender Equity (GGE) has worked in Brooklyn to advance the social, economic and emotional well-being of girls of color. Founded by social worker and activist Joanne N. Smith, GGE began as an after-school safe space where girls could gather, connect, and grow in confidence. Since then, we’ve expanded our mission to include ending gender and racial violence and building an equitable society grounded in Healing Justice and youth leadership.
As #GivingTuesday approaches, GGE invites you to invest in the leadership of Black girls and gender-expansive youth of color, who through our programs and support are building a representative democracy and reimagining schools, communities, and policy with courage and vision. This year, we are expanding our reach through the Alliance for Gender Equity, a coalition of young people and allies who power campaigns like School Girls Deserve, a youth-led movement demanding safe, affirming, and equitable schools for every student.
Your support helps us raise $45,000 to sustain programs like Sisters in Strength, a healing space for young survivors of sexual violence to build community and self-advocacy, and the Young Women’s Advisory Council, which provides civic engagement and hands-on policy-making opportunities. These programs provide essentials like nourishment, transportation, stipends, and trauma-informed care from social work staff, removing barriers so young people can focus on organizing, advocacy, and leadership that drives real change.
When you give to GGE, you are not just donating. You are saying "yes" to a democratic society where Black girls and gender-expansive youth of color lead, heal and thrive.
Who We Are
Girls for Gender Equity (GGE) is a leading intergenerational organization that centers the voices and experiences of girls and young women of color within its movement for racial and gender justice.
Our constituents are cis, trans, and gender non-conforming young people of color ages 11-24 from underserved communities across all five boroughs of New York City and the country. Through education and outreach, GGE trains youth, educators and decision-makers. Annually, GGE serves over 600 youth, 90% youth of color and 50% from immigrant families. Through local and national presentations, panels, workshops, convenings, events, press conferences and in the media, GGE has reached over 9,000 people.
GGE employs a multi-prong approach of education, direct service, community advocacy and organizing that increases youth leadership and strengthens resources within communities through our core programs.
* Through Policy and Community Organizing, GGE targets NYC schools in underserved communities of color as sites of mobilization and collective work toward gender, race and class equity. Campaigns and coalitions include past "Breaking the Silence: Prioritizing Opportunity for Girls of Color in NYC" (above) and our current effort, "The School Girls Deserve".
* Sisters in Strength Youth Organizers (SIS) is a two-year, paid youth-organizing program for 15 young women of color in the 10th and 11th grades where they learn and practice community-organizing skills. Participants design and lead workshops on topics such as sexual harassment prevention and school pushout. They speak on panels, conduct participatory action research and create media.
* School Based Work (SBW)/ Urban Leaders Academy (ULA) is a school program designed to help 150 low-income middle and high school students in Brooklyn, ages 11 - 18, achieve academic excellence, social and emotional growth and maintain healthy lifestyles. Through a social justice framework, ULA youth think critically, act against systems of oppression, and build their capacity to be agents of change.
* Young Women's Advisory Council (YWAC) of the NYC Young Women's Initiative is an advocacy and civic engagement program for 26 young women – cis, trans, queer and heterosexual – and gendernonconforming youth of color. YWAC members reside in all five boroughs and are ages 14-24. YWAC advances the lives of young women of color by engaging in participatory governance, advising the city administration and philanthropic entities and working with the community. YWAC also works with national movement leaders to inspire adoption of young women's initiatives in other localities throughout the country.
Media gallery
Organization Data
Brooklyn, NY 11201