Bella Abzug Leadership Institute Inc

In the United States, women make up over half the general population but only less than a quarter of state legislators. This lack of women leaders is found not only in politics but also in the corporate world, where only 20% of senior corporate leaders are women. As Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., asked in 2012, “Where are the women?”

 

The Bella Abzug Leadership Institute (BALI) is a non-profit organization that strives to remedy this problem by training young women to become tomorrow’s leaders. BALI embodies the livelihood and values of Bella Abzug, the first Jewish Congresswomen elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, through initiatives like its Summer Leadership and Debate Training Program. BALI recruits female high school and college students to participate in workshops that build confidence, self-awareness, and public speaking skills and introduces them to successful women in various fields and backgrounds – from Dr. Josephine Ojiambo, the Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative at the Kenya Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, to Kathleen King, Founder and President of Tates’ Bake Shop, an international baked goods company – who serve as positive role models. We make sure that our girls graduate from BALI better prepared to lead their communities through opportunities to apply the skills they learn by participating in a debate competition, writing a creative non-fiction piece related to an issue they care about, and forming critical relationships with professional female mentors who volunteer their time to get to know and advise our participants. Though based in New York City, BALI serves a wide range of girls who come from public and private schools throughout the nation. Best of all, we make sure that money is not an obstacle for these girls by providing these workshops and resources at no cost.

 

That being said, we depend on the generosity of people like you to help fund our programs. This year’s summer program is fast approaching: it takes place at Hunter College from Monday, July 29th until Saturday, August 10th. Each year, over a hundred girls apply, and we struggle to choose only forty to participate. With your donation, you ensure that more girls are able to benefit from BALI’s programs and become confident leaders who will continue to embody BALI’s mission and help bring forward new generations of female leaders. From all of us at BALI and the girls whose lives you will have a positive impact on, thank you so much!