photo caption: SLI 2023 participants gathered in Sonoma
That’s a wrap for our 2023 Summer Leadership Institute.🌟
This year’s SLI was a truly remarkable experience, with 28 young fellows gathering in person for the first time in beautiful Sonoma. Over the course of three days, we witnessed the incredible journey of young feminine and nonbinary feminists as they embraced, honed, and celebrated their sense of belonging, safety, comfort, and freedom. The authentic selves they bravely shared with one another had a profound and transformative impact on all who participated.
SLI is designed to empower young feminine and nonbinary individuals 14 to 18 from around the state who are eager to elevate their leadership skills to the next level. Throughout the program, they harness their collective strength to drive social justice initiatives forward.
Spaces like SLI are rare, and it is essential that we continue to invest in creating safe and unapologetic environments for girls of color. As one young participant aptly expressed, “they will never be the same after this experience.” Together, they deepened their understanding of storytelling and advocacy and developed their leadership skills.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the exceptional young people who came together over those three transformative days, dedicating their time and energy to envisioning a brighter intersectional feminist future. We also want to express our sincere thanks to the volunteers, facilitators, staff, and all those who worked tirelessly to make this leadership program possible.
Collectively, we can build towards a feminist future!