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Girls Initiatives

Girls Initiatives at the GAWA NYC reflect our core belief that empowered girls become empowered women. Designed to inform, engage, and inspire young people to become self-advocates, our goal is to ensure that every girl gains the skills, knowledge, and confidence to pursue the education, career, and life options of their choice.

Girls Initiatives programs are open to all high-school-aged, self-identified, and gender non-conforming youth in New York City. There is NO academic requirement to enroll and no enrollment costs

Girls Initiatives: 2025 Spring Semester Programs

The heart of our mission at GAWA NYC lies in the profound belief that empowered girls evolve into empowered women.

Our organization provides a transformative platform for leadership, activism, and personal growth, cultivating change agents ready to challenge and dismantle racism and inequity in society. Our programs are designed to furnish young girls and gender non-conforming youths with the essential tools needed to spark the positive changes New York City yearns for.

All these empowering initiatives occur at our GAWA NYC Resource Center (RC), 462 Avenue P, NY, NY 10019.

Our Spring 2025 Programs:

GirlBoss Ventures 2: A Pathway to Entrepreneurship
Starts Feb 10th
Mon 4:30-6pm @ RC

Ready to launch your own business? Join this program to learn the skills to create a business plan, pitch your ideas, manage finances, and access mentorship and funding to bring your dreams to life.

FinLit: Youth Economic Empowerment
Starts Feb 13th
Thurs 4:30-6pm @RC

Take charge of your financial future in this program where you’ll learn personal finance, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment through fun, hands-on activities and mentorship.

College Knowledge
Starts Feb 12th
Wed 4:00-6pm @RC

Get all the tools, tips, and support you need to explore colleges, write essays, apply for scholarships, and connect with admissions officers while prioritizing your well-being.

Girls-Led Initiatives: Ambassadors
Starts Feb 13th
Tue 4:30-6pm @ RC

Be a voice for change in your community as a YW-NYC Ambassador! Collaborate with peers to raise awareness about social issues, design impactful projects using research and data, and develop leadership skills rooted in empathy and action.

ARTivate: Music Production
Starts Feb 10th
Mon 4:30-6pm @ RC

Explore your creativity by learning the basics of music production, the history behind how music is made and how to bring your sound to life as a music producer.

Geek Girls: Web Design
Starts Feb 12th
Wed 4:30-6pm @ RC

Dive into the world of web design and develop skills to create your own websites, solve real-world problems, and unleash your creativity for career and self-expression.

Special Events

Hack-A-Thon
February 8th

Announcing our GAWA NYC Hackathon, on Saturday, February 8th. Get ready for an action-packed day of coding, app-making, and innovation! Our one-day competition marks the beginning of a fantastic journey in tech and creativity. We’re thrilled to kick off this adventure with our Girls Initiatives, Geek Girls program, and tech professionals in the New York City area.

Girls Symposium
March 28th

Get ready to experience the energy and inspiration at our upcoming Girls Symposium 2025! This year’s theme, Evolve to Excel, will ignite empowerment and growth for all who attend. Join us on March 28th, 2025, at BNY Mellon for a day filled with inspiring speakers, powerful connections, and opportunities to excel in every way. Don’t miss out on this unforgettable event — we can’t wait to see you there!

The Pitch Competition
April 2025

Are you a high school girl with a passion for innovation and entrepreneurship? Do you have a groundbreaking business idea that you want to bring to life? The GAWA NYC Girls Initiatives Pitch Competition is your chance to shine!

The GAWA NYC Girls Initiatives Pitch Competition is an empowering event designed to inspire and support the next generation of female entrepreneurs. This dynamic competition offers high school girls the opportunity to present their innovative business ideas to a panel of esteemed judges, receive valuable feedback, and compete for funding and mentorship opportunities to bring their visions to life.

 

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