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Teen Advisory Board (TAB)
The Teen Advisory Board (formerly known as the Girls' Leadership Council) was created in 2003 to ensure that girls have a strong voice within HOTGIRLS. Teen girls participating in the TAB who have strong attendance records, demonstrated leadership potential, and commitment to HOTGIRLS are eligible to join the Young Women's Leadership Council , where they collaborate closely with college students to plan and lead HOTGIRLS programs, campaigns, web sites, and workshops.
Above: The five founding members of the Girls' Leadership Council (with Blackgirl Magazine founder Kenya Jordana James) at the Georgia Young Women's Health Summit (Summer 2003)
Left to Right: HOTGIRLS Founder Carla Stokes, Anais, London, Kenya, Biantae, Tai, and Danielle
Goals:
- To inform girls about health and social justice issues that affect young women and girls
- To inspire girls to raise awareness about health and social justice issues through youth organizing and girl-driven media
- To promote and support healthy decision making
- To challenge the way girls view themselves and change the way they are perceived by their peers and society
- To promote positive self-image, self-confidence, self-respect, and positive images of women and girls
What Does the Teen Advisory Board Do?
The TAB provides teen girls in the Atlanta area with information, support, and skills needed to develop leadership potential and create positive changes in their lives and communities. The girls receive ongoing training in health and social justice issues, youth organizing, and media production.
Teen Advisory Board participants:
- Give their opinions and advice about issues that are important to youth
- Develop leadership skills and educate other youth about health and social justice issues
- Create educational materials and educate peers about health and social justice issues
- Get hands on experience creating media including web content by contributing to IAmWorthit.org(Street Team members learn about web development, conduct interviews, and create stories/movies and other online content)
- Learn about media production while developing educational content for IAmWorthit.org.
- Learn how to create digital artwork, produce their own music, and design Web sites in a fun, girl-friendly atmosphere.
- Work with HOTGIRLS volunteers, Young Women's Leadership Council members, and mentors from Spelman College to create health campaigns targeting youth.
- Organize the HOTGIRLS annual Summit
- Attend social events and have fun
Above: Members of the 2005-2007 Girls' Leadership Council*
Back row (left to right): Jazzmyn, Stephy G, Jakia, Aria, Jasmine
Front row: Sesyli and Amber
* All of the 2005-2007 graduates are currently enrolled in college
In October 2006, the TAB launched the FIREGRL Club, a unique media literacy, health education, and technology training program at the Intel® Computer Clubhouse at the John H. Harland Boys and Girls Club in Southwest Atlanta. At that time, members of our TAB began educating girls in the FIREGRL Club about violence against women and girls and images in the media and hip hop. The girls have recorded educational rap and R&B songs and developed innovative materials for a campaign to raise awareness about street harassment. The FIREGRL Club program received the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 2007 Georgia Area Council State Program Award for excellence in Health & Life Skills programming.
The program also received a 2007 Honor Award for Program Excellence in recognition of our exemplary work in metropolitan Atlanta.
Click here to read about the FIREGRL Club in the New York Times.
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