The next generation of global leaders – girls of the San Francisco Bay Area G.U.R.LS. Rock Leadership Program have a dream to create positive change about the images of girls and women of color.
The girls are competing in Walmart’s “Get on the Shelf” contest, a competition where the voting public can decide the fate of a product to be sold on Walmart’s website, and ultimately obtain shelf space for its merchandise in Walmart stores. To support these girls, you may vote for Pretty $mart G.U.R.L.S. daily from now until April 3, 2012.
Pop culture today could be called Gen X on smart mouth steroids. The problem is words can hurt, and a river of words backed by questionable visuals in rap, reality TV shows, and other public genres denigrate the female gender while finding their way into the lifestyles of young consumers worldwide.
“I’m too pretty to do homework, so my brother has to do it for me” blazed from a sweatshirt sold by J.C. Penney. The company has since apologized for the product’s insensitivity, but not before 150 young females of color attending a G.U.R.L.S. Rock Leadership Summit created their response. “It’s really powerful to tell the world what we think,” declared one youngster.
G.U.R.L.S. Rock, started in 2010, is the brainchild of Dr. Raye Mitchell, an attorney and award-winning humanitarian. Her nonprofit organization helps undervalued girls discover their voice, as most leadership programs do. Stepping beyond the norm, G.U.R.L.S. Rock directs talk into constructive action. In this case, positive slogans for girls’ apparel resulted. The slogans make the girls, what Mitchell likes to call, SocialPreneures(TM).
Positive words, such as “G.U.R.L.S. are more than just looks,” “On Nerd Status all Day,” “I am the director of my destiny,” and more are now found on Pretty $mart G.U.R.L.S. t-shirts.
Pretty $mart G.U.R.L.S. is certainly becoming the director of its destiny and that of the G.U.R.L.S. Rock program. Net proceeds from apparel sales will either benefit the G.U.R.L.S. Rock Leadership program or go into a scholarship fund for the girls who created the items.
Walmart launched the “Get on the Shelf” contest while Mitchell’s marketing plan for Pretty $mart Girls products was under development. She seized the opportunity to enter her program’s t-shirts in the contest. Here a voting public determines which product will be introduced on the major retailer’s shelves. Voting will remain open only until April 3.
“Winning,” said Mitchell, “would be game changing. I see this project as a huge defining moment for G.U.R.L.S. Rock Leadership. It is a chance for the world to see the positive image and creative spirit of tomorrow’s leaders at work.”
Whatever the outcome, Mitchell will advance the marketing plan on the G.U.R.L.S. Rock websites and, if necessary, with other retailers. “This project is a true example of SocialPreneures(TM) at work,” she states. “Projects like this demonstrate that G.U.R.L.S. Rock is helping girls grow confident, competent, and globally competitive.”
What do the girls think? “I hope people really get our message,” one teen said. She adds, “Our age and looks don’t limit us; it’s the negative images of girls that are the limitations.” Another girl concluded, “I like having a chance to be creative and to make a difference.”
Help G.U.R.L.S. Rock to win an opportunity to sell its positive-message t-shirts on Walmart.com or in Walmart stores. Visit www.getontheshelf.com/product/4937/Pretty-$mart-G-U-R-L-S– to cast your vote.
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ABOUT G.U.R.L.S. ROCK
Founded in 2010 by practicing attorney-turned-social entrepreneur Dr. Raye Mitchell, G.U.R.L.S. Rock Leadership Program is a global leadership-training initiative of The Making a New Reality Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. As a social entrepreneur program celebrating the importance of girls and girls of color as the next generation of global leaders, Oakland, California-based G.U.R.L.S. Rock has a different approach to supporting the growth and development of girls of color ages 8 to 18. “G.U.R.L.S.” stands for Growth, Unity, Respect, Leadership, Success. To learn more about G.U.R.L.S. Rock, please visit www.GurlsRock.org and www.fb.com/GurlsRockPower. G.U.R.L.S. Rock is a proud member of the Confidence Coalition and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media.
