Youth, Media and Social Change Institute

The Women’s Foundation of California supports the creation of a society where women, young women and girls can thrive in all aspects of their lives. At the same time, we understand that many young women and girls in California do not have the opportunities, skills or support necessary to realize their full potential. This phenomenon is further impacted by how race, culture, class, gender expression and sexuality influence opportunity and by the broader popular culture — including the media — surrounding us.

The Women’s Foundation's role is to support programming for young women and girls that not only creates opportunities for leadership development but also engages young women directly in efforts to shift systems and structures that create inequity and unjust social conditions. During our recent Road to Equity Tour, many individuals across California shared with us their concerns about how the media and popular culture negatively impact girls' and young women's self image, personal development and sense of possibility in the world. 

In response, the Women's Foundation of California has embarked on an exciting research project to understand how we can best address the critical issues facing young women and girls across the state.  Our objective is to build upon our highly successful Sisterhood Fund and to develop a new initiative that will cultivate young women's leadership, address the impact of media and popular culture on young women and girls, and support innovative programming across the state. 

The Women’s Foundation of California is engaged in quantitative and qualitative primary research as well as secondary research to advance this project. We worked with Lake Research Partners, a public opinion research firm, to conduct 10 focus groups with diverse groups of young women ages 13 to18 in Oakland, Fresno and Los Angeles.

In fall 2006, Lake administered an online survey of 1,100 respondents 800 young women and 300 young men. Throughout the winter of 2006-7, the Foundation will host a series of convenings around the state with young women and girls who have been identified as leaders in their communities, grant partners, academics, policymakers and other key stakeholders to assist in the design of the new initiative.

The key themes and issues underpinning our research include:

• the impact of popular culture, including hyper-sexualization of and violence against women and girls.
• programming to meet young women’s and girls’ needs, including encouraging their leadership.
• ways women and girls can work to change social conditions through organizing or advocacy.
• intersecting factors that influence opportunity, including race, class, ethnicity, sexuality and culture.

YOUNG WOMEN’S INITIATIVE TAKING SHAPE

Through the grantmaking, programmatic and communications work of our new
initiative, we will strive to:

1. Expand young women’s and girls’ capacity and skills so they can reach their
highest potential and goals.

Possible Strategies:

• Providing greater access to programs that support or provide personal and
  leadership development, skill building, promotion of self-esteem, mentoring,
  and peer and adult support for young women and girls.

2. Creating social conditions that will allow young women and girls to thrive by
engaging them in social change efforts.

Possible Strategies:

• Providing opportunities for civic engagement through participation in youth
  organizing efforts.
• Getting young women directly involved in fostering social change through
  community organizing, public education and advocacy.
• Involving young women and girls in shaping media and popular culture in
  a very targeted and strategic way.

For specific questions about our new young women's initiative and inquires about how you can be involved or support this project, please contact Maya Thornell-Sandifor at mayat@womensfoundca.org.

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