Neelam Khare and Peggy Lam, alumni from the 2010 Redfish School of Change and founders of Girls in Real Life (G.I.R.L.), recently launched their first magazine and hosted a community dialogue. They brought together more than 80 members from various communities in Vancouver, including 20 volunteers and 60 friends, family, and supporters of the G.I.R.L. participants.
G.I.R.L. participants read excerpts from the magazine, told stories, and used spoken-word poetry to showcase what they’ve learned, what they’re passionate about, and what they’ve done to address the issues in their community. Neelam and Peggy report that “the presentations were powerful, tapping into our deepest emotions, leaving us feeling moved, touched, shocked, proud, and inspired. We’ve been working with these girls for one full year now, from running the actual program to the eight-month phase of magazine making.” The community dialogue, also a great success, involved break-out groups that raised issues while challenging inter-generational and intercultural communication barriers.
Read the magazine — entitled 29th GENERATION — on the G.I.R.L. website! (To find it, scroll down below the photos.) To learn about the inspiring community action projects of other participants of the Redfish School of Change, click here.
