About Girls Empowerment Network
Originally called The Ophelia Project, the Girls Empowerment Network (GEN) was created in 1996 by 12 concerned mothers raising adolescent girls in Austin, Texas. These mothers met after reading Reviving Ophelia, a book by Dr. Mary Pipher, to address an increasing trend among middle school aged girls – a systematic decline and sometimes permanent loss of self-esteem, the outcome of which can be devastating: epidemic levels of anorexia/bulimia, self-mutilation, depression, low academic achievement, teen pregnancy, and drug abuse.
I came across their website and thought I would share some poems by the girls. Hope you enjoy because I surely did.
Just because of what I did in the past
Doesn’t mean I’m the same person today
Doesn’t mean I do what i used to to
Doesn’t mean I made the same choices I used to
I’m a changed person!
Just Because I am a girl
Doesn’t mean I have to be girly
Doesn’t mean I have to like pink
Doesn’t mean I have to like dresses
I am a girl and I am unique
Just because I am a good student
Doesn’t mean I don’t break rules
Just Because I live in a bad neighborhood
Doesn’t mean I have bad parents
Just because I am from Mexico
Doesn’t mean I am here illegally
And just because this poem is called Just Because
Does not mean I will start every sentence with it
I am me, nothing less and nothing more
Hope you all enjoyed these poems by ClubGEN Girls! Have any poem recommendations, comment below ↡
