After facilitating and observing several cycles of programs, my identification with the national Girls Inc.’s mission statement, to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold^SM, has gone through several cycles.

In the beginning, I used to picture the ideal girl who was strong, smart, and bold. I imagined what she would act like, think like and be like. But trying to encourage the girls to reach my picture of the ideal Girls Inc. girl, I lost the entire purpose of inspiring all girls – they are all different.  They are all unique.  They all can be strong, smart, and bold in their own ways.

Now I translate our mission statement as the following: an opportunity for girls to be and feel heard; to develop or brush up on specific skills; to be encouraged to continue down her own path of personal development; and to hear inspiring messages from the Girls Inc. staff, volunteers and the Indianapolis community.

As a way to further explore what our mission statement means to others in Indianapolis, I asked three women what it means to be a “strong,” “smart,” and “bold” girl or woman. The women, found in three different buildings located next to the Girls Inc. of Greater Indianapolis office, gave me such an inspiring start to my exploration. Check out their remarkable answers in the below photos.

Amy Posavac, Director of Development for the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation housed in the Society of Professional Journalist building, shared her idea of the a strong girl or woman:

Kelly Kuhn, Outreach Fellow and Policy Researcher for the Hoosier Environmental Council, shared her ideas on smart girls and women:

Sue Childers, volunteer at the North United Methodist Church, gave us a list that embodies a bold girl or woman:

Help me explore what the Girls Inc. mission statement means to the Indianapolis community by posting  below your own definitions of a “strong,” “smart,” or “bold” girl/woman!