WEST CHESTER, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — An empowerment summit addressing topics that impact girls and women ages 13 through 18, has returned in person to West Chester University for the first time since the pandemic began.
Girls Spark was founded by now 19-year-old Julia Kasper in 2018. She says she created the summit to talk with other girls her age about the issues she was facing. The day-long event included a number of breakout sessions.
Related Jawncast: A summit in West Chester that put the spotlight on issues facing young women in the area.
"Sessions on depression, anxiety, rape and sexual assault," Kasper said. "We have a self defense session we have a session about microaggressions and unconscious bias and a safe relationship session.”
While the leaked Supreme Court ruling — indicating Roe v. Wade might be overturned — was not the primary focus, Kasper says it weighed heavily on many participants' minds.
"A lot of women are angry, including myself," said Kasper. "I'm angry, I'm frustrated and I just want to talk to other women get their point of view on things, but at the same time, we don't want to exclude anyone that has different points of view.”
"One of my girls asked, 'Well, why isn't there a rule for men and why aren't they being affected by this?'” said afternoon keynote speaker Arnetta Williams, founder of WEIRD Girl Mentoring.
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The morning keynote speaker's was Jen Croneberger, founder of the HUMAN Leadership Institute. She said while most of the girls attending the summit were not yet old enough to vote, they would all be impacted by this potential ruling.
“It's having the right to our own bodies," said Croneberger. “I think it's probably more important now than ever to make sure that voices are being heard.”
"I think it’s just a really good idea," said 15-year-old Miranda Mercaldo. "Especially now with the whole pandemic, and things are just kind of crazy.“
And 17-year-old Fanta Conde said her participation in Girls Spark has ignited an interest for her in politics.
"It's not fair that we can’t vote," said Conde. "Unless they want to bring down the voting age like 16, then they shouldn't have an opinion about our youth.”
Kasper stressed that her organization hadn't yet taken an official stand on the issue ahead of the summit, but she says she mentioned in her speech about how women's rights were being infringed upon.
Learn how Temple University students are coping with an especially difficult year on the Jawncast.