Women & Girls Collective Action Network

Mission

The Women & Girls Collective Action Network is a center for consciousness-raising, training, dialogue and action around issues that matter to women and girls. We strengthen connections across communities to promote collective action. We provide resources and support to create safe spaces for girls and women to develop as leaders, learn from one another, and take action to promote social justice.

NEW! When Girls Get a Chance. Learn about our Status of Girls in Illinois 2009 Report

Status of Girls News Release (PDF)

These are our guiding principles:
  • We acknowledge and respect women’s and girls’ multiple identities.
  • We believe that women and girls can learn from one another, and strive to provide the space for this to happen.
  • We recognize the connection among the many issues that women and girls face.
  • We are committed to identifying areas of shared history and experiences among women and girls.
  • We believe that connecting across differences allows us to learn from one another and build bridges to challenge stereotypes about women and girls in society.
  • We are committed to redefining organizing, to better reflect women’s lived experiences and multiple identities.
  • We are committed to building, and participating in, a movement for social justice.
  • We strive to make society a safe environment for women and girls.
  • We believe in community-wide accountability and are committed to partnering with men who are allies in our work.
  • Safety is a process, not an assumption

Our Initiatives:

Women and Girls Collective Action Network has played a critical role in the Chicago community over the last five years.  It has been a place of growth and transformation for hundreds of girls and young women between the ages of 11 and 26.  They have helped shape the political landscape for girls and youth organizations with a vision that combines individual transformation and self care with social activism.

Currently we have four programs in the WGCAN cluster:

  • Females United for Action (FUFA) which focuses on healing, consciousness raising, and transformative social change
  • Sisters Empowering Sisters (SES) which focuses on building leadership of teen girls particularly in the area of reproductive justice and health
  • The Writers Circle focuses on creative expression using language as a tool for communicating across generation, for healing, and for sharing our lives that we will be expanding the number of Writers Circles and diversifying the kinds of writing to include journalistic writing, poetry and proposal writing, as well as the ongoing group focusing on fiction and memoir writing.
  • Coalition of Thought Leaders is a group of girls programs committed to radical work with girls, conducting cross trainings and learning to eradicate barriers among girls, and developing standards for girls programs.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

What's New at Women & Girls CAN

12/07/2010

On November 13th, 2010 Women and Girls CAN hosted the  first Collective Healing and Action Gathering at their office space at the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health. The gathering was well attended and the art project was very engaging and successful in creating a safe space for the youth and adult allies to engage in. Perhaps the most significant outcome of the day was that during the skill share in which the Sisters Empowering Sisters provided a workshop on STIs there was a lot of conversation and cross training by the youth in an effort to make the information the Sisters were providing more accessible and inclusive. This organic teaching and learning process that naturally evolved between the youth and adult allies is the exactly the type of leadership development and information sharing these gatherings are intending to provide. Overall the first gathering was considered a great success. Thanks to all who attended.

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10/28/2010

October 28th-Oct 31st Sinnerman Theatre Company will be donating a percentage of their tickets sales to Women and Girls CAN! Check out their amazing adaptation of Antigone and support our work!

See you there!

http://sinnermanensemble.org/

WHERE: The Side Project Theater, 1439 W Jarvis, Chicago, IL

TICKETS: Publish this number: 773-728-3361; also www.goldstar.com; www.hottix.org

$20 general admission

SiNNERMAN Ensemble presents the Midwest premiere "Too Much Memory," a contemporary exploration of human desperation, political histrionics, hilarious confrontations and tragic relationships, by Keith Reddin and Meg Gibson, directed by Anna Bahow.

SiNNERMAN is about creating extraordinary, relevant theatre. We strive for the highest quality in every element of production.  Every play staged is partnered with a local charity relating to the story we are telling.  This partnership illuminates for our audience the immediate relevancy of our work.


09/20/2010

FUFA's New Mission Statement!!

At a recent day long retreat FUFA members came up with a new mission statement and a new vision. To learn more, come to our weekly meetings Tuesdays from 5-7pm @ 226 S. Wabash 9th floor!

Females United for Action is a collective of beautiful women and genderqueer folks of color and allies. we are radical activists, dreamers, and survivors who study and practice love and healing through honoring ourselves and our legacies in our communities. we provide space to make art, learn, study, discuss, reflect, skill-share, problem-solve and heal as a community.


11/04/2009

LIFE Campaign Town Hall on Youth Issues! Sunday, November 15 at 2:30 pm at Walter H. Dyett High School, 555 E. 51st Street.  FUFA is a member of this citywide youth coalition.  Please join us!