New Year, New Goals: Stories That will Rise

For me personally, every new year is more than a reset or a new set of goals, but an opportunity to recommit to the girls and communities As We Rise serve, and to the ideas that first inspired our work. As we step into this year, I am especially excited to share our launch and growth of our Storytelling Initiative, a project that brings together creativity, confidence, and community in powerful ways.

This initiative is deeply personal. It is inspired by a storytelling project I participated in years ago at my all-girls school in Pennsylvania, where we were encouraged to write, reflect, and share our stories with a younger peer. At the time, it felt simple and really fun as we got to have the bond of a sisterhood with our younger story-telling partner, but looking back, it was transformative. Storytelling gave us language and art for our experiences. My all girls school experience when I reflect, proves to me the confidence to believe that my voice mattered. That same belief is at the heart of this initiative today.

Through our storytelling initiative, girls are encouraged to write about their lives, dreams, fears, and hopes, on their own terms in the language they choose. Whether through creative writing, or a story, storytelling becomes both an educational tool and a form of empowerment. It allows girls to see themselves as authors of their own futures and stories, not just observers of the world around them.

As We Rise is also growing because of the people behind it. This year, I am incredibly grateful for and excited about our team of directors and writers, whose dedication, creativity, and shared values continue to shape our vision that has grown tremendously over 2025. I’d like to specifically spotlight our amazing writer Elijah Davis, and our Youth Directors: Jade Miller, Samya Badi and Termeh Siadatan. I’d also like to express my thanks to the amazing collaborations As We Rise Foundation continues to have with the Harriton Service League. 

An amazing cohort that produces work to ensure our programs and outreach are thoughtful, inclusive and grounded in the voices of whom we serve. 

With a strong team and clear goals, I cannot wait to see where As We Rise expands next. This year is about building, listening, and growing… together. New year, new goals, and new ways for girls to rise!!!