Women and Girls Lead… an initiative designed to focus, educate, and connect women, girls, and their allies across the globe to address the challenges of the 21st century.

Locally, PBS SoCal is involved with Women and Girls Lead on-air, online, and on the ground engaging the community. Throughout September, a documentary called Half the Sky inspired by Journalists Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn best-selling book, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide has been featured in the community in preparation for the PBS SoCaL premiere on PBS SoCaL Monday, October 1st from 9-11pm and Tuesday, October 2nd from 9-11pm. Additionally, PBS SoCal had a unique opportunity to engage the community last week around this film.  On Friday September 21, PBS SoCaL partnered with ITVS Community Cinema and KPCC to host a Half the Sky screening at KPCC’s Crawford Family Forum in Pasadena.  We were fortunate enough to be joined by Somaly Mam (featured in the film) for question and answer session following the screening. Watching Half the Sky left our eyes watery but listening to Somaly Mam so graciously speak afterwards left the audience with a glimer of hope. Tears for her hardships and the reality that 1 out of 4 young women in Cambodia are sex slaves yet moving forward as a community because of the strength, dedication, bravery and determination of Samoly Mam and her team. The Somaly Mam Foundation has helped save over 7,000 young women and girls from sex trafficking in Cambodia over the past 10 years. Somaly shows love, positivity, and forgiveness towards the situation she experienced as a young twelve year old sex slave in Cambodia. She is radiating those same characteristics to the young girls she works with everyday.

Check out photos from the overall event including some great personal expression images from attendees in the form of a belief statement or commitment. These statements will also be featured as part of a National Social Media Campaign.

  

Learn more about all the issues featured in Half the Sky and how you get involved!