Fifteen members of the 11th cohort of jGirls+ Magazine, three alums, and three staff (Elizabeth, Bex, and Sophie) came together for a joyous and meaningful four-day retreat over Labor Day weekend in Seagate, Brooklyn.
Participants engaged in feminist tefillah and an alum-led Parsha text study during Shabbat and learned together in workshops on Active Listening; Identity; and Power, Oppression, and Privilege. We also had fun with lots of icebreakers, a movement workshop, a trip to Coney Island, and an alum-led, otherwise adult-free open forum for the teens. Additionally, we hosted two affinity tables over meals, one for neurodiverse teens, and one for LGBTQ+ teens. We believe that this was the first opportunity for some of our young people to be in community with other queer teens.
The teens left feeling well-connected to their peers and eager to start working together on the magazine and continuing to build this feminist community. One of the teens returned from retreat and told her mother, “that was the most positive experience of my life.”
A parent wrote to us, saying “You put so much thoughtfulness into creating a safe, supportive and enriching environment for these girls… [My teen] came home elated and inspired. I can see new, exciting parts of her emerge as a result of the experience.”
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While the jGirls+ Editorial and Photography Fellowship is not currently accepting applications, you can nominate a teen to be notified when applications open next.