On March 26, students, staff, and community members came together to learn about various topics that affect women including how to “say no,” defend yourself, and ensure your votes are counted. The event, organized by English and Women’s Studies Teacher Jessica Berg, featured author of The Nowhere Girls and Tell Me My Name, Amy Reed, as keynote speaker and School Board Member Atoosa Reaser, and Loudoun County Commonwealth Attorney Buta Biberja.

Reed was the keynote speaker of the summit and the leader of the “Know Your Voice” breakout session; she spoke extensively about the importance of finding and listening to one’s voice in her keynote address. “It’s really important to try to listen to that voice inside of you that’s there and steady and usually a little bit quiet when the whole world is telling you who to be and what to be and what to do,” Reed said. “Beneath all of that there’s a part of us that knows what’s good and what’s right, and sometimes it’s hard to listen to that part of us, sometimes it takes being vulnerable and scared to listen to it.” 

Reed became an author to help her find her own voice. “I always felt that I had stories I needed to tell and writing was my way of reminding myself of who I was and what I believed in,” Reed said. 

In a panel consisting of local government officials and leaders of multiple organizations such as “Vote Like A Girl,” panelists answered various questions about what it means to be a leader and more about how women can survive the struggles placed on them by the media and society. 

“Vote Like A Girl” co-founders Kim McCusker and Allie Saunier McCusker founded “Vote Like a Girl” to help empower women to vote. “We were out on a college friend’s weekend and frustrated,” McCusker said. “I had created a button for my local chapter of ‘League of Women Voters’ that said ‘vote like a girl’ and my friend who owns an apparel company created t-shirts.

The idea “came out of a girls weekend” but the organization has continued to expand. “We were just a bunch of really strong women, drinking wine, and coming up with an idea to do something to try and make a difference,” McCusker said. T-shirts from the organization can be purchased here.

The event was also planned by the Ms. Phoenix Club and Berg’s Women and Gender Studies class. Ms. Phoenix Co-Presidents junior Neha Bhusarapu and senior Shriya Ravikanti helped to lead the advertising effort by creating a committee of five members to create flyers, decorate the display case in the 1500 hallway, and post the event on their Instagram. “The Women and Gender studies class also was really helpful in [organizing the event],” Ravikanti said.

Berg hopes to continue this event for next year.

Gallery • 8 Photos

Mariam Abdelsayed

English teacher and “Rise To” Summit organizer Jessica Berg hands over a prize basket to senior Ryder Ward, who was one of many winners of several baskets, which included goodies such as shirts, pens, and pins. Ward bought about 50 tickets in hopes of receiving the basket.