Girls Who Code Announces First-Ever Global March For Sisterhood for Day of the Girl

All-Digital #MarchForSisterhood aims to unite women, girls, and allies worldwide to create the biggest online march in history

Led by “Team Sisterhood” of 100+ young changemakers, March will celebrate, inspire, and activate girls and women building transformative social movements

September 16, 2019 — Today, Girls Who Code announced the launch of the first-ever all-digital global march for girls: the #MarchForSisterhood. Led and created by girls themselves, the event invites people across the globe to share videos of themselves marching for causes that matter to them on social media on Day of the Girl, October 11. Taken together, Girls Who Code hopes these posts will comprise the largest online march in history.

The #MarchForSisterhood was organized in part by a diverse group of 100 young women, known as Team Sisterhood, working across a variety of issues facing their communities including immigration, climate change, reproductive rights, diversity in tech and more. Among these notable young women are activists, community leaders, and organizers including Deja Foxx, Isra Hirsi, Lauren Hogg, Claire Stapleton, Sara Mora, Lily Madigan, Nadya Okamoto, Jenna Ortega, Ava Phillippe, Naomi Wadler and more.

“Girls today are more connected to each other than any generation before us,” reads the #MarchForSisterhood Manifesto. “And our connection isn’t just digital. It’s rooted in a mutual understanding of the world we’re inheriting. This makes us powerful. It makes us a sisterhood.”

Refinery29, the leading media and entertainment company for young women with a global audience footprint of 249 million across all platforms, is the exclusive media partner of Girls Who Code for the #MarchForSisterhood and will serve as the featured platform for the voices of Team Sisterhood.

TikTok, the world’s leading destination for short-form mobile video, has also partnered with Girls Who Code, to launch a branded #MarchForSisterhood challenge on the platform. Beginning on October 4, TikTok users can participate in the campaign and show their support for Girls Who Code by creating, engaging, and sharing videos with TikTok users worldwide.

According to a January report by the nonpartisan opinion research organization PRRI, 48 percent of 15- to 24-year-old women say they have signed an online petition, compared to only 39 percent of men in the same age group. They were 23 percent more likely to say they had volunteered for a group or cause they cared about and 39 percent more likely to say they had donated money to a campaign or a cause.

This global digital march aims to solve for the limitations inherent in both “IRL” activism (geographic barriers) and “URL” activism (feeling of isolation), by allowing all girls to participate, fueling a sense of connection and empowerment.

“We know that this generation of girls is one of the most open-minded, and civically engaged in our history. We see it with the girls in our programs every day,” said Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Girls Who Code. “The #MarchForSisterhood is a moment to celebrate the transformative social movements they are leading in communities all around the world, and to remind them that they are not alone. Sisterhood means having each other’s backs.”

Moving Image & Content, a minority and female-led creative agency, served as the lead agency of record for this program, providing creative direction, production, strategy, website design and partnership management on the campaign. The Soze Agency, a social impact agency, led on community activation efforts, as well as the curation and engagement of Team Sisterhood.

The #MarchForSisterhood debuts one year after the Girls Who Code Webby-award winning Sisterh>>d campaign in 2018, a digital visual album that reached nearly 100 million people worldwide. The album featured Girls Who Code alumni and prominent women artists and activists including Lizzo, Nigerian-American rapper Chika, and Club Mickey Mouse’s first rapper Regan Aliyah.

The #MarchForSisterhood was produced with generous support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies.

“Girls Who Code helps countless girls and women gain powerful skills that they can then use to support their communities, the country, and more,” said Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Girls Who Code Board Member. “The #MarchForSisterhood amplifies the voices of young women who are making grassroots changes, and it motivates others to do the same.”

For updates and information on the #MarchForSisterhood, please visit www.marchforsisterhood.com.

ABOUT GIRLS WHO CODE

Girls Who Code is an international non-profit organization working to close the gender gap in technology and change the image of what a programmer looks like and does. With their 7-week Summer Immersion Program, after school Clubs, and College Loops program, they are leading the movement to inspire, educate, and equip young women with the computing skills to pursue 21st-century opportunities. Girls Who Code has reached 185,000 girls to date through its programs and 100 million people through campaigns, advocacy work, and New York Times best-selling series. To join the movement or learn more, visit girlswhocode.com. Follow the organization on social media @GirlsWhoCode.

About Craig Newmark Philanthropies

Craig Newmark Philanthropies was created by craigslist founder Craig Newmark to support and connect people and drive broad civic engagement. It works to advance people and grassroots organizations that are getting stuff done in areas that include trustworthy journalism & information security, voter protection, gender diversity in technology, and veterans & military families. For more information, please visit: CraigNewmarkPhilanthropies.org

About Refinery29

Refinery29 is the leading media and entertainment company focused on women with a global audience footprint of 249 million across all platforms. Through a variety of lifestyle stories, original video programming, social, shareable content, and live experiences, Refinery29 provides its audience with the inspiration and tools to discover and pursue a more independent, stylish, and informed life. Please visit www.refinery29.com, www.refinery29.com/en-ca, www.refinery29.uk and www.refinery29.de for more information and to browse content.

About TikTok

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire and enrich people’s lives by offering a home for creative expression and an experience that is genuine, joyful, and positive. TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo. www.tiktok.com.