GPS girls were encouraged to see themselves as a powerful force for change on Tuesday during a Lunchtime Learning presentation by Jin In, the founder of 4GGL, a non-profit that partners with community organizations and schools worldwide to train and mentor girls in the poorest countries of the world.
With a vision of “a world where every girl is valued and supported to realize her full potential” and a mission “to shift fundamental mindsets and ignite tomorrow’s women leaders,” 4GGL’s founder has spoken to organizations and conferences across the Arab world, South Asia, and Africa. She was in Chattanooga as a guest of a local community leader. According to Ms. In, “Ninety percent of young girls who live in impoverished countries don’t realize they are a powerful force.” She said that in speaking to girls such as those at GPS, she is “passing the baton” to future leaders who can make a difference.
“Looking at girls as future leaders is revolutionary to people around the world,” Ms. In told the gathering of students. “So you have an obligation to take action.” She did not let own experience as a poor child of a widowed mother who moved from Korea to the United States define her. Through the actions and the advice of a mentor, she learned that “destiny is not determined by gender, but by one’s own actions” and that the most powerful force for change was herself.
“The best foreign policy is to develop future leaders, and education is the best platform to teach leadership,” she said.
Ms. In has mentored emerging women leaders in the U.S. State Department, spearheaded the Girls Scouts USA’s Global Action for 2.3 million girls, created a platform for the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health, and co-chaired Girls’ Right to Health, the first UN Commission on the Status of Women to focus on girls. She was honored with the 2013-14 Spirit of Trinity University award recognizing exceptional service to the global community and is a member of the Omega Institute’s Women’s Leadership inaugural class.