DemocraShe

Investing in a high school girl is never just in one girl, it is empowering a whole community. We are so proud of our graduate Posey S. Dinka for being elected Governor of California Girls State and thrilled at this chance to amplify the ecosystem that uplifts the voices of high school girls into civic and elected office. A vision of America where the lived experience of every woman is reflected in our laws is a space of abundance not scarcity. Congratulations again Posey and thank you Girls State!

We're so grateful to incredible alumnae like Angel Gilbert and Janvi Subramanyan, and incredible friends of DemocraShe Imari Harris, Connie Lew-Corbridge, Dr. Rukmini Iyer, and Dr. Dipika Dandade, MD, FACOG, DABOM, DipABLM, for sharing their insights and expertise in our alumnae events devoted to careers in law, STEM and medicine! Each speaker was truly inspiring, and it was so meaningful for our DemocraSheroes to learn more about their career paths and experiences.

In 1992, six women were elected to the Senate at the same time. It was called the Year of the Woman. People thought it would flood into a decade of women. It didn't. Today, Congress is still only 28% women. Sarah Jakle asked why — and built DemocraShe to fix it. Her answer? It's not a pipeline problem. It's a brain science problem. Women with the same résumé as men are twice as likely not to see themselves as candidates. And when they do run, they face up to 10x more bullying and harassment. So Sarah took evidence-based practices from social work and wired them into a civic leadership program for high school girls — paying them $15/hour to participate, because unpaid internships are a barrier to entry. The result: 24 girls in 2022. 915 in 2025. 7x more applicants than spots. This is what systemic change looks like. One high school girl at a time. Full conversation linked below. Worth your time. #WomenInLeadership #CivicEngagement #DemocraShe #BrainScience #WomenInPolitics #Nonprofit #Leadership #Podcast   

We're so thrilled our current cohort member Juliet Zakaryan will be speaking at tonight's Youth x Government Climate Panel during LA Climate Week at UCLA! Juliet shared, "I'm grateful to the LA County District 3 Youth Climate Commission and everyone involved for this opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations at the intersection of youth leadership, climate advocacy, and public policy. It is inspiring to be in a space where young voices are not only heard, but valued as drivers of change." At DemocraShe, we believe that young voices are incredibly valuable drivers of positive change, and we are so excited for Juliet to share her passion and her brilliance at this important event.

What happens when young women are given the tools, community, and confidence to lead? They don’t just participate - they build. After graduating from the DemocraShe Flagship Program, Yeeun Park went on to found Youth Policymakers for Tomorrow - a youth-led nonprofit addressing the systemic underrepresentation of young people in policymaking. Today, that work is already reaching young leaders across 80 cities and 12 states - and growing. Yeeun told us: "My turning point in my high school career came during the DemocraShe program I attended with a cohort of young female civic leaders from across the country. For the first time, I was surrounded by students who were not only passionate about justice but also actively drafting legislation, organizing communities, and engaging institutions. When given the tools, mentorship, and pathways to participate, we did not stop at contribution, but pressed on to shape outcomes. In this way, DemocraShe has been one of the primary motivators in creating my organization, Youth Policymakers for Tomorrow!" This is why we do this work. When young women understand their power - and how to regulate their brains to stay in it - they don’t wait their turn. They lead now. And they bring others with them. #DemocraShe #YoungWomenLeaders #CivicEngagement #YouthLeadership #GirlsInPolitics #LeadershipPipeline

So proud of our DemocraShe grad Riya and her inspiring message - "just try!" Having founded two companies, Riya embodies the spirit of overcoming imposter syndrome and daring to put her brilliant ideas in the world. Congratulations Riya!

Launching our summer intensives has been a transformative way to reach more incredible young women like Melissa. Every high school girl deserves to know that she belongs in any room where power is being shaped!