Dear Reader,
As my time as an editor of Girl News International is drawing to a close, I can’t help but reflect upon what drew me to joining the GNI team in the first place. There are so many heartbreaking stories out there, and once again, this issue is no exception. This issue contains stories on Jeffrey Epstein, the forced conversion and marriage of underaged girls, breast ironing in Cameroon, and larger issues that affect the future of everyone, such as a no-deal Brexit and Earth Overshoot Day, which is now earlier than ever before. I hate having to share stories like these; this isn’t the world I want for girls, but it is the world we live in, and it sometimes requires strength to carry on.
But there are also so many hopeful and inspiring stories. Whether it’s seeing how many articles there are on women of colour doing awesome things, or seeing the joy that the Women’s World Cup brought to not only the US, but also Sweden and England, I love finding hope both for and from girls. With role models for girls in STEM, sports, and politics, I know there is hope not only for girls, but for all of us.
With strength and hope,
-Katie Weidmann
Editor
Girl New International