The Project: Exploring the connection between social media and the contemporary feminist movement.

The Process: Olivia’s interest in feminism, sparked through personal reading, soon became the focus of her Junior Workshop research. While working on this project, she connected with Seneca Women, a global leadership forum focused on the advancement of women and girls. Soon she was interning--assisting with their newsletter, events and social media. Olivia was invited to stay on as an intern, into the summer. She’s excited knowing she is helping lead the next generation of feminists.

Value of JW: “Through my Junior Workshop, I discovered how difficult it can be to bring together a large group of people to fight for the feminist movement.” Inspired by what she was learning about women’s issues around the world, Olivia continued working with the Seneca Women group into the fall of her senior year. She founded a Fast Forward Girls Club at Calhoun, and kickstarted a dozen more at schools around New York City. The clubs—all offshoots of Seneca Women—bring young women together to discuss feminism and raise money for nonprofits dealing with women’s empowerment.

What’s Next: In the fall of 2016, Olivia organized an event called Fast Forward Girls Town Hall, a conversation and Q&A focused on young women, power and purpose. Held at Calhoun, the event was attended by a mixture of Fast Forward club members from Calhoun and other schools, and featured the two inspiring founders of Seneca Women: Kim Azzarelli, chair of Cornell Law School’s Avon Global Center for Women and Justice; and Melanne Verveer, director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, and ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues under President Obama. “I plan to help start a Fast Forward Club at whatever college I attend, and one day I want to work as an entrepreneur in the nonprofit world on an international scale.”