Cropping up all over San Francisco in March 2006 are faces of GirlSource. Our young women are leaders who face their challenges head-on and are striving for a better life for themselves, amidst mysogynistic, racist, anti-urban, anti-youth messaging perpetuated through media and advertising, and, sadly, adults they may come into contact with. GirlSource's programs, lead by staff that combine high-tech and high touch, empower young women to see the promise in themselves, create positive community for themselves, and give them the tools they need to create change the world they live in and come from.

Foster Care:

'When I went downstairs to get my things to catch the bus, my dad started yelling at me because I wasn't getting any money for doing her hair. Me and my dad both started arguing. He got mad and started to hit me. I defended myself, hitting and kicking him back. He hit me in my left eye. That made me stop hitting him because it hurt so much. I cried and then tried to get out of the house. He pushed me back in and said, "You ain't going no where!" I went to the bathroom. I locked the door and I climbed out the bathroom window. I ran to the gas station that was down the street from my house...."

Gangs:

'I think that gangs, block beef, and violence are important issues that young women face. A lot of young women join gangs to feel like they are accepted and feel they are part of a family. Some feel like there are a lot of different issues going on in their lives, and they feel like there is no one who understands what they are going through. A lot of young women these days feel pressured into doing things they don't really want to do. They feel like they don't have control of their lives, and they feel they have to be someone they're not. Young women sometimes feel that if they are part of a group they have someone who understands them and they're protected. They don't understand they are putting their lives at risk, and that there is help when needed. Young women can find help by talking to someone they trust or by finding non-profit organizations that can help."

Self-esteem & Body Image:

"Where should I start with my story? It happened throughout a long period of time... I was born in a society that educates its people to obey authority and never to question the critics. I had no choice but to adapt to this environment by accepting what was presented to me without a word of doubt. All my life, words like "fat," "big," and "ugly" revolved around me. I was never happy with the way I looked. Consequently, I related my unhappy experiences to my physical appearance because I have been taught that people are treated differently depending on their looks."