Empowerment is message at Female Teen Summit

By Eddie B. Allen Jr.

In examining career prospects for Detroit’s young women, one community leader says that ideas matter just as much as ability. 

From Lisa Howze’s perspective, ideas might even count for much more.

As keynote speaker of the Neighborhood Service Organization’s (NSO) recent Female Teen Summit, Howze, a Michigan state representative from Detroit, delivered a message of empowerment to about 70 students who attended. A program of the NSO’s Youth Initiatives Project, the annual summit is part of the organization’s anti-drug and anti-violence efforts.

Participants in The Skillman Foundation-sponsored gathering heard several speakers representing education, health, financial and neighborhood investment, plus they enjoyed a catered lunch at Brenda M. Scott Academy for Theatre Arts on Detroit’s east side.

Howze spoke with an inspirational tone, stressing the importance of self-confidence, keeping an open mind and reporting for school and work in a timely manner.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate; our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure,” Howze said, quoting author and lecturer Marianne Williamson.

A former city council candidate, Howze urged the teenagers to project a positive attitude and positive image in every circumstance and environmental setting.

“The first way to let your light shine is to smile. So you know how we roll our necks [in anger]? I want you to just roll your necks right now, look at the person next to you – and smile,” she said, demonstrating.

“From the moment you began to talk, or from the moment you entered kindergarten, you were probably asked, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ How many of you were asked that?”

Looking at the roomful of raised hands, Howze added: “Probably all of us, at some point. The only problem I have with that is it asks you to go outside of yourself. So instead of asking yourself ‘what?’ ask yourself ‘Who do I want to be?’

“Instead of asking questions like, ‘What am I going to eat when I get home?’ and ‘What am I going to wear to prom?’ focus more on who you’re going to be. ‘To be’ is a powerful statement. It speaks to the essence of your character.”

Along with being attentive audience members, several students of the Youth Initiatives Project gave a Power Point presentation discussing problems that face them and their peers. The focus group reports also outlined recommendations for addressing the obstacles and challenges that can hinder young women, personally and academically, in Detroit and the nation.

“Some of us put our boyfriends before our families,” said Becky Lor. “Some of us don’t want to look stupid, so we don’t ask questions, and this affects our ability to get our lessons.”

Other problems discussed included the increasingly common dilemma for teenage girls of pursuing goals while raising children.

“There are teen parents who can’t provide for themselves, so how can they provide for a family?” asked Tikeya George.

Solutions were offered by the youth, such as increased day-to-day involvement from their parents and mentoring from the community. Also examined were issues that have gained recent media headlines due to advances in technology and communication.

“Schools need to educate students about cyber-bullying,” said Jasmine Vang.

Students involved with the Youth Initiative Project’s Provocative Woman Campaign helped host the summit. Provocative Woman examines a range of issues affecting young women from ages 12 to 18, including sexual assault, peer pressure and gang involvement. The campaign incorporates peer learning, workshops and other NSO resources.

Summit participants received information from neighborhood and community services, as well as literature from NSO, including statistics relevant to young women. Among the research distributed was information that AIDS is the leading cause of death for women between ages 25 and 34, and that the number of women living with HIV has tripled within the past 20 years.

Howze repeatedly reminded the conference’s participants to view their present experiences as a training ground for adulthood.

“Sometimes you don’t have to know the outcome, sometimes you just have to know the first step,” she said, sharing the example of how she left her job as a DTE Energy accountant to run, unsuccessfully, for City Council.

“I said, ‘What do I know about politics? I’m an accountant.’ And I had never run for public office. But look at me now.

“I want you to think about becoming architects. Why do I say I want you to become architects? Because architects create. Architects build things that weren’t there before. For example, when you use your hair product, start looking at the labels and ask, ‘What’s in it? And how much am I paying them to use it?’ Then think about people like Bill Gates, who had the goal of creating computers that sit on every desk in the United States. You all have the opportunity to do the same thing. So I want you to become the architects of your future.”