Page 27 - THE Journal, March/April 2018

education. Can you talk a little about how those intersect?
Walker: Girls need reminders that ability can always be improved with effort and that a low grade is a correctable issue. We all do better when we are bolstered to stick out the tough moments of a challenge and pursue what we love to
do. We hope the girls in attendance
at the Fueled By Failure summit are motivated to be bold, take risks and
not let the fear of failure stop them.
We, the panelists, know what it is like
to fail. It has happened to all of us.
Yes, failure is a setback and a bummer. Through experience, we know it is not
a “bad” thing to have happen and we conveyed that by telling our stories. My co-panelist, Dr. Knatokie Ford (former senior policy advisor in the Obama White House Office of Science and Technology Policy) talked about learning how to separate failing vs. being a failure. She said, “Training to be a scientist taught me how to fail ... repeatedly — but keep going. This helped me build up my ability to persevere and I learned how to troubleshoot problems. I owe so much
of my success to the fact that I am not a person who gives up easily, especially for something I’m really passionate about. The fear of failure often prevents people from even trying. It’s always better to attempt and fail opposed to never try and always wonder “what if.”
THE Journal: When I was a kid about the age that Smart Girls seems to be talking to, I don’t know that I was real sure who I was or even exactly what was supposed to define who someone was. Could you talk a little about how the Smart Girls motto works for people at an age where identity is, if not malleable, still a little mysterious?
Walker: Adolescence is when girls experience social pressure to put aside their authenticity. They face enormous cultural pressure to split into false selves. Be true to yourself and risk abandonment by your peers. Reject your true self and fit
in, be socially acceptable. At Smart Girls, our hope is to lead them into the direction of being themselves authentically and honestly. We don’t ask girls what they want to be when they grow up; we ask them what problems do they want to help solve and what kind of person do they want to become? By encouraging their sense of identity, they become open to possibilities and feel safer exploring what they might think of as unconventional paths. Helping young women learn how to seek the truth and seek perspectives other than their own is an important part of what we do. It is valuable to have an acquaintance with facts and to question assumptions. We put a lot of emphasis on encouraging curiosity. Be curious about yourself. Be curious about what breaks your heart. Be curious about ways of living other than your own.
THE Journal: In a world that seems to place more value on leadership skills in men and men in leadership positions, how do you get the message through that the best way to change the world is by being yourself?
Walker: Gender equality is critical because it is about being valued as a human being. It is about the dignity
of every person. If we are not of equal dignity and value in one place, then we may also be devalued and dismissed in others, as well. When doors are closed based on “the way we have always done things” we lose the gifts and talents each one of us can bring to any vocation or project. If we are taught and considered as equal value then the system can change.
THE Journal: From #MeToo to a president who dismisses talk of sexual assault as “locker room” talk and complains about welcoming people
from particular countries, there’s a lot swirling around our culture right now that may send young people the idea
that who they are is not valued. Is that kind of stuff affecting the way you all approach your work at Smart Girls? How
is it changing the conversations you’re having internally, or those you see in the community you’ve created?
Walker: We are having a huge wake up call right now. When misogyny, ethical breaches and daily lies (not alternative facts, lies) come from a presidential administration, girls are susceptible to feeling undervalued. When people in power refer to journalism and the hard work of scientists as “FAKE NEWS,” girls are susceptible to taking on beliefs that are not based on facts. More than ever, girls need examples and reminders that they are valued. They are not to be grabbed by any part of their body. They are not to be seen as “other” because of their place of birth. They should not live in fear because of how they identify or who they love.
We need to help them understand that it is their right to forge a meaningful life as they define it. Many of us are where we are because we could aspire to an education and to make our own choices. Because of the shoulders we stand on,
we were encouraged to be able to dream big. We cannot ignore the enormous responsibility that comes from having had these opportunities. The responsibil- ity to make sure that young people with lesser opportunities also have a chance to dream big. We have a responsibility to spend time with them, to listen to them, and to advocate for them. If you are in a position of privilege and power and have a voice that can be heard, use that voice to make a difference. Use your position to encourage, support, and help bring up girls who are concerned about others and the common good, and who will work to create a more just world.
CUE 2018 will be held March 14–17 in Palm Springs, CA. To hear more from Meredith Walker, attend her Keynote address on March 15 at 9 a.m.
Joshua Bolkan is contributor editor of THE Journal.
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