About Girls Empowerment Network

Originally called The Ophelia Project, the Girls Empowerment Network (GEN) was created in 1996 by 12 concerned mothers raising adolescent girls in Austin, Texas. These mothers met after reading Reviving Ophelia, a book by Dr. Mary Pipher, to address an increasing trend among middle school aged girls – a systematic decline and sometimes permanent loss of self-esteem, the outcome of which can be devastating: epidemic levels of anorexia/bulimia, self-mutilation, depression, low academic achievement, teen pregnancy, and drug abuse.

I came across their website and thought I would share some poems by the girls. Hope you enjoy because I surely did.

Just because of what I did in the past

Doesn’t mean I’m the same person today

Doesn’t mean I do what i used to to

Doesn’t mean I made the same choices I used to

I’m a changed person!

Just Because I am a girl

Doesn’t mean I have to be girly

 Doesn’t mean I have to like pink

Doesn’t mean I have to like dresses

I am a girl and I am unique

Just because I am a good student

Doesn’t mean I don’t break rules

Just Because I live in a bad neighborhood

Doesn’t mean I have bad parents

Just because I am from Mexico

Doesn’t mean I am here illegally

And just because this poem is called Just Because

Does not mean I will start every sentence with it

I am me, nothing less and nothing more

Hope you all enjoyed these poems by ClubGEN Girls! Have any poem recommendations, comment below ↡