Amidst a year of unprecedented strife, divisive politics over immigration issues have forced their way to the forefront, galvanizing people across the world to come together and fight for human rights. On International Women’s Day, we celebrated the women and girls who are smashing heteropatriarchy, challenging inequity, and empowering one another to create a future in which women of all colors, classes, sexualities, and genders have the space to be heard, acknowledged, understood, and exist.
[quote position=”full” is_quote=”true”]If we want to achieve our goal, then let us empower ourselves with the weapon of knowledge and let us shield ourselves with unity and togetherness.[/quote]
When we see leaders like United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon rise up from a refugee experience and work with Nobel Prize laureate and Taliban violence survivor Malala Yousafzai on an education-first initiative, we know that women and girls across the world can thrive on support when given it. As Malala has said, “I truly believe the only way we can create global peace is through not only educating our minds, but our hearts and our souls…If we want to achieve our goal, then let us empower ourselves with the weapon of knowledge and let us shield ourselves with unity and togetherness.”
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Actress Cara Delevingne recently visited and heard the stories of adolescent girls in Uganda, the third-largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, after Ethiopia and Kenya. Witnessing first-hand how using her privilege could elevate the Ugandan girls she met, raise consciousness, and create space for community, Cara says, “An empowered and supported girl is an incredible force for change; a change I am now excited to be a part of.”
[quote position=”full” is_quote=”true”]An empowered and supported girl is an incredible force for change; a change I am now excited to be a part of.[/quote]
PUMA now joins Cara to invest in these future female change leaders through the docuseries, “Do You,” which aims to empower women and girls globally to share their stories and support one another towards closing the gender gap. Throughout the series, we will hear from suicide prevention activist Anna Akana and mental health advocate and YouTube star Lily Singh. By creating a digital space in which girls across the world can know that they are not alone, this docuseries promotes liberation through unapologetic self-expression, claiming autonomy, and making marks on our world.
“We are capable of more than we do,” Cara says. And, together, we can do so much more. Be a part of supporting women and girls globally with PUMA and Cara.
Here’s how you can take action:
– Share the video with the hashtag #DoYou
– Share a photo of a woman that inspires you on social media with #DoYou and #WCW
