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Governor Dayton and the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota Announce Appointments to the Young Women’s Cabinet

10/1/2018 10:30:13 AM

Governor Dayton and Women’s Foundation of Minnesota name ten new members to the Young Women’s Cabinet, of the Young Women’s Initiative of Minnesota

Young Women’s Initiative of Minnesota brings together nonprofits, businesses, and government to improve outcomes for young women in Minnesota
 
ST. PAUL, MN – Today, Governor Mark Dayton and the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota announced the appointments of ten new members to serve on the Young Women’s Cabinet. A part of the Young Women’s Initiative of Minnesota, the Young Women’s Cabinet is comprised of young women and youth leaders ages 16-24 from eight designated communities from across Minnesota. 
 
“We must continue our work to build a state where all Minnesotans have full and equal opportunities to succeed,” said Governor Dayton. “The Young Women’s Initiative is an important step in improving equity and opportunity for young women in Minnesota, especially young women of color. I thank these young leaders for working together to ensure that the State of Minnesota becomes an even more welcoming place for all to prosper."
 
Today’s ten appointees will join 15 continuing members serving on the Young Women’s Cabinet. The Cabinet’s role is to ensure the Young Women’s Initiative stays grounded in the lived experiences of the young women and youth from each community, and the community specific challenges and solutions they identified. The YWCA St. Paul works with the Young Women’s Cabinet to provide leadership development. 
 
“Since its inception in 2016, the Young Women’s Cabinet has guided Minnesota’s leading research on the well-being of young women of color, directed half-a-million dollars in grants to nonprofits and individuals, and worked with a Council of powerful leaders to advance equity,” said Lee Roper-Batker, president & CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota. “I am excited to see how the Cabinet will continue to lead so that Minnesota is a place where all young women of color, American Indian young women, LGBTQ+ youth, young women in Greater MN, and young women with disabilities can experience economic opportunity, safety, and access to leadership.”
 
New Members of the Young Women’s Cabinet
 
In’am Shawqi Al-Hammouri  

Deisy Castro 

Shimarrion Daily

Alyse Dees

Edith Ferrufino

Oluwatobi Oluwagbemi

Beyza Pierre

Jaidyn Probst

Tori White      

Myrka Zambrano

About the Young Women’s Initiative
The Young Women’s Initiative of Minnesota, a joint effort of the Office of the Governor and the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, aims to improve opportunities and outcomes for young women in Minnesota by bringing together young women, nonprofits, business, and government. 
 
The first of its kind effort in the nation, the Young Women’s Initiative includes three governance groups: community-specific working groups; the Young Women’s Cabinet; and the Young Women’s Initiative Council. Together, the three subsets created the Blueprint for Action, the Initiative’s action plan. Unveiled in November 2017, the plan provides 20 key recommendations to create opportunities for young women in Minnesota to achieve equity in outcomes across six main areas: financial stability and prosperity; safety and violence prevention; education and lifelong learning; cultural and self-identity; health and wellness; family and caregiving. Read the full plan here.
 
About the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota
The Women’s Foundation of Minnesota is a statewide community foundation investing in innovation to drive gender equity. The Foundation envisions a world of equal opportunity where women and girls – and all people – hold the power to create and lead safe, prosperous lives. Founded in 1983, it is the first and largest statewide women’s foundation in the country. More at WFMN.ORG.
 
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