2019 Leading the Way for Our Next Generation of Girls A New Leader Steps Up In May of 2019, Step Up CEO Jenni Luke announced she would depart Step Up at the end of June. During her 10 years as CEO, Jenni spearheaded organizational expansion and refinement. Honing its focus to reach girls living or going to school in under-resourced communities with social emotional learning- based after-school programs and social capital-building mentorship programs, Jenni led the nonprofit through a key mission and brand refresh. She secured Step Up’s largest gift to date with a three-year grant from the Coach Foundation, enabling expansion to Dallas. This growth to a fourth city marked the organization’s first new market in 10 years. Jenni also revitalized Step Up’s national board of directors. With the transition, Step Up would seek just its fourth CEO in its 21-year history. In July, the organization announced that it had selected Delores Druilhet Morton for the role. A nonprofit executive with 20 years of experience designing and leading creative enterprises that make a lasting difference, Morton most recently served as vice president for the West region at City Year. Before her work at City Year, Morton was the chief program officer for Points of Light, where she designed and delivered programs that mobilized thousands of volunteers to meet education, economic opportunity, emergency response and preparedness needs in communities. She helped Fortune 500 companies drive their philanthropic platforms, including L’Oreal’s Women of Worth and Walt Disney Company’s Give A Day Get a Disney Day, and was honored by President Barack Obama as a 2012 Champion of Change. “I’m excited to join Step Up at a time when the work is so critical and relevant,” Morton said. “It’s important that all girls – including girls from our marginalized communities – have opportunities to develop the social emotional skills necessary for graduating high school confident, college-bound and career-focused.” Based in Step Up’s national headquarters in Los Angeles, Delores spent her first few months on the job visiting each Step Up market and meeting with Step Up girls, board members, partners, funders, mentors and staff members. Step Up’s Impact Dear 9th grade Alondra, and pressures, all I ever did was make outgoing girl with bouncy curls, but them spread like a wildfire. Are you still sitting by yourself? you can’t fool me. Where does your As the organization benefited Too anxious to initiate a conversation But today marks the beginning of a mask end and your face begin? from the leadership of two CEOs with anyone, or are you still faking new chapter in the book of you! From As hard as it sounds, choose to reach that outgoingness again? Are you sure here on out, this day will change your during 2019, we look back at out. Reaching out is what’s going you know who your friends are, or are life. I know you’ll get tired of everyone to help you change your path. Stop Step Up teens and alumnae who you still assuming that everyone will telling you this, but trust me, they’re suffering in silence, you won’t be able confidently shared their stories. hurt you? right. Here’s a piece of advice that to make it far if you don’t build your will help you throughout high school, I’m sorry. For everything. support system, there are people out and the rest of your life really. It’s there who are more than willing to INSPIRATION AWARDS TEEN HONOREE I hated you. something everyone should take to take your hand. You will find people Alondra, Step Up Class of 2019 I was mean to you. I didn’t give you the heart. Ready? Okay, my greatest piece who value you for the beautiful soul credit for pushing through all of that of advice for you is… you are, and will be there to help you pain, from elementary to middle school You are the protagonist of your own grow. The people who truly love you and from all of those bullies who made life. don’t see all the flaws you see. Learn to fun of you for your differences and Your life is your own. see yourself through their eyes. These your strengths. I know it was hard people, this support system, is the Step learning English, especially without Every day we wake up with the gift of Up sisterhood, including all of the Step a lot of support, even at school. At choice. We can choose what we want Up mentors and the sister friends you home, you felt so many pressures of to do, who we want to be, and how will meet. Step Up will become your fulfilling your parents’ dreams. They we act. We may not always be able to second home and you will feel a strong came to this country to give you and choose what life decides to throw our sense of belonging. your little brother a better life. With way, but you can always choose how so many of our family members in to deal with it, and your attitude when Step Up will be the girl-powered family gangs or becoming teenage moms, facing it. Always remember this: choose you never knew you wanted, but so you knew that you had to be the light confidence, choose to be a better desperately needed. Being in Step Up for your family. You needed help, yet you, and choose to be the friend you will mean spending more time with I couldn’t give that to you. I let you wish you had. But most of all, choose your friends after school, it will also suffer in silence. You needed a friend, happiness. I want you to be happy, the help you to meet and connect with and I was the first person that turned real, genuine kind. I know in 9th grade, girls you never did on a daily basis. away from you. When your mind was you had everyone fooled. When you You’ll develop deep-rooted, meaningful consumed by the flames of insecurity smile, everyone sees this bubbly and connections with one another through your vulnerability. You’re there to pick privileged students, doesn’t make know your full potential. You are more that I learned just how much immigrants up each other’s broken pieces, to cheer you, or any other Black or Brown than good enough, and anyone who were neglected and oppressed. Things each other on when you need it. These student any less worthy of the same tells you different is just wrong. like medical insurance and citizenship girls will be the sisters fate didn’t give education at a prestigious institute. Now, repeat after me: are so often taken for granted, while you. Who could’ve guessed that Black Despite the lack of resources that many are struggling to see a doctor I am beautiful. and Brown girls who live different lives you’ve experienced throughout your and living in constant fear. Mark my face similar issues. You aren’t alone. public school education, you will work I am smart. words, one day, I will come back to hard to seek out higher education You will be comforted. And I promise I am worthy. my community and provide medical you, you will start to heal. because you are worth it. Step Up will support. teach you to hold your head up high I will fight on! Not to spoil the surprise but, one of the I am going to stay in contact with Step and stand your ground. Step Up will Sincerely yours truly, most precious memories you will have Up to come back and be a mentor. I teach you that in order to thrive you with Step Up is the Bay Area College Me want to inspire other girls like me, who must be resourceful, self-sufficient, Tour in your junior year. Believe me, this and resilient. Through career-readiness are the first in their family to go to trip will be eye opening and wonder- college and who’s have parents came workshops, Step Up will guide you I am Alondra Anaya, and in the fall of filling. Being able to go up North for here to give their children a better life. towards having a clear game plan that 2019 I will be attending Grand Canyon the first time and visit all of these We also need more girls and people of will hold you accountable for taking the University! I plan to study biology with colleges will make YOU see yourself at color in the STEM Fields and I am just steps to achieve those goals. So trust an emphasis in pre-med to one day college one day. Make sure to treasure me, when you see Step Up and those fulfill my dream to enroll in medical getting started! every moment you spend with your orange shirts at your school inviting school, complete my residency, and I owe all of my values and aspirations Step Up sisters. It will be one of the you to join, sign up because it will be become a pediatric oncologist. to my parents, who no matter what, first reality check moments that you’ll one of the best things you can do! My life is my own. I decide who I am fought for the better living standard experience, realizing that the college Don’t worry. I know you’re stubborn and where I’m going.