By Jessica Jahn, SFCC Alliance

Only just recently have I embraced the lifestyle that is activism and feminism. I am so thankful for both. If I had not met Molly Fitzpatrick and in turn been introduced to the PJALS Young Activist Leadership Program, I fear I may still be living in blissful ignorance. Molly has helped open my eyes and PJALS has taught me things I never thought I would have the opportunity to learn! I know I’ve always had a rebellious and questioning attitude towards life, but I never had a purpose. Now I can say I have quite a few actually, all thanks to everything Liz and Shar have laid down for us. Honestly even if I hadn’t learned a single thing from all the meetings thus far, Liz and Shar still have an amazing slew of documents one can use to get something started, as well as how to execute it and all the steps between. They’re invaluable documents and I will be using them long after our Young Activist Leadership Program ends.

Walking into the Young Activist Leadership Program without any actual activism training/practice was kind of intense, but thankfully everyone embraced me with open arms. My favorite part of the PJALS experience has to be our discussions in the conference room. It’s a wonderful feeling to be in a room full of people all on the same page, ready to change the world. I am indebted to Liz and Shar for everything they have taught us, as well as all the experiences we’ve shared. They have also given me a much bolder feeling of confidence so I now feel I am prepared to organize my own events now and into the future.