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Dear Ann Bancroft Foundation Community,
The best part of being co-chairs for the 2024 Annual Celebration of the Ann Bancroft Foundation is dreaming together about what a night to honor the talents, gifts, and creativity of girls should feel like. To imagine how we can gather this community to celebrate, invest, and reflect on the power of girls who transform our world every day.
Whether you’re a seasoned attendee or have yet to experience this celebration, we want you to know that this event is designed for you. Alongside the full event committee and ABF staff, we promise to bring you an evening that showcases girls' limitless contributions and inspires you for the future.
This year, we’re celebrating The Gift of Girlhood to center and amplify girls' voices and listen to the dreams they see for themselves. Together, we will surround the girls of our community with a supportive network and the resources to encourage their confidence to dream and imagine something bigger.
We invite you to join us in showing support for the girls who are transforming our world today. We can’t wait to see you there!
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Our 2024 Annual Celebration Theme: | |
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girl·hood
/ˈɡərlˌ(h)o͝od/
"Girlhood" refers to the stage of development and experience during which an individual identifies and lives as a girl. It encompasses the period from childhood to adolescence, characterized by physical, emotional, and social growth. Girlhood is marked by exploration, learning, and identity formation, influenced by societal norms, cultural factors, and personal experiences. It is a significant phase in human development, laying the foundation for future relationships, roles, and aspirations.
When we read applications from girl-identifying youth across our state, we know that for them, girlhood is unbounded curiosity. It is fearlessly exploring with your full heart and mind. It is the limitless knowing of your potential, possibility, and power. It is seeing a challenge in your community and having the confidence to do something about it. What a gift to us all to know, witness, and benefit from the dreams girls bring to our world.
Please join us at the 2024 Annual Celebration to honor everything girls are. Tickets are on sale now here.
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Meet Our Illustrator, Nat Vuong | |
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Did you see the incredible draft artwork at the top of today's newsletter? 16-year-old Nat Vuong created this signature image for our 2024 Annual Event!
Nat is a multi-media artist from Coon Rapids, Minnesota. In Fall 2023, Nat received a grant from the Ann Bancroft Foundation for materials to create new art pieces, some of which they intend to sell at upcoming art fairs.
Nat was previously featured in the SEA Us Write & Design art exhibition with the Hmong Girls’ Circle, where they created the sculpture “Fibrous Fantasm." Nat dreams of building a successful art business to include solo exhibitions in art galleries.
View the final version of the art piece and read about Nat's inspiration in creating our 2024 key visual here.
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Meet our DreamMaker Awardees | |
For over a decade, the Ann Bancroft Foundation has recognized individuals and organizations that inspire and dare to dream of endless possibilities for women, girls, and the broader community. This year, we invite you to join us in honoring three remarkable DreamMakers, all of whom are grantees (Trailblazers) of the Ann Bancroft Foundation. They embody the essence of our theme, The Gift of Girlhood, fearlessly embracing change and striving to create a better world as they are in their youth. | |
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2024 DreamMaker
Aaliyah Murray, Age 18
Aaliyah Murray is an 18-year-old social justice activist. She was only 14 years old when she started Global Teen Activists, an intersectional youth-
led organization committed to eradicating systemic injustices in schools and communities
through advocacy and action. Aaliyah received a grant from the Ann Bancroft Foundation in 2018 for Youth In Government.
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2024 DreamMaker
Oluwatomini Ola, Age 20
Oluwatomini Ola received an Ann Bancroft Foundation grant in 2016 to execute Mindfulness in Safe Spaces camp, a program to empower African immigrant girls with mental health literacy. She has continued this work with the Women's Foundation of Minnesota. She lends her voice to the Minnesota Young Women's Cabinet, championing women's rights and equality.
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2024 DreamMaker
Cloie Stevens, Age 19
Cloie Stevens' entrepreneurial journey started at 14 years old when she decided to open a Cottage Food Licensed bakery at the farmer’s market in her hometown of Marshall, MN. She collaborated with a fellow youth business owner to create a youth-only vendor market within their community, coined the KindlMarkt. Since its inception, the KindlMarkt has tripled in size and now features upwards of 30 vendors and is a regionally supported event.
Cloie received a grant in 2023 to support publishing her first cookbook, Gather: The Foods that Made Me.
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Thursday, April 25, 2024 | 5:00 - 9:00 PM
The Depot - Minneapolis
The evening promises inspirational performances, exciting auctions, and an opportunity to hear from remarkable girls who dare to imagine something bigger. All tickets include reserved seating for the program, appetizers, a plated meal, and cash bar.
Table of Ten - $1750
Individual Adult - $150
Youth (< 22 years) - $75
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Sponsorship Opportunities
Are you interested in creating new opportunities for girls? Want to celebrate the joy, audacity, and fearlessness that girls embody? Consider becoming a sponsor for our event! Click the link below to learn more about the impact of your sponsorship.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our committed sponsors. See their names here.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available!
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Contribute to our Auction
We need your help to make this evening a success. We are seeking creative, unique items and experiences for our auction. A donation to our auction will help us raise funds to support our work of uplifting girls across the state.
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Volunteer Opportunities
Our night would absolutely not be possible without our dedicated volunteers. We have various volunteer roles for the evening. If you are interested in joining our wonderful team of volunteers, please send an email to events@annbancroftfoundation.org
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Check out our event page for additional details and updates. We look forward to celebrating with you on April 25th, 2024!
With excitement and anticipation,
The Event Committee
Dr. Gigi Chawla & Jamie Millard (Co-Chairs)
Amy Eppen | Caroline Correia | Dr. Christina Hansen Cohen | Ethelind B. Kaba | Grace Schreder | Heather Noble | Julie Cohen | Leila Keita | Luciano Patiño | Maribeth Romslo | Pamela Roemer | Robert Radtke | Sarah Erkkinen
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Other Happenings at the Ann Bancroft Foundation | | |
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Andy Steiner-Manning
With a deep interest in sharing the stories of others, Andy Steiner-Manning has built a career as an award-winning freelance writer, author, and editor. Andy’s articles have appeared in several local and national publications, including Glamour, Ms., Mademoiselle, the Minneapolis StarTribune, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Minnesota Monthly, and MinnPost, where she writes a weekly column about mental health and addiction. She is also the author of four nonfiction books and has contributed to two best-selling anthologies.
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Sarah Strehl
Sarah Strehl is a Human Resource professional with over 25 years of experience spanning a variety of industries, geographic locations, and HR specializations. She leads with energy and inclusivity—creating an environment that inspires all individuals to thrive, using their talents to deliver against the company’s mission and drive value for the organization.
Since May 2015, Sarah has been the chief human resource officer at ECMC Group. Sarah is particularly passionate about the development of women leaders, starting the organization’s first women mentor program and co-sponsoring the Women Thriving employee resource group.
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Veda Pai-Panandiker
Veda Pai-Panandiker is currently Senior Director on the investor team at Cargill. She is responsible for marketing and new product development of commodity and real asset solutions for institutional investors.
She is dedicated to advancing the representation of women in the financial services sector by leveraging resources and inspiring young women. Having previously served on the board of the Minnetonka Public Schools Foundation for nine years, Veda supported bringing new and innovative ideas into the district, fostering inclusivity, and promoting opportunities to help young people rethink what is possible.
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Our Spring Grant Cycle is Still Open | | |
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Apply for a Grant through April 1st!
The Ann Bancroft Foundation is currently accepting applications for the Spring 2024 grant cycle! That means K-12 girls in Minnesota can receive up to $1000 to support their dreams. Read some advice from former grantees below!
"I wish I knew how easy it can be to apply. If you have someone who is willing to help it goes by fast!"- Ava, 9th Grade
"Speak from your heart and don’t be nervous to apply, your dreams will come true."- Kyla-Ashlee, 12th Grade
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Women in Science at the Bakken Museum
Learn about incredible women making a difference in science! Reserve your ticket at the Bakken Museum for Saturday, March 23rd, between 10 AM and 4 PM. This event is recommended for 5-14 year olds. Learn through interactive demonstrations and exciting activities!
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Amplifying the Female Voice
Don't miss the TRIA Female Athletic Summit on Friday, March 8th. Hear from experts about the science of women in sports and how to best support athletes in their excellence. Our Executive Director, Ethelind B. Kaba will join Lea B. Olsen for the keynote conversation, "Amplifying the Female Voice."
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Women's Foundation of Minnesota Unveils New Status of Women & Girls+ in Minnesota Report
The Women’s Foundation of Minnesota and the Center on Women, Gender, and Public Policy at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs have unveiled new research shedding light on the current status of women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals across Minnesota. The comprehensive report underscores the persistent inequities experienced by women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals in Minnesota. It highlights that these disparities are particularly pronounced among Black, Indigenous, and women and girls of color, rural populations, LGBTQ+ individuals, and older women. Click below to download the report and register for an upcoming presentation on March 6.
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Sharing Your Stories with The Wildling
[From MPR News] The Imagine Something Bigger Story Booth, created by The Wildling and The Ann Bancroft Foundation, collects audio stories from young people as they talk about the future. Read or listen to this story from Minnesota Now on the ways that kids today dream and experience the world.
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Executive Director Ethelind B. Kaba Named as Black Business Leader to Know | Ethelind B. Kaba, Executive Director of the Ann Bancroft Foundation, was named as one of 50 Black leaders to know in the Twin Cities by Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. In the profile, TCB writes, "Ethelind leads the Ann Bancroft Foundation with unwavering enthusiasm, inspiring others as she works to create a more equitable world for girls everywhere." | |
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