After the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday comes something more special, something more in the spirit of community and generosity that makes the autumn season so special. And, you don’t even have to stand in line! Giving Tuesday follows the week of Thanksgiving and has one aim: giving back to communities, organizations, charities, and small businesses. This year, I’m honored to be reaching out on behalf of Get Smart Mentoring, a 501(c) nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower young women to authentic leadership.

My Get Smart Journey

This December will mark a year since I started my Get Smart journey, first as a mentor to two amazing Thought Leadership Interns and now as a coordinator for our internship program. What a year it’s been! I’ve traveled, studied, worked, and learned so much: all in the presence and with the support of the amazing women I get to call friends, mentors, and colleagues. These people have touched my life in some way, but nothing comes close to how my fellow Get Smart interns have. I have had the immense pleasure of working with women I never would have met if not for Get Smart. Together we have developed ideas, crafted our messages, and created safe spaces for young women.

Ideas that bubble up in our video calls grow into real life ways to solve problems. We bring what we’ve learned in school, at our jobs, and in our relationships to Get Smart and it informs what we do. I have watched other interns grow into compassionate leaders. I have watched myself grow into a leader. Something truly amazing happens when smart, driven women come together with a common goal and Get Smart is a testament to that magic.

Make a difference: Take the $10 Challenge

So, please consider donating to help us keep the magic, the energy, and the passion strong as we work toward our mission of empowering young women. Help us keep our blog and the thoughtful articles written by our interns live and help us reach more young women around the world. Every dollar donated goes to keeping the technical and technological side of our organization going; your support and the tireless work of the women involved in Get Smart keep us going in the direction of our mission.

I am challenging my friends, family, and colleagues to donate $10 to support our mission, but every dollar helps. So, for this Giving Tuesday, please help us help young women. Your donation will touch not only the hearts of all of us, but the lives of young women around the world.