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NEWS
Inspiration in action! Strong, smart, and bold updates.
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Celebrating 31 Graduating Seniors at Our Annual College Shower
May 20th, 2026 We celebrated 31 graduating seniors at our annual College Shower — a joyful tradition recognizing participants in our College Access Now! (CAN!) Program as they prepare for their next chapter after high school. The College Shower serves as both a celebration and a community sendoff. Seniors gathered alongside their families, mentors, staff, and supporters to reflect on their journeys and celebrate all that lies ahead. Each participant received a backpack filled
May 20
Second Cohort of Expanded Learning Apprentices Celebrates Graduation
May 14th, 2026 Join us in congratulating our second cohort of Expanded Learning Apprentices on their recent graduation! Graduates earned Certificates of Proficiency in Education: School Readiness, while several Apprentices also completed additional milestones including - Certificates of Proficiency in Education: Teacher’s Aide and Associate Degrees in Child Development and Teacher Preparation. As the first-of-its-kind program in California’s Expanded Learning and Afterschool
May 14
2026 Strong, Smart & Bold Gala
April 30th, 2026 At our 2026 Strong, Smart & Bold Gala, our community came together to raise $742,187 in support of girls across Alameda County—including $253,100 raised in the room, more than doubling the evening's $125,000 match. These funds represent expanded opportunities, stronger support systems, and brighter futures for the 1,600+ girls and young women we serve each year. Our CEO, Julayne Virgil, reminded us what it means to invest in girls not just in a moment, but ac
May 8
Game-Changing Lessons with Valkyries Players Kate Martin and Kaitlyn Chen
We were thrilled to welcome Kate Martin and Kaitlyn Chen of the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries to our downtown Oakland headquarters for a special afternoon with our girls. From a hands-on nutritious cooking activity with middle schoolers to an open and inspiring Q&A with middle and high school students, Kate and Kaitlyn shared powerful insights on confidence, resilience, and what it takes to succeed—on and off the court. The visit kicked off with a hands-on nutritious cooking
Apr 8
Introducing our 2026 Strong, Smart & Bold Gala Honorees
We are proud to announce this year’s 2026 Strong, Smart & Bold Gala Honorees—Ay’Anna Moody, Executive Director of the Golden State Community Foundation, and Jess Smith, President of the Golden State Valkyries—two extraordinary leaders whose work across philanthropy and professional sports is shaping opportunity for girls and young women across the Bay Area. Ay’Anna Moody has been a champion of Girls Inc. of Alameda County, helping strengthen the organization’s partnership wi
Apr 8
Important Clarification Regarding Girls Inc. of Alameda County
March 2026 We are sharing an important clarification regarding recent news coverage involving our neighboring affiliate, Girls Inc. of Island City (headquartered in Alameda). While we recognize that this is a difficult time for a fellow youth-serving organization, it is important to clarify that this situation does not involve Girls Inc. of Alameda County. Although we are both affiliates of the Girls Inc. national network, our organization is a separate nonprofit 501(c)(3) wi
Apr 3
First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom Visits Simpson Center for Girls
We were honored to welcome California’s First Partner, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, to our Simpson Center for Girls! During her visit, she spent time with our participants, observed programming in action, and heard directly from young people about their experiences building confidence, leadership, and college and career pathways through Girls Inc. of Alameda County. Thank you, First Partner Newsom, for taking the time to connect with our youth and for championing opportunities tha
Mar 9
Fireside Chat with Justice Kelli Evans
We were honored to welcome Justice Kelli Evans of the California Supreme Court for a special fireside chat with our middle and high school students. Justice Evans, who has dedicated her career to public service and advancing fairness within the justice system, shared insights from her professional journey and the values that have guided her work. What made the experience especially meaningful was the opportunity for conversation. Justice Evans didn’t just speak to our stude
Mar 5
Mock Trial with U.S. District Judge Rita F. Lin
Our middle schoolers traded their notebooks for legal pads as they stepped inside the San Francisco Federal Courthouse for a two-day mock trial experience led by U.S. District Judge Rita F. Lin. On day one, students were presented with a case scenario and selected to serve as either Plaintiff’s Counsel or Defendant’s Counsel. They analyzed the facts, built their arguments, and drafted opening statements—preparing to present in a real federal courtroom. On day two, they took t
Mar 4
Girls Practice Democracy Through Storytelling and Art with Guidance from the Smithsonian Institute
This fall, we partnered with the Smithsonian Institute to engage youth in Democracy in Dialogue, a national curriculum that invites young people to explore democracy through lived experience—exploring their own stories, identities, and communities while learning from peers in other parts of the country. Rather than learning about democracy from a text book, Democracy in Dialogue invites students to utilize core democratic skills in their every day lives: listening across diff
Feb 3
Seeing Herself in STEM
Career exposure is most powerful when young people can see themselves reflected in the fields they’re exploring. Through our recent STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) panel, students learned directly from women working in construction, research, biotechnology, and public health —fields where women remain underrepresented. By hearing how these professionals found their paths and built expertise, STEM careers became more concrete, relatable, and attainable. Thank y
Jan 9
From Sports to Beauty, Partner Visits Inspire Confidence and and Career Dreams
This month, our Simpson Center for Girls was buzzing with inspiration thanks to visits from two partners, Women in Sports & Events (WISE) and Benefit Cosmetics, who opened new worlds of possibility for our youth. Women in Sports and Events (WISE) SF Bay Area brought together five accomplished board members—Fayne Samantha Cohen, M.A. (Bloom Energy); Erica Loh Jones (Oakland Girls Softball League); Tori Carras (UC Berkeley); Danielle Deike, M.A. (Bay Area Women’s Sports Ini
Nov 4, 2025
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