A Mighty Girl's celebrates Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg!

Supreme Court Justice, lawyer, women's rights advocate, and pop culture icon: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died in 2020 at the age of 87, meant so much to so many people. Whether you first encountered her name in discussions of women's rights court decisions or on websites proclaiming her Notorious RBG, there's no doubting her influence on today's world. In memory of this influential — and inspirational — lawyer, activist and Supreme Court Justice, we're sharing her powerful story, as well as our favorite books and films about this trailblazer for both children and adults. We've also highlighted a few resources, from t-shirts to music albums, that pay tribute to her inspiring life. Justice Ginsburg may be gone, but her legacy lives on — both in the law and in the minds and hearts of Mighty Girls and women who follow in her footsteps.
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Augusta Fells Savage became the first African American woman to open her own art gallery in America.

Augusta Fells Savage with her 1938 sculpture "Realization"

In 1939, a new art gallery opened in Harlem in New York City. It was called the Salon of Contemporary Negro Art, and it was the brainchild of Augusta Fells Savage, a talented sculptor who had faced obstacles due to her sex and race at every turn. Savage was the first African American woman to open her own art gallery in America, and she hoped her Salon would give black artists a place to exhibit their work, free from the prejudice that kept them — and her — out of the mainstream art world. "We do not ask any special favors as artists because of our race," she said to the 500 people who attended the gallery's opening. "We only want to present to you our works and ask you to judge them on their merits." Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of books about women in politics from the First Ladies to trailblazing female political leaders.

Each year on the third Monday in February, the United States celebrates its many presidents and their legacies. At A Mighty Girl, we have a slightly different take on the holiday: we like to celebrate the role of women in politics! From the First Ladies — including Martha Washington, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Michelle Obama — and the role that they have played in molding and supporting the office of the president, to the groundbreaking women who first stood in American elections, to the politicians who are shaping our world today, the story of women in American politics is constantly evolving. Continue reading → Continue reading

"Emphasize that since catcalling itself is the opposite of polite, there’s no need to smile, laugh, or engage in conversation with the harasser."

Catcalling and other forms of sexual harassment start much earlier than many people think: a recent study found that 1 in 10 girls have been catcalled before their 11th birthday and a recent study has found that 1 in 6 girls in elementary and secondary school have experienced sexual harassment. And while some people say that girls should just ignore catcalling, Dr. Andrea Bastiani Archibald, the Girl Scouts’ Developmental Psychologist, explains that it has detrimental effects on girls, often making them feel unsafe and ashamed of their bodies in public. Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's favorite stories for young children starring black Mighty Girls.

All children love seeing faces like theirs within the pages of their picture books. While for many years it was often challenging to find books starring kids of color, there has been an explosion in the number of diverse books published in recent years. A study by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that 13.2% of children's books starred African American characters in 2021 — a percentage akin to the African American population in the United States — compared to only 3.3% in 2012. Greater diversity in books not only gives children of color an opportunity to see themselves in stories but also helps broaden the perspective of all children by fostering children's sense of empathy and connection with characters who might look different from themselves. Continue reading → Continue reading

Irena Sendler led a secret operation to successfully smuggle Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto, saving them from almost certain death

One of the great heroes of WWII led a secret operation to successfully smuggle 2,500 Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto, saving them from almost certain death — yet until recently, few people had heard Irena Sendler's incredible story. This Polish Catholic nurse and social worker defied the Nazis at great personal risk, and nearly paid the ultimate price for her courageous actions. And even when she was tortured by the Gestapo, she never told them the names or locations of the children she had rescued. Her story is one of tremendous moral fortitude and the determination to fight evil, no matter the cost. Continue reading → Continue reading

"This type of bullying is marked by crimes of omission... yet the pain, humiliation, and isolation are unmistakable."

The world of friendship and social status can be a challenging one for girls. Bullying prevention expert Signe Whitson observes that "adults often struggle with the question of, 'Should I intervene in a child's friendship problems?'" However, she asserts, "Kids need adult support and insights when it comes to navigating the choppy waters of friendship, disguised as a weapon." In an insightful Psychology Today article, Whitson, a child and adolescent therapist, provides tips for parents who want to help their girls through friendship conflicts and teach them how to find good friends. Continue reading → Continue reading

The best books for children, teens, & adults about Anne Frank

“Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.” — Anne Frank

Stories about the Holocaust can seem very distant to a child today: decades of time and, more importantly, vast differences in life experiences separate them from the life of a persecuted girl suffering from the Nazi regime. And then, at some point, she will read Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl and, suddenly, there is a face to this painful history: the face of a girl her age, whose dreams, thoughts, and emotions are like her own. Continue reading → Continue reading

"Agent Rose" rescued over 100 British and American pilots shot down during WWII.

As Europe was consumed by war, a young woman running a beauty salon would become a major figure in the French Resistance of World War II. Andrée Peel, who was known as "Agent Rose," was one of the most highly decorated women to survive the war and helped save countless lives, including over 100 British and American pilots shot down over France. "At that time we were all putting our lives in danger but we did it because we were fighting for freedom," she later recalled. "It was a terrible time but looking back I am so proud of what I did and I'm glad to have helped defend the freedom of our future generations." Continue reading → Continue reading

Our favorite Mighty Girl stories about the love between girls and their parents, grandparents, and siblings!

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, it’s a great time to talk to your Mighty Girl about love — not just romantic love, but the many other kinds of love she’ll encounter in her life. After all, while your Mighty Girl may be years away from experiencing romantic love, she’s sure to have family who love her! Continue reading → Continue reading