I was a delegate at the International Year of Youth Culmination Celebration!

I had told you guys I was accepted to go to the United Nations in New York City. I attended as a delegate for the U.N. International Year Of Youth Culmination Celebration.  I was chosen based on the essay on gender equality, there were 192 delegates ranging from tween to teens ages 11 thru 24 years old.    It was a day of inspiring stories from amazing girls and young women from across the U.S. and around the world. The event was hosted by the beautiful Monique Coleman which many of you might remember her as Taylor McKessie in the movie High School Musical.

Monique was appointed the first ever United Nation Youth Champion at the UN headquarters in New York City last November.  She has raise awareness on youth issues, encourage young people to use their ability to foster progress in their communities and urge the international community to take responsibility on youth issues. She has visited 26 countries in the last six months.  Monique is also the founder & CEO of GimmeMo, a site she has dedicated to empowering youth and bringing awareness about real issues affecting tween and teens and to spotlight Hollywood’s commitment to giving back.Keynote speaker such as Farah Pandith, Begoña Lasagabaster Olazabal, Moira Forbes, Gina Otto, Ann Shoket, and more just to name a few were truly uplifting and many young girls share their amazing and inspiring stories on how they contributed to a positive world.

The most uplifting story came from a young women by the name of Vivian Thakhuli moved me literally in tears.   She lost her mom when she was 11 years old to aids, no father and the responsibility to raise her 13 siblings.   With difficult challenges that she had endured with the help of The Tomorrow Trust, Vivian an educated young woman and an advocate for empowerment of young girls.

Along with Monique Coleman, let’s not forget the founder and CEO of AllyKatzz, Denise Restuari who created a platform for tween and teens to speak out and together change the world for the better. Denise has created a safe online format where young girls can express and communicate their positive views.

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Meet young inspiring tween and teens who have made a difference and touched so many lives.  After the UN, the girls headed over in a chartered bus  to the French Institute Alliance Francaise where the celebration began.  The girls enjoyed a  fun lunch, fun games and activities.   Me and the girls helped filled backpacks for girls in need around the globe, filling them with items such as notebooks, sharpies, soaps, towels and much more that were generously donated by sponsors.