Growing up with her mother and four aunts, Christen Brandt understood the significance of having a strong female network from a young age. Now, the Syracuse University 2010 alumna has co-founded She’s the First, an organization dedicated to empowering women around the world.

The national nonprofit organization helps girls in developing countries receive an education and mentors them by connecting with local organizations that know the target demographic best.

Brandt spoke at SU Wednesday night for an event hosted by the Syracuse chapter of STF in collaboration of The Women’s Network. During the talk, she touched upon how significant moments from her upbringing shaped her and allowed her to “find (her) focus” and encouraged listeners to do the same.

As the first in her family herself to go to college, Brandt knew the financial and social struggles that come with getting an education. STF began as a small idea, but quickly became a prominent mission for Brandt.

In the midst of completing her undergraduate studies at SU, Brandt met with Tammy Tibbetts, who was stationed in New York City. The two connected through an alumni network of a scholarship they had both won earlier on in their careers.

Over the course of several years and constant relays of Facebook messages, Brandt and Tibbetts would create what is now known as the nonprofit organization She’s the First.

Initially, the idea for the organization was a media campaign meant to just advocate for the empowerment of young women. However, the two realized that they could serve a greater purpose by actually funding the education of anyone who self-identifies as a girl. Today, STF functions to ensure that girls everywhere are properly educated, respected and heard.

Brandt emphasized the importance of speaking about the girls and organizations she works with “through a message of building power and building equality.”

Brandt emphasized that its donors are not saviors, but a part of the grand scheme of ensuring the development of a brighter and equitable future for generations to come.

After developing the main branch with its headquarters in New York City in 2009, Brandt and Tibbetts began the chapter organization program. This decision gave campus leaders the opportunity to disperse the national branch’s core values through a micromanaged and campus-centered approach.

Last year, She’s the First had its 10th anniversary and held an event in New York City featuring speeches from the STF scholars. The girls explained their stories and how the organization had helped them.

“I think that any time that we see a girl standing in her own power is a win for me,” Brandt said.

During her talk on campus, Christen Brandt said that significant moments from her upbringing shaped her and allowed her to find her focus in life. Elizabeth Billman | Asst. Photo Editor

A chapter organization for SU was created in 2014 and ran for three years, then mysteriously disappeared.

“The chapter just died,” current STF Syracuse president Rebecca Ahmed said. “And nobody knows why. We assume it’s because the officers graduated, and nobody picked it up in the end.”

Ahmed crossed paths with She’s the First coincidentally during a graphic design project. But once she delved deeper into the core values of the organization, Ahmed found that they resonated with her own ideas.

Ultimately, her own personal experiences motivated her to bring the organization back to campus. Ahmed said that her education has served as a positive platform which has given her the opportunity to voice her opinion.

“I’m from Bangladesh, my family is,” Ahmed said. “Most of the women in my family did not get to finish college; my mom had to drop out of school, her siblings did as well. My generation completely is the first one to finish college.”

Although the second iteration of STF Syracuse just began last semester, the club has made significant progress. Current treasurer Hannah Fox explained that the group’s Chipotle fundraiser last semester “got the ball rolling again” and they plan to hold another one this semester alongside a “Sweat for STF” event.

“We’re a small organization but a powerful organization because we have people who are very passionate and expressive and willing to put in the work for it,” Ahmed said.

Alongside Ahmed, Fox highlighted the pen pal activity in particular which is led by global citizenship chair Sandhya Iyer. Twice or more a semester the members of STF Syracuse write letters to an STF scholar of their choice to create a personal bond.

“We write letters to our STF scholars so we have direct communication with them and that feels really powerful. That piece of paper that has words of encouragement both of us touched which is really powerful,” Ahmed said.

STF now claims that it impacts 7,814 girls through its partner programs, according to its website. Meanwhile, Brandt is continuing to grow the organization’s international outreach.

“No one is limited in their opportunities because of their gender,” Brandt said. “That’s what STF is working towards whether they’re living and going to school in East Africa or attending university in Syracuse.”

Published on February 27, 2020 at 12:33 am

Contact Jade: jchung19@syr.edu