Janice Hechter
Where Are the Women?
Girl scouts will stop at nothing to get a statue of women represented in Central Park.
Where Are the Women? The Girl Scouts’ Campaign for the First Statue of Women in Central Park tells the true story of a group of young girl scouts who set out to raise awareness of the lack of women statues in Central Park, New York, in 2016. At the time, none of twenty-two statues in the park portrayed a real-life woman. The girls supported an organisation called Monumental Women, which works to bring statues of women into the park. The girl scouts made signs, cards and pins, and marched down the cobbled sidewalks of Central Park West to raise awareness and protest about the number of women represented on pedestals in Central Park. The girls raised funds to help pay for a statue by selling cookies, and throughout 2017 and 2018 raised thousands of dollars. But the girls were disappointed when the proposed location of the statue was a dark, isolated corner outside of the park. As the girls continued to fight for a statue in the park, public awareness increased. Finally, in 2020, a sixty-year-old ban of new statues in the park was overturned and a statue of three inspirational women was revealed. The three women, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady changed history when they fought for women’s rights.
Where Are the Women? The Girl Scouts’ Campaign for the First Statue of Women in Central Park by author Janice Hechter is an inspirational true story about an inspirational group of girl scouts. Through perseverance and self-less determination, the young women worked tirelessly to get the first statues of real-life women in Central Park. This is an inspiring and empowering story, which highlights not only the importance of representation, but also the impact of youth activism. It demonstrates how the collective efforts of individuals, can drive significant change. The young women featured in this book, are a credit to girls and women everywhere. Truth, Anthony, Cady, and all the other women who fought for gender equality, would be proud of their achievements.
Star rating: 5 StarsÂ
Summary: This is an inspiring and empowering story, and a must-read for anyone interested in social justice, history and youth advocacy.
