A message from CEO Meridith Maskara regarding the 2023 National Girl Scout Convention
Michelle Obama once said, "Democracy continues with or without you."
This week, Girl Scouts from across the country and around the world are convening for the 2023 Girl Scout Convention. This gathering occurs every three years and includes a critical opportunity for our council to impact the national Girl Scout Movement: the National Council Session, which begins today.
The National Council Session is a meeting during which delegates representing councils across the nation come together to discuss, debate, and, most importantly, vote on important issues. It’s a chance to practice the civic engagement we value within our own Girl Scout Movement.
This year's Convention, originally scheduled to take place in 2020 and rescheduled for obvious public health reasons, will convene in the same location that's been in the works for years: Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Over the last few years, but especially over the last few months, Florida has enacted legislation that has further marginalized and even threatened the safety of members of the LGBTQ+, Black and African American, immigrant communities, and others, causing advocacy groups like the Human Rights Campaign, Equality Florida, and the NAACP to issue travel advisories.
Our council’s delegates and many other Girl Scouts, volunteers, and families are going to represent New York City at the Convention and the National Council Session and make our voices heard. But given its location, I want to make a few things clear:
No one should fear for their safety because of who they are.
We stand in solidarity with the communities whose rights and safety are threatened in Florida.
We at Girl Scouts of Greater New York understand that some members of our community do not feel comfortable or safe attending the Convention, and we support choices that prioritize individual well-being. We also support those who are attending in spite of these concerns, to participate and make their voice heard as members of our Movement.
For those of us attending with the privilege to travel without fear of discrimination, we will make the most of this moment to give voice to our fellow Girl Scouts – to ensure that the democratic process within our Movement does not continue without them.
July 18, 2023
