The following is a Letter to the Editor for the Opinions section. 

To the Editor:

In every corner of the world, there are girls with the potential to be their nation’s next great leader. They have the intelligence, talent and drive to succeed but far too many face obstacles in realizing their full potential.

Evidence shows that as more women enter positions of leadership, their nations witness tangible gains in economic growth, democracy and sustainable peace. But we cannot expect young women to have the confidence and skills to take on leadership roles after being systematically excluded from these opportunities in adolescence. 

As a masters student at DU’s Graduate School of Social Work, I have worked with high school students to advocate for policy change at the state level. Those young women are using their voices to change policy and change lives. However, in too many parts of the world, girls and young women don’t have the same opportunities. To bring future female leadership to fruition, we must begin with supporting girls today. 

This is why I’m encouraging Senators Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner to join Senators Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, in signing on to the Girls LEAD Act. This important piece of legislation aims to improve U.S. foreign assistance for girls around the world so they can be equipped to take on leadership roles and increase their civic and political participation. The bill will also help provide the vital resources that are required for girls to be the drivers of change in their own lives. 

I urge Colorado’s senators to join their colleagues to invest in girls and thereby support the next great generation of women leaders.