ACT for Women and Girls (ACT) is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization located in Tulare County, California in the Central Valley. The mission of ACT is to engage women of all ages in leadership opportunities that will promote social and personal change. ACT was founded in 2005 with the creation of the Female Leadership Academy (FLA) project. From the inception of FLA, it was evident that reproductive justice issues demanded to be addressed, as our participants were often misinformed about reproductive health, justice, and access.
ACT reaches constituents through three primary program models: 1) Our signature eight month leadership program - Female Leadership Academy (FLA); 2) ACTion Teams for young women and men to educate their peers on sexual health information in the community through events, street outreach and education (SHAPE- Sexual Health Awareness for Peer Empowerment and Peer Education); 3) Teen Success, a support group for pregnant and parenting teen moms. ACT hosts five weekly programs under the above named models. Program participants are actively engaged in shaping the future of their communities (both locally and globally). ACT focuses on reproductive justice leadership by developing young women leaders to engage in civic participation campaigns and events, and partners with state and national groups for policy advocacy work.
On Monday, May 11, 2015, the Ms. Foundation for Women presented ACT for Women and Girls with an award at the 27th annual Gloria Awards: A Salute to Women of Vision at the Pierre Hotel in New York City. The Gloria Awards, named for Gloria Steinem — one of the organization’s founding mothers — is a yearly celebration to benefit Ms. Foundation grantees around the country. Six honorees, including ACT for Women and Girls, were recognized as “Women of Vision.”