I never used to be what you’d call an outspoken person. In high school, when my English teacher suggested I read one of my poems aloud in class, I said, “No way!” Early in my career I wrote a well-received research report, but at the press con­ference I actually hid behind a colleague. At dinner parties, I dreaded the prospect of someone raising a controversial subject. I had strong opinions, but not the nerve to say them out loud.

Women are wonderfully diverse, but many of us have one thing in com­mon: We struggle to find our voice. Finding our voice is essential to becom­ing our authentic selves, and is especially important for women and girls who are trapped by violence, poverty, and rigid gender stereotypes.