A weekend to remember! Teen Vogue's first ever Teen Vogue Summit took place December 1-2, 2017 in Los Angeles and featured inspiring keynotes, hands-on workshops and mentoring experiences. Step Up was honored to partner with Teen Vogue on the selection process for Summit scholarship winners. Step Up CEO Jenni Luke and three Step Up teens sat on a panel to select 50 attendees to receive a scholarship which enabled travel and participation at the Summit all expenses paid. Step Up teens in Los Angeles were given the opportunity to attend, which included hearing Hillary Clinton interviewed by Yara Shahidi! Our friends at Coach made sure their style was extra with bright backpacks and scarves. Read more to dive into their experience!
DAY 1 – December 1
Werk Immersion at "Chelsea" at Netflix
"My biggest learning moment was hearing that I just need the courage to pursue what I believe is necessary to go up one more step in my life, even if that means moving away from family. There is no one but myself that knows what is best for me." –Jessica, Step Up teen
"I learned that sometimes you need to start at the bottom, doing small jobs that may seem insignificant in order to get to the top. It helped me realize that it's ok to slow down and set my own pace. I especially loved that Chelsea Handler is not scared to talk about issues that make other uncomfortable." –Susy, Step Up alumna
Werk Immersion at Participant Media
"My favorite part about the werk immersion was getting into groups and creating a PSA (public service announcement). My peer group as well as the staff were so kind and inspirational. You could really feel the activism in the air!" –Jessica, Step Up teen
"I loved breaking out into groups with women of different backgrounds. I learned that we must empower each other, help fellow women and instill this in younger girls. The session inspired me to make sure I am lifting up other girls no matter what size, background or age." –Susy, Step Up alumna
Werk Immersion at ban.do
“I loved hearing from Founder Jen Gotch and her team at the helm of ban.do. When asked to name women in business they look up to, the first woman mentioned was Refinery29 Co-Founder Piera Gelardi, who is on our Step Up board of directors in New York. It was exciting to know that industry-leading women are involved in Step Up and with brands that are shaping the future for career women everywhere.” –Alissa Zito, Step Up VP of Communications
Photos L-R: Step Up teen Jessica ready to participate in her first-ever Teen Vogue Summit. Jessica and Step Up alumna Susy with "Chelsea" showrunner Sue Murphy. A visit to ban.do warrants a pic with its famous inflatables!
DAY 2 – December 2
Keynote: Hillary Clinton x Yara Shahidi on How to "Actually Change The World
"My favorite part of the entire day was Yara Shahidi's intelligent, educated and well-informed questions she had for Hillary Clinton. That level of inquiry, for herself and her peers, was admirable and inspiring." –Sofia, Step Up teen programs lead facilitator
Panel Part 1 + 2: Cultivating Creativity & Crushing Content + Boss Women in Tech
"The biggest thing I learned from the panel is to not be scared to show what I know in technology, don't let men hold me back and don't give up." –Jayne, Step Up teen
Keynote: How Ava Duvernay, Rowan Blanchard, & Storm Reid are Disrupting Hollywood
"Hearing Ava, Rowan and Storm speak really inspired me (and reminded me) to speak up and not to be afraid of men. Women should stand up for each other because we are strong!" –Jayne, Step Up teen
Sponsor Session: Nothing But a Number – Why You're Never Too Young (Or Too Old) To Do Anything "Presented by #DisruptAging"
"This session inspired me to begin thinking about starting my own company one day" –Jayne, Step Up teen
"One of my favorite speakers was Cindy Gallop, founder + CEO of MakeLoveNotPorn, who spoke about the importance of simply going after a goal regardless of age. She also spoke about reframing language and how instead of those who identify as female should change the way they speak to sound more dominant, those who identify as males, should also be told to refine their way of speaking. There is power in the way women address situations and when she spoke about that, I felt like she was peering through my thoughts. If this is how I felt, I can only imagine what the teens must have felt like, to have a space created entirely for their learning experience and to feel free-empowered." –Roxana, Step Up teen programs facilitator
Mentor Session with Television Personality + Activitst Jeannie Mai
"I was most inspired by the mentor session with Jeannie Mai, cohost of "The Real" talk show. It's been a dream of mine for the last 3 years to meet Jeannie so I was super stoked! I had an intimate conversation with her and she shared personal advice on how she learned to love herself and what gave her the confidence to succeed in her career. She inspired me to 'Keep my cup full.' What fills your cup? What empties it? Recognize people, environments and things that fill you up and those that make you empty and steal your energy! When you notice your cup is being emptied, take a break. Say NO to some people and things for a brief moment and fill your cup back up again!" -Maya, Step Up teen programs lead facilitator
Workshop: The Do's and Don'ts of Finding a Meaningful Mentor
"The biggest lesson I learned from this workshop is that if a potential mentor doesn't ask you, 'What sets your soul on fire?' in the first three questions of meeting each other, then find a new mentor." –Sofia, Step Up teen programs lead facilitator
We're feeling so lucky to be part of Teen Vogue's first-ever Summit and that Step Up teens were part of its empowering weekend. Thank you to Coach for making sure teens showed up with confidence and style!
Photos L-R: Afternoon pick-me-up in front of the Teen Vogue Summit sign with Step Up CEO Jenni Luke and Teen Programs Lead Facilitator Sofia. Step Up teen Ziani featured on Teen Vogue's Insta stories! Getting cute in the photobooth in Philosophy's Woke Lounge. Love your SELFie with Teen Programs Lead Facilitator Maya and Jeannie Mai! Teen Programs Facilitator Roxana with Cindy Gallop.
