To Our Community.

First of all, I want to thank everyone who has entrusted us to make some contribution to your pathway, however small or large. I also want to thank our partners and supporters. 

From working in construction in Chicago through college summers, to studying national security law, to entering the field as a green college student and enduring workplace violence, I've experienced firsthand the barriers to women's advancement throughout my career. These experiences have deepened my understanding of why we must support girls, women, and gender minority youth across all career pathways - particularly in fields like national security that offer both job sustainability amid our changing workforce and the opportunity to shape consequential outcomes for our country and the world.

Periodically and intentionally, I review survey feedback from participants, so that I can maintain a connection to the people we serve, as my own responsibilities evolve. And frequently, survey feedback includes some variation of:

• As the only girl in my class...
• As the only girl of color in my [STEM, CS, Government, IR] program...
• As the only female in my unit...
• As one of few nonbinary people I know interested in cybersecurity...

The stories of the participants we serve begin and end with how they see themselves, and how they wish to be seen by others. They want to be realized for the remarkably multifaceted people they are and the richness of the experiences they bring to our mission. 

For example, our Fall Workforce Fellows - who are high school and college ages - are currently examining the complex intersection of Generative AI with security at every level, from personal to national. Their mission extends beyond traditional analysis: they're tasked with examining the ethical implications of dual-use technologies that could both benefit and potentially harm humanity. What makes their work particularly valuable is their distinctive perspective - they're identifying critical issues and oversights that might otherwise go unnoticed. Their diverse backgrounds and fresh viewpoints are proving essential in understanding the full scope of AI's impact on security and society.

There is no question in our minds that the security challenges of today, tomorrow, and our future require the full participation and leadership of girls and women. From climate change to infectious diseases, A.I. to Space, natural resource shortages to digital health, we need girls and women to be seen and to feel a sense of belonging in these critical pathways.