The Female Quotient (The FQ), an experience and media company advancing gender equality in the workplace, today is launching a new social awareness campaign featuring girls from 10–17 years old proclaiming they have the power to be in the career they want when they grow up. This is in collaboration with Être, a mentorship ecosystem closing the confidence gap by bringing girls directly into companies and face to face with female leaders. An F1 driver, a Supreme Court justice, a CEO, and an Olympic medalist are some of the variety of careers the girls not only want, but understand they have the power from within to be. The #iamINPOWERED print and digital campaign debuts on October 10 followed by print and digital media beginning on October 11, International Day of the Girl.
"Today and everyday, girls should know they aren’t ‘empowered’, they are ‘inpowered," said Shelley Zalis, founder and CEO of The Female Quotient. "Let’s lose ‘empower’ from our vocabulary. Power isn’t something given, it’s something girls already possess."
To launch this campaign, The Female Quotient will be launching the word “inpowered” on its social channels on October 11, with a call to action for it’s community of 5.5 million women in business to start shifting the vernacular from "empowered" to "inpowered" and is also rallying support to have Merriam-Webster add the word to the official dictionary.
#GirlsAreInpower also kicks off with a mentoring event featuring 25 Être girls and 15 women leaders from The FQ community representing over a dozen industries, with another mentoring event following the next day. The two mentoring events on October 10 and 11 are filled with pairing and sharing activities between girls and women business leaders from companies including Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, Clear Channel, and NYU Tandon School of Engineering. The agenda includes pairing sessions in girls’ areas of interest and speed sessions to explore careers the girls might not otherwise have been exposed to, such as cybersecurity and AI.
"At Être, we understand that girls’ confidence isn’t built in isolation; it is bolstered and strengthened through meaningful connections," said Illana Raia, founder and CEO of Être. "Our most recent Être survey revealed a troubling 20% drop in girls’ confidence between the ages of 13 and 18, a critical time for their development. But the survey also showed that 91% of girls today say they believe higher confidence is directly related to mentorship."
"By creating opportunities for girls to engage face-to-face with inspiring female leaders early," Raia continued, "we’re not just bridging the confidence gap—we're nurturing a generation of girls that know their potential. Not enough girls have access to mentorships. Creating these mentor moments early—before that confidence drop can start—we’re changing girls' outlook on the power they have, one boardroom at a time."
"By creating opportunities for girls to engage face-to-face with inspiring female leaders early," Raia continued, "we’re not just bridging the confidence gap—we're nurturing a generation of girls that know their potential. Not enough girls have access to mentorships. Creating these mentor moments early—before that confidence drop can start—we’re changing girls' outlook on the power they have, one boardroom at a time."
The Être girls featured in the campaign include published authors, TED-Ed speakers, broadcast journalists, artists and athletes - all pursuing powerful dreams while navigating middle school and high school with epic mentors at their sides.
"The word empower is something that is used so often in relation to women and girls yet you never hear 'empower boys' or about an empowering event for men," said Caroline Dettman, Chief Marketing and Creative Officer at The Female Quotient. "'I am INPOWERED’ is a reminder to us all to check our biased language and most importantly, to come together as women in business and celebrate the power inherent in women and girls. Together, we change the world."
The FQ will feature the campaign in the New York Times and The Guardian US. Clear Channel and Outfront will feature the print and video campaign on Times Square Billboards, along with The FQ’s social channels including Instagram and Linkedin. The FQ is currently the fastest growing digital media business, and the campaign is expected to engage the 5.5 million followers within The FQ community.
About The Female Quotient
The Female Quotient (The FQ) is a woman-owned business creating experiences, media and research for conscious leaders and companies committed to advancing women in the workplace. As an engine of equality, The FQ offers visibility and connections for women at a global scale. The FQ’s signature Equality Lounge® has changed the business agenda at tentpole business conferences including CES, Davos, Cannes Lions and more. As the Business of Equality®, The FQ’s mission is to change the equation and close the gender gap. For more information on the Business of Equality®, visit thefemalequotient.com and join the equality conversation on social @femalequotient on LinkedIn and Instagram.
About Être
Être is a mentorship ecosystem that brings girls directly into companies and face to face with female leaders. Launched in 2016 by former corporate attorney Illana Raia, Être paves the way for girls’ futures by ushering them into the boardroom. Être has empowered tens of thousands of girls to sit in boardroom chairs, raise hands in UN council chambers, stand on Spotify stages and ring NASDAQ bells, and has garnered the likes of nationally recognized icons including Gloria Steinem, Tyra Banks and Lilly Ledbetter. Être has been highlighted by Forbes, TODAY, NASDAQ and recognized by Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas in 2021 and 2022. For more information visit www.etregirls.com.
