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Tuesday, June 06, 2000
By Mackenzie Carpenter, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Brandy Jackson is a take-no-prisoners eighth-grader at Sterrett Classical Academy in Point Breeze who believes that she is a good example of girl empowerment -- not girl stereotyping.
"I can't stand Britney Spears! She's such a Barbie doll," says Jackson.
The 13-year-old Homewood resident credits the girls-only programs at the YWCA for helping her get to where she is.
"I needed to understand myself better," she says, when asked why she decided, in fifth grade, to participate in the Y's after-school programs, where she helped plan talent shows and bake sales and went to "just sit around and talk about girl things" -- from self-confidence to career planning.
Jackson also was instrumental in planning the conference held May 20 by the Girls Coalition of Western Pennsylvania, which was founded by the Y's Rosemary Duffy, who runs its teen programs.
The day-long series of workshops for about 80 girls included classes in carpentry, electrical work and Jackson's favorite, heavy machinery.
"They taught us how to use a jackhammer and it wasn't that hard at all. Next time I see some big guy out on the street using it, I'll know I can do it, too."
Jackson comes from a family of strong women. Her mother, Shelley Brown, is a retired police officer, and her aunt, Lynette Drawn-Williamson, is deputy director of Shuman Juvenile Detention Center.
But Jackson doesn't plan to go into law enforcement. After visiting the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's advertising and copywriting department, she decided that she wanted to enter that field.
"I'm very creative," she says. "I know I have a lot of good ideas I can use to persuade people to buy products."
Does she think life has improved for girls during the past five years? Maybe. "It seems girls are doing more different kinds of jobs, and getting paid more for it, but I still see girls in my class at school who act weird when boys are around, as if they have to act dumber than they are.
"They're not living up to their full potential. They should know they don't have to do that. I didn't."