Malden Public Schools students take part in Empowering Girls Conference

Local girls from six Malden schools get to meet and interact with keynote speaker Valerie Biden Owens

  How many Malden residents can say they are friends with the sister of the President of the United States?

  Dozens of Malden Public Schools students can, including a large contingent of young women from Malden High School!

  Nearly 70 students from six Malden public schools attended last week’s 2023 Empowering Girls Conference, held at the State House in Boston and hosted by Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan.

  More than 450 students from 30 middle and high schools across Middlesex County took this year’s 12th Annual Conference. This year’s theme focused on “Inspiring Engaged and Civic-Minded Leaders”.
Throughout the day, students heard from women who are accomplished advocates, leaders in their fields and actively engaged in the democratic process.

    Middlesex DA Ryan and Director of the District Courts Alice Casey led students through workshop sessions, reviewing concepts and strategies from the “Digital Citizenship Academy”.
The keynote speaker for this event was Valerie Biden Owens, younger sister of U.S. President Joe Biden, who has served on the political side as President Biden’s campaign manager for 40 years, dating back to his first U.S. Senate run.

    Other speakers included DA Ryan, Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller; Diana Hwang, Founder and Executive Director of the Asian American Women’s Political Initiative; Lisa Fortenberry, Executive Vice President, Camp Harbor View; Harvard Law School Professor Dehlia Umuuna; and Joanna Lydgate, Founder and CEO of the States United Democracy Center.

    Malden students were excited about their participation in the event, particularly since they got an opportunity to personally meet and interact with Valerie Biden Owers.

   “It was awesome to meet the President’s sister,” said MHS junior Victoria Gammon. “She talked to us for a while and was such a real person. We really appreciated that.”

    “We are so grateful to DA Ryan for once again hosting our students at such an inspiring event,” Malden High Principal Chris Mastrangelo said. “We have so many strong and successful young women in our school and district and it is great to have such tremendous resources available for them.”

   Malden Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ligia Noriega-Murphy was there to greet the students as they departed for the conference. “It was a tremendous opportunity for the students from our district. It was such a valuable experience for all of them.”

   The students were accompanied to the event by Malden High School administrative assistant Barbara Scibelli and Malden Public School Superintendent’s Office Executive Assistant Shirley Dorai.