Coalition on Urban Girls (CUG) Reflections on the Public Health Summit: Advancing the Well-Being of Urban Girls

I am excited to share my recent experience at the Public Health Summit held at the Institute for Public Health and Medicine at Northwestern University on April 2. The event brought together dedicated experts and collaborators focused on advancing public health, even amid the chaos we often face. Together, we embody the "invisible force" that keeps our communities healthy.

During the summit, I had the privilege of presenting a poster on our forthcoming white paper, “Are the Girls Well? Reimagining the Well-Being of Urban Girls in Chicago.” This work holds particular significance as it will be highlighted at the Coalition on Urban Girls (CUG) pivotal event, "A Unified Path Forward: Reimagining the Well-being of Urban Girls," scheduled for April 25, 2025. Our focus is on reimagining systems that prioritize the health, safety, and overall well-being of urban girls, ensuring they have the support needed to thrive.

The findings from our white paper underscore the urgent need for a comprehensive Quality of Life Plan (QLP) for girls. This initiative aims to address the critical challenges faced by urban girls, particularly those from marginalized communities. Key discussion points included the social determinants of health, framing our call to action in a way that necessitates investment and enhances our capacity to build effective systems that integrate data, research, and advocacy. Additionally, we discussed the concept of parentification —where children take on adult responsibilities—which emerged as a significant barrier to their development and overall well-being. Many urban girls face substantial obstacles to fulfilling their physiological and emotional needs, impacting their overall health.

A highlight of the summit was hearing from Dr. Judith Moskowitz, who shared her groundbreaking work on life stress and serious illness. Her insights are invaluable as we aim to tackle the mental health challenges faced by urban girls.

I would like to extend my gratitude to several key individuals and organizations who contributed to this journey: Ellen Aldridge, LPC, at Mindsy Psychology; the Board for The Abolitionicians, Inc.; Sierra Lewis; Saba Mohiuddin; Grace Pausma; Sherida V. Morrison (ARCC Northwestern University); and the founder of the Coalition on Urban Girls. A special shoutout goes to Chicago’s Adler University and the interns from the Social Justice Practicum program.

Additionally, I am pleased to mention the recent report released by the SINAI Urban Health Institute titled “Empower Your Voice: Research Findings on the Mental Well-Being of Chicago Girls.” This report provides critical evidence of the challenges urban girls face and underscores the importance of our work.

Finally, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the CME Group Foundation for their generous grant, which fuels our commitment to improving the health and well-being of urban girls. Together, we are building a solid foundation of support that will create a brighter, healthier future for these young women.

Ayeshia Garrett

Executive Director