Torch - Spring/Summer 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

When It’s Dangerous to Be a Girl Susanna Manziaris 2015 Works to End Gendercide Through Education It’s a complex problem that requires a comprehensive response at all levels: political, economic, cultural, social, collective and individual. But that complexity didn’t stop Susanna Manziaris 2015 from wading into the dark waters of female infanticide. Indeed, with the United Nations estimating that as many as 200 million girls are missing in the world today as a result of targeted abortion and violence, this practice is often referred to as gendercide. In many places and in many ways, it’s dangerous to be a girl. “The documentary It’s a Girl changed my life,” says Manziaris. “Even babies who make it to their teen years or to adulthood face targeted violence from their families, their husbands and their communities in countries like India, China, Afghanistan and many others. I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.” Instead of standing by, Manziaris stood up. “After the film, I asked myself, ‘What now? What will we do about this?’ My friends asked the same question. At Havergal, I was taught to speak up, to make a difference. I wanted to find a way to help.” In Grade 10, Manziaris founded GirlsHelpingGirls (GHG), an initiative that carries on today. Having done her research, she set her sights on education as a way to help girls and women achieve equality. Working with her sister Linda 2018, the two initially focused on raising funds for scholarships and then built three schools in Jamaica and provided teacher training in Afghanistan. Today, GHG continues this three- pronged approach of building schools, training teachers and providing scholarships, with a current focus on educating refugee girls in Greece. “I have been given a lot of opportunity in my life,” says Manziaris. “And I was always taught to try to change things if I didn’t like something I saw. Not all girls get the same messaging. In some places, their voices don’t mean much. That’s what I want to change. I want all girls’ voices to matter, and I want them to have the resources they need to become a force in the world.”

Even today, despite her background, Manziaris sometimes hesitates to speak up at work. “Should I ask the question I have in mind? Or wait to see if someone else does? The answer is, ‘I should ask it.’ Agency is an ongoing practice. You have to keep making the choice, even when you have doubts.” Having graduated from Northeastern University in Boston with a degree in finance, Manziaris now works as an analyst at Goldman Sachs in New York City. In a hyper-competitive and male-dominated field, she has been impressed with her workplace. “Banking is changing. It’s less rigid and traditional. My team at Goldman Sachs is very diverse, with Black and Hispanic members and a majority of women. Industries are learning that diverse teams are more effective, that multiple perspectives lead to better outcomes.” Now living in Manhattan, what does Manziaris do for fun? “I work about 92 hours a week, so that’s a tough question,” she laughs. “But it’s a great city. I love the energy, the feel of it. I love that people like me come here to pursue their dreams.” Thanks to people like Manziaris, girls around the globe can pursue their dreams, too.

Susanna Manziaris 2015 (centre, left) with sister Linda 2017 (centre, right) and parents after receiving Havergal’s Innovation Award in May 2013.

SPRING/SUMMER 2020 • TORCH 17