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GEM aims to promote gender equity in entrepreneurship, finance with workshop

A workshop to be held by Hopkinton High School students next week will teach young girls all about financial literacy and entrepreneurship.

The Gender Equity Movement Youth (GEM) will be holding a four-hour workshop next Friday called “She Means Business: Financial & Entrepreneurial Skills Workshop for the Next Generation.” The free event will be held at the Hopkinton Public Library and is geared toward girls and other interested students.

GEM president and founder Kaesha Rajgor said the workshop is part of a larger campaign her group is doing. The aim of the workshop is to help younger people learn about financial management and entrepreneurship while also highlighting women-owned small businesses.

The day will feature local speakers, including a CEO and a financial industry professional. There also will be activities to help attendees learn more about financial management.

“It’s a great, free opportunity for those who need it, regardless of income status or background,” Rajgor said.

The ultimate goal of GEM’s campaign, Rajgor explained, is to help eliminate gender disparities in entrepreneurship and business.

“We’re attempting to at least close a gender gap that exists in the world of business and empowering the next generation of business leaders,” she said.

The issue is personal for Rajgor, who said that she had seen how unwelcoming entrepreneurial spaces can be for women firsthand. She recalled finding herself attending camps when she was younger and “being in a room where I didn’t feel like I was welcomed or belonged.”

GEM is Rajgor’s answer to some of the gender inequities she has experienced and seen in her community. The youth-led group aims to lead a movement “to change the conversation around gender equity” and empower a new generation of leaders, according to its website.

Ways the group works to meet its vision include youth workshops like the one coming up, as well as fundraisers that benefit organizations like Girl Up, Dignity Matters and Jane Doe. GEM also runs an advocacy team that focuses on outreach through blogs and social media.

The workshop will take place from noon-4 p.m. on Friday, July 11, in the Betty Strong Room at the HPL. Due to limited availability, registration is required via Google Form. Those with questions can reach out via email at thegemyouth@gmail.com.

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Photo of the Day

White clover flowers grow in a grassy area in the Legacy Farms neighborhood.

PHOTO/AMIT JAGDALE