While social media can be a great tool for connecting people together, for many of our North Texas youth, the effects of social media and social media influencers can have a dark side. Teens follow a staggering number of influencers, with 70% of American teens relying on influencers as a primary source of information.
During February, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas and Galleria Dallas are partnering to launch a powerful campaign titled “Redefining Influencers” that showcases a new class of influencer – role models of whom all North Texans can be proud.
The exhibit, which will be unveiled Friday, Jan. 26, will showcase three North Texas professionals and two Girl Scouts Gold Award winners and highlight how they have positively influenced their world. Young women earn the Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting, by developing and carrying out lasting solutions to issues in their neighborhoods and beyond.
Among the women featured in the exhibit:
- Amber Williams. A chef who founded Le Rouge Cuisine, Williams has drawn upon her experiences growing up in Oak Cliff to write the cookbook Surviving the Food Desert, which provides educational tips to turn food pantry staples into nutritious and delicious meals.
- Devyn Walker. The licensed professional counselor used personal tragedy and mental health challenges as the catalyst to create Transcend Wellness, which brings mind-body healing practices to underserved BIPOC communities.
- Linda Garcia. The Texas representative created the wealth management company In Luz We Trust, which empowers the LatinX community to take control of their finances. Her Wealth Warrior workshops led her to write Wealth Warrior: 8 Steps for Communities of Color to Conquer the Stock Market.
These powerful role models are joined in the exhibit by two Girl Scout Gold Award recipients:
- Kelsey Jahnke. The Plano West High School senior pays tribute to a fellow Girl Scout who died of fentanyl poisoning with A Focus on Fentanyl, which creates awareness and education among North Texas teens.
- Anya Aggarwal. The sophomore at The Hockaday School educated DISD youth about healthy habits and body image in a special camp called Beautiful Body through Beautiful Mind – Inside and Out.
“Young women today are barraged with a variety of voices hoping to influence them. We are proud to collaborate with Galleria Dallas to bring real influencers for change to the forefront of that dialogue,” said Jennifer Bartkowski, CEO of GSNETX.
The timing of the display falls during the annual Girl Scout Cookie Program, which runs through Feb. 25. Every purchase of a box of Girl Scout Cookies fuels local Girl Scouts’ adventures throughout the year – exploring what interests them, discovering their passions and taking action on issues they care about.
Girl Scout troops will sell cookies at Galleria Dallas each weekend from Jan. 27 – Feb. 25 near their exhibit.
This year, Cookie Box Creations also returns to Galleria Dallas. With the goal of creating the next generation of STEM leaders, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas pairs teams of Girl Scouts with architects and engineers in a design contest to transform Girl Scout cookie boxes into free-standing structures. This year’s theme celebrates board games, with each team honoring a different classic game.
On Sunday, Feb. 25, four teams of Girl Scouts will work to create structures using a maximum of 1,000 empty Girl Scout Cookie boxes. In addition to being adjudicated by a panel of experts, the impressive creations will also be judged by the public, who can vote for a favorite via a QR code.
Area Girl Scouts are invited to view the creations and celebrate a successful cookie season on March 9, when Galleria Dallas hosts Girl Scout Skate Day from noon to 9 p.m. at Galleria Dallas Ice Skating Center. Girl Scouts who arrive in uniform will receive free skate rental and a special patch.
“As a woman who benefitted from experience as a Girl Scout in the Cookie Program, being able to partner with the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas to share this important message is personally empowering,” said Galleria Dallas Director of Marketing Megan Townsend. “Galleria Dallas is committed to being a powerful voice in the community and to help elevate the dialogue that shapes the women of tomorrow.”
EVENT INFORMATION
REDEFINING INFLUENCERS DISPLAY
WHEN: Jan. 26 through Feb. 27, 2024
Onsite interview opportunity morning of Jan. 26
WHERE: Galleria Dallas
Level I across from Apple
COST: Exhibit is free.
Cookie sales will be available Jan. 27-Feb. 25 as follows:
- Saturdays – 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Sundays – noon to 6 p.m.
COOKIE BOX CREATIONS
WHEN: Live Build – Sunday, Feb. 25, 8 a.m. to noon.
Onsite interview opportunity morning of Feb. 25
Structures onsite for viewing and voting Feb. 25 through March 23
WHERE: Galleria Dallas
Level I near Mango
COST: Exhibit is free.
GIRL SCOUT SKATE DAY
WHEN: Saturday, March 9, noon to 9 p.m.
WHERE: Galleria Dallas Ice Skating Center
COST: $12. Girl Scouts wearing a uniform or other Girl Scout apparel will receive a special patch and free skate rental during the event ($5 value).
About Galleria Dallas
Galleria Dallas is an iconic shopping center with a unique collection of more than 200 retailers, restaurants and experiences including Nordstrom, Macy’s, the world’s only GAP, Banana Republic and Old Navy combo anchor, The Westin Galleria Dallas and the signature Galleria Ice Skating Center. Welcoming more than 12 million visitors annually, only Galleria Dallas delivers the consummate Dallas shopping experience. Visit galleriadallas.com for hours and to learn more about the shopping center. Galleria Dallas is managed by Trademark Property Group, Inc. Galleria Dallas, 13350 Dallas Parkway, Dallas, Texas, 75240.
For Social Media: @GalleriaDallas #GalleriaDallas @galleriadallasiceskating #galleriadallasiceskating
We Are Girl Scouts
Whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges. Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas serves girls and adult volunteers across 32 counties. To change the workforce pipeline in STEM and meet the urgent need for female voices, engagement, and leadership in the fastest-growing sector of the U.S. economy, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas opened the STEM Center of Excellence in 2018. The STEM Center is a 92-acre state-of-the-art camp outside of Dallas where girls can experience astronomy, robotics, coding, computer science programs, and more. Learn more at gsnetx.org or call 972-349-2400.