What better time to celebrate that girls run the world, á la Beyoncé, than on International Day of the Girl. The annual event, recognized by the United Nations in 2012, is both a reminder of female achievement and of all the work still left to do.
Education, and in particular STEM education, for young girls has inspired Girls Who Code, an initiative that strives to close the gender gap in computer science, to release "Ooh Child," a re-imagined version of the 1970 Five Stairsteps hit, features powerful vocals by Regan Aliyah, Chika, and Tiffany Gouché. The anthem appears on SISTERHOOD, an uplifting visual album celebrating and empowering girls.
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With 74% of girls in middle school showing an interest in STEM leading to only 0.3% choosing computer science as a major in college, Girls Who Code and its mission is more urgent than ever. “Girls Who Code has always been about more than leading the fight to close the gender gap in tech. We’re a movement, and above all: a Sisterhood,” the movement's founder and CEO Reshma Saujani said in a press release regarding the album, which will arrive this week. “There is nothing like the power of Sisterhood, and no one understands that more than this rising generation. We intend for this album to inspire young women around the world to fight for what matters to them, their families, friends, and communities.”
"I am much more than the surface, more than time spent trying to seem perfect, Pay me same wage for my time if I earned it/ It's a new flame, it's a fire steady burning," raps Chika as a group of young women join her in dance.
Cartoon Network is getting behind the movement and marking International Day of the Girl by sharing the song and its message on the network at 6p.m. ET on Thursday, and across all CN social channels. You can find other ways to celebrate the day, here.
Watch the full stirring video below.