Meghan Markle teamed up with Girls Inc. and the National Women’s Law Center at the beginning of last month to put together a diverse group of young girls to hear about their backgrounds, concerns about the future, and the vast range of challenges that their age is dealing with—all while reflecting on the legacy of women who have ushered in significant societal change.

Meghan was able to learn directly from young girls regarding their thoughts and memories, as well as come together to celebrate and draw on a rich legacy of female changemakers, thanks to the virtual meeting.

The Archewell Foundation, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s philanthropic and creative organisation, was in charge of the summit. “The Duchess believes girls’ voices can and should be heard, and through Archewell she focuses on providing them with the platforms, tools, and forums to help define a path forward and continue making an impact.”

The Duchess of Sussex, according to the Archewell Foundation website, helped organize the interactive platform to learn from female activists aged 13 to 18, mostly girls of color, who are members of Girls Inc groups throughout America. “With ambitions of becoming medical professionals, senators, and presidents, the girls who attended had strong and incisive perspectives on issues critical to girls today,” according to the website. “The group spoke about everyday struggles during COVID-19, including identity loss and isolation, and larger issues of mental health, racial bias and injustice, and more. When asked what tools girls need to thrive in the year ahead, a common thread emerged: acknowledgement, support, empathy, and resources.”

Meghan also discussed the historical significance of trailblazing women, encouraging the girls to share which female figures have influenced them.

According to Archewell, “Their answers included American civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, as well as Kala Bagai, one of the first South Asian women to immigrate to the United States in the early 20th century, who was known to many in her California community as ‘Mother India.'”

“Girls Inc. is proud to have participated in a roundtable with The Duchess of Sussex and Archewell Foundation, along with the National Women’s Law Center, that elevated the voices and experiences of girls,” Stephanie J. Hull, the President and CEO of Girls Inc., said of the event. “We believe girls are innately powerful and the leaders our future needs. We were honored to have Girls Inc. girls join The Duchess in a discussion about the issues that most affect them and the ways in which we can work together to drive social change and create a more compassionate and equitable world. We are grateful to have The Duchess as a champion and advocate for girls and women.”

“The National Women’s Law Center is thrilled to have joined The Duchess of Sussex and our friends at Girls Inc. to hear from girls directly about the challenges they are facing and their dreams for a more just and equitable future,” said Fatima Goss Graves, President & CEO of National Women’s Law Center. “Our work is always guided by those who are closest to the problem, and that is perhaps most true of our work in support of girls – and their right to learn and live with safety, equity, and dignity. In this moment as we begin to imagine what it is like to reopen and recover from the pandemic, we must seize the opportunity to center the experiences of girls–especially girls of color and LGBTQ+ youth–in how we reimagine our culture and curriculum, our policies and our priorities.”

Meghan and Harry previously explained the inspiration behind the name of their foundation, saying, “Before SussexRoyal came the idea of ‘arche’ — the Greek word meaning ‘source of action.’ We connected to this concept for the charitable organization we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son’s name. To do something of meaning, to do something that matters. Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon.”