Jeanne Rizzo- President & CEO, Breast Cancer Fund
Advice:
Teenage girls and young women today may have greater opportunities than my generation did when I graduated high school fifty years ago, you face other difficult challenges that we did not – but there is one piece of advice that remains constant : “ OWN your body, your life and your work with integrity and give back when and where you can ”.
You have the right to be safe from physical and emotional harm, to have equal rights and responsibilities in your home, school, workplace. While there are circumstances out of your control, you have the power to be the person you want to be. Your path is your own – so own it, invest in it and enjoy it.
I changed careers several times, following my passions and interest in learning new things and having new experiences. As a nurse that I had responsibility for people’s lives and I had to own that obligation fully. As a music, theatre and film producer, my job was to be true to the art and to respect the audiences above all else and to own that responsibility fully. As an activist for social justice and now as the leader of an environmental health nonprofit organization, those experiences are the foundation for the values that guide our work.
As a mother and grandmother, I witness the challenges that your generation faces and I know that you have to grow up faster and with more savvy and sophistication in order to make your way but you have access to a wealth of knowledge and resources – take advantage of that.