Forum steers Metro Detroit girls toward self-discovery

High school girls were asked to grip a personal mirror and look within Saturday asking themselves "who am I?" and "what do I need to overcome?" in a reflection session teaching them to take back their narrative. Sixty girls gathered for the Torch of Wisdom Foundation's inaugural Who Am I? conference centered on increasing self-awareness, giving back and setting a philanthropic mindset. Before girls start focusing on where they want to go in life and getting involved by volunteering, the foundation sets the precedent to focus on themselves, learn their values and how to prioritize their time, said LaSonja Chapple Campbell, program director of the foundation.  "We think it is really important for the girls to be a part of this program to establish the foundation to ready themselves to be able to give make a difference," she said. "The girls are from all walks of life, urban and suburban girls. What's so important about that is that the socio-issues that impact girls, they cross the economic lines. And so when you start talking about girls who have self-identity issues, girls who have been bullied, girls who have suffered a loss, girls who have parents who are drug-addicted ... it doesn't matter how much money is coming into the house, they're all dealing with something." The nonprofit hosts a series of events throughout the year and in May, an event for both boys and girls ages 16-19 are invited to The Learning Network, a youth employment six-week training hosted by Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence