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BWW Interviews: ACT LIKE A GRRRL '11 Roars Onstage at Belmont's Black Box Theatre

It was one of those moments in life when inspiration, like so much lightening, struck and thereafter nothing would ever be the same...

When Vali Forrister's niece Haviland was 12, she shared with her aunt some of her poetry: "I told her it was good," Vali remembers. But shockingly, Haviland's response was: "No, it isn't. My teachers tell me I'm too dark."

"I realized that the box of what was acceptable in her world was so small that Haviland's voice would never be heard," the wise-beyond-her-years aunt recalls. "So I decided to create a space where Haviland and girls like her could explode the box and be as big and bold as they wanted to be ."

And the result? Vali, with the support of her comrades-in-theater at Nashville's Actors Bridge Ensemble (named as First Night's Outstanding Theater Company of 2010-11), created Act Like A GRRRL, a month-long intensive workshop that brings young women like Haviland (who was part of ALAG's first class) together to explore their own creativity, to find their own voice and to breathe life into their own dreams via a summer theater experience unlike any other.

"At the moment when our culture is asking them to sit down and shut up, Act Like a GRRRL invites teenage girls to stand up and speak out," Vali surmises. " It turns out it was not just Haviland. Research indicates a majority of girls feel anxiety about their present lives and hopelessness about their future. ALAG has become a counter-cultural revolution that invites girls to tell their personal stories and articulate their values in community. Telling your story publicly involves a kind of vulnerability and risk that facilitates growth and independence. It is an invitation to author your own life."

As producing artistic director for one of the region's most acclaimed professional theater companies, Vali Forrister was aghast when, in that initial conversation with Haviland, her niece told her she believed her only career options - in 2004 - were "teacher and secretary."

"It was shocking to me that in the 21 Century, a well-educated young woman would believe she had so few professional options into which she could grow," she explains. "So, the GRRRLS meet at least 20 guest artists every year: adult women from a variety of profession Al Fields to blow their minds with all the possibilities their future could hold."

Now a junior at Agnes Scott College, Haviland Forrister has a double-major in astrophysics and philosophy, her career objectives far beyond her earlier considerations. During the summer of 2011, she's in Paris, doing optics research, "A far cry from that girl who thought her only options were teacher and secretary," her aunt proudly reports.

seanousderop: Quotes About Nieces

Anyway, as long as some fools doesn't admit the facts and realize the changing world, all those forums / blogs / hatred etc; will be just a waste of their time. ofcourse they have been wasting watching stupid games in TVs / Stadiums instead could use 'that' time to gain some new skills / learn new technologies that are required to survive in the job market. I have my labor cleared and 140 applied in 2007. Later in 2007 I had filed for 485 based on the pending 140 application and received EAD as well. But the 140 was denied later due to ineligibility to file on EB2 and a new one I140 was applied in EB2 refering the pending 485 application and the same old labor. This I140 has been pending since last few years and my attorney only received a letter stating it is under review, when a SR was raised. Meanwhile I have received EAD and AP extensions properly based on the pending 485. 1: I am primary applicant and we have our EADs approved. I have been offered a grant assistantship to complete my PhD research early next year - spring 2008 (in the same field as job) and employer is OK with me going part time for a semester as it benefits them. Is it fine to do that or do I have to remain "full time" with employer while GC is pending? I had appeared for my visa stamping (9th year extension). It went fine. I'd used these forums to collect all the needed info so thanks to everyone ! I was little nervous but had no choice because my company had sent me for a business trip. At the consulate, security was very good. They even had places to leave your belongings. I saw people come in with cellphones, keys etc and they were check them in the security. Once through the security initial check ups took place where they put the needed documents in a file.

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