GEMS started in 2012, when with a few hundred dollars and two middle school girls, Katie Jickling hosted her first summer camp. Katie was determined to empower young women to forge healthy relationships early with each other so they could help build each other up and offer support to each other throughout the year. She named the camp GEMS (Girls Empowered, Motivated, Strengthened), and it became a nonprofit in 2013. The vision was to use a summer program to build confidence, promote and develop leadership skills, and empower young women to become active contributing members and change-makers within their communities. The camp had a three pronged agenda: to develop strong leaders, empower young women to be these leaders, and to make sure young women from all socioeconomic backgrounds were able to become leaders.
Ten years later, we understand that it’s not just young women who are negatively impacted by cultural perceptions. Whether it be through employment discrimination, toxic masculinity, anti-trans legislation, or personal harassment, oppression impacts us all. In 2022, the board of directors for GEMS voted to expand the camp. In order to make sure everyone, especially marginalized campers, feels safe and valued, we have strict rules preventing prejudice.
