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Who runs the world? Girls!

Girls With Impact had one mission when coordinating their historic International Women’s Day Benefit Concert: provide good music for a good cause.

With musical performances from Madson Reyes, Fletcher and Renée Elise Goldsberry, this star-studded concert co-sponsored by Live Nation and Girls With Impact caught the attention of teens, parents and sponsors from around the world. 

The purpose of the concert was to raise funds to "equip under-resourced girls as tomorrow’s business leaders and innovators,” according to the Girls With Impact website. The organization, which serves as a business and innovation academy for teenage girls ages 12 to 18, promises to provide girls with "the tools, confidence and skills to be tomorrow’s business leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators."

Whether you tuned into the live stream or spent the evening with your closest gal pals, we recapped this historic International Women’s Day Benefit Concert—and it is *totally* worth checking out.

Madison Reyes, a 16-year-old singer and actress, kicked off the benefit concert with a passionate ballad from her hit Netflix show Julie and the Phantoms. She followed it with a cover of Andra Day's "Rise Up," which she said was a song that always makes her feel inspired. To close her set, she delivered a heartfelt statement directed toward all of the teenage girls watching: "Remember that the only person who can stop you from following your dreams is yourself."

Cari Elise Fletcher, known professionally as Fletcher, is known for her moody and stylish hits that started making appearances on the Billboard pop genre charts in 2019. Referred to as a "dear friend of Girls With Impact" by Jennifer Openshaw, the organization's founder, Fletcher was an obvious pick to sing at the GWI benefit concert. Accompanied by her guitarist, Fletcher sang hits like "Undrunk," "Last Laugh," "Bitter" and  "I believe you," and it's safe to say she had gained an audience filled with new fans by the end of her performance. She echoed Madison's earlier comments by ending her segment with advice for all the girls taking part in such an "amazing important program." She said, "Don't let anyone tell you there is anything you can't be."

 

 

 

 

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The concert also featured a halftime show from NBC's Hoda Kotb, who interviewed three teen CEOs who previously graduated from Girls With Impact. The girls praised the program, stating that the provided mentorship, structure and coaching prepared them to turn their ideas into organizations that make tangible impacts. Jody Bell, the 19-year-old CEO of In Case of Deportation, said that Girls With Impact changed her life "in every way possible." She continued, saying: "Before Girls With Impact, I was the girl at the back of the class who didn't want the teacher to call on me. Now, I'm the girl speaking at the Yale Club." Wow!

 

 

 

 

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Renée Elise Goldsberry closed out the show by singing some of her favorite inspirational tunes. Known for her role as Angelica Schuyler in the Original Cast of Broadway's Hamilton, Renée is no stranger to the spotlight. A believer in “Lifting each other up with good music,” Renée did just that as she sang songs off of her soon-to-be-released album. Renée ended the night with a post-show Q&A, where she praised the women who have inspired her throughout her life. Talk about a role model!

How did you spend your International Women's Day? Let us know by tagging us on social media @girlslifemag.

by Claire Hutto | 3/11/2021