MILWAUKEE — Middle and high schoolers across Milwaukee gathered Wednesday for Girl’s Day at City Hall. The event was founded by the first black Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, currently the Alderwoman for the 6th district. She told WTMJ how the event was created 14 years ago.
Today was the 14th annual Girls’ Day at City Hall
— Julien Johnson (@jujuelz_is) March 20, 2024
6th District @alderwomancoggs is the founder of the event and talked about why it was created: @620wtmj pic.twitter.com/WIqhPw0Tif
“When I was elected in 2008, I was the only woman out of 15 members here on the council. For 8 years, I was the only woman,” she said. “Talking with other women who were working in City Hall and trying to think of ways to attract more women to elected office… we came up with Girls’ Day at City Hall.”
From there, they expanded the target audience of the event to people who work in public service as well, so people from both career backgrounds come to this event and speak to these young ladies about their career fields.
One of the panelists were 1st District Alderwoman Andrea Pratt. She was a panelist last year, but this year, she was now a panelist as an alderwoman.
“Just to see all these young ladies have access to City Hall and all these dynamic women… who can help them blaze their own trails,” she said. “It’s overwhelming. It’s exciting.”
Pratt is the mother of four daughters, so she said she knows the importance of having representation, especially in City Hall.
Panelist, Alderwoman Andrea Pratt, at Girls’ Day at City Hall talked about the importance of representation for women and beyond!@620wtmj pic.twitter.com/zpWdhCrN0P
— Julien Johnson (@jujuelz_is) March 20, 2024
“[Representation] definitely is so important,” she said. “We know that our city is half women, but our council is only 5 women. I think it’s time we make some changes, and we are more representative of the people that live in the city. In terms of race… gender… sexual orientation… everyone needs to be represented.”
The students who attended saw that representation first hand as they congregated at City Hall and got to learn from all the different women at the event. High schooler Rakyra told WTMJ she was excited for the event.
“I wanted to come because it’s highlighting young women,” she said. “We’re all looking for a future and looking for what we want to do when we get older in life.”
Rakyra said she has aspirations to work in public service as a teacher or lawyer, and when she was younger, she even wanted to be the first female black president.
Freshman Rakyra on what Girls’ Day at City Hall means to her and her career aspirations!@620wtmj pic.twitter.com/dFgFHMdUOq
— Julien Johnson (@jujuelz_is) March 20, 2024
“This day… I really wanted to highlight the [significance]… so I’d understand what I’d be going into as an adult,” she said.
She expressed how she also was interested in learning about the work that goes on at City Hall and said she wanted to take away from the event:
“Confidence, empowerment… powerful speeches and quotes to help us as young women,” she said. “I want to take away… at the end of the day, you are who you are and females help run the world the way it is.”
Middle schooler Dhalia was excited for the event as well and told WTMJ:
Middle Schooler Dhalia on what Women’s History Month means to her and the importance of Women’s History Month@620wtmj pic.twitter.com/JdultdquMu
— Julien Johnson (@jujuelz_is) March 20, 2024
“I’m very happy to see [all the women] do what they do, and it means a lot to me,” she said. “It shows that our city is ready and at the point where they can recognize that girls are powerful too, and they should be recognized.”
She said before the event that she was excited and hoped she’s be able to see and learn from these experienced women.
“It’s nice to see that our city has a day just for girls to be celebrated and to learn and to see what they can do if they want to,” she said.
She said she isn’t sure yet of what she would like to do with her life, but whatever it is:
“I wanna love it and I wanna do it well,” she said. “I think that all of these women speaking here love their job and do it well, and that’s something that really inspires me.”
