When Jenna Alessandrini, while gaming with her dad Steve, found out she couldn't make a female character for the video game, Madden NFL 20, she was discouraged. She didn't want her player to be male; she wanted a female player that looked like her. While most would simply let this be a fleeting disappointment, Jenna decided to take action and wrote a letter to the CEO of Electronic Arts (EA), the maker of the video game. Her letter garnered a response from Andrew Wilson who assured Jenna the company is working to add gender selection to the game.
On the surface, Jeanna's outreach to EA may not sound unusual or noteworthy, but when you learn Jenna is 14 years old, her story becomes even more inspiring! Already she is using her voice to advocate for gender equality, combat stereotypes and surface biases by brands. On this episode of Fierce Lab we talk about how girls can find the courage to speak out, who inspires her and why (hello Emma Watson!) and the responsibility she feels brands have to reflect and respond to their consumers.
Jenna is a very bright young lady with so much poise and maturity. Talking with her left me inspired and motivated to support and encourage this next generation of leaders. With young ladies like Jenna speaking truth to power, we have a bright equitable future ahead. I can't wait to see how she and her peers change the world. You can bet I'll be watching, cheering and telling their stories!