I think that you have to do everything you can do to empower

“I think that you have to do everything you can do to empower girls when they are young, from their education, to their successful independence, to their sexual self-knowledge.” — Susie Bright

These words of Susie Bright speak not merely as a statement, but as a sacred call — a declaration of renewal for the generations to come. They are not the words of fleeting opinion, but of deep understanding, born from the recognition that the empowerment of girls is the foundation upon which the future of civilization rests. In her simple, resolute sentence, Bright captures the eternal struggle between ignorance and enlightenment, bondage and freedom. She reminds us that to shape a better world, one must begin with the hearts, minds, and spirits of the young — for the strength of women begins in the wisdom of girls.

The meaning of this quote stretches far beyond mere education or independence. It is a vision of wholeness — a belief that every girl must be nurtured to know her worth, to trust her voice, and to understand her body not as something to be feared or silenced, but as a vessel of life, power, and truth. To empower girls means to free them from the shackles of ignorance, shame, and dependence. It is to light a torch within them that no darkness can extinguish. For when girls learn to command both mind and spirit, they do not simply grow into women — they grow into creators of destiny, architects of peace, and warriors of wisdom.

The origin of these words lies in Bright’s lifelong advocacy for truth, autonomy, and self-knowledge, especially in a world that too often teaches young women to doubt themselves. A writer and thinker of fierce clarity, she sought to reclaim what society had long denied: that the strength of a woman is not found in obedience, but in awareness — and that awareness must begin early. Her call for education, independence, and sexual self-knowledge is not indulgent or radical, but profoundly ancient in spirit. For even in the temples of old, the wise knew that ignorance breeds servitude, and that the liberation of the body and mind are one and the same.

Consider the story of Hypatia of Alexandria, the philosopher who taught beneath the stars when the world still called women unfit for wisdom. Her classroom was filled with men who came to hear her teachings, for her intellect shone like the sun in an age of shadow. Yet she was slain — not for her errors, but for her courage to think freely. Her death was not only the silencing of a voice, but the warning of what happens when the world fears the knowledge of women. Hypatia’s story stands as both a tragedy and a torch: a reminder that to educate and empower girls is to guard the flame of humanity’s progress.

Bright’s words call us, too, to speak of independence, not as isolation, but as self-command — the power to choose, to create, and to stand unbroken when the world would confine. The girl who learns independence young will not barter her freedom for comfort nor her dignity for approval. She will know that her worth is not bestowed by others, but forged by her own labor, her own choices, her own self-understanding. And when she is also taught sexual self-knowledge, she will not be shamed by her body, nor deceived by those who seek to control it. Knowledge is armor; understanding is liberation. These things, given early, make her untouchable by those who would diminish her.

Let us remember, too, the women who rose from such empowerment to change the course of the world. Malala Yousafzai, struck down by tyranny yet rising stronger, became a symbol of the unconquerable power of an educated girl. Her voice shook the foundations of ignorance, declaring to the world that a girl with a book is mightier than an army without conscience. Her story is the living proof of Bright’s vision — that the education and empowerment of the young is not an act of charity, but of revolution. For each girl awakened becomes a force that reshapes nations.

And so, the lesson is clear: if we wish for peace, justice, and prosperity, we must begin not with armies or kings, but with the education of girls. Teach them their worth before the world teaches them their limits. Let them see in knowledge their inheritance, in independence their strength, and in self-awareness their sanctity. Do not tell them merely what they may become — show them that they already are powerful beyond measure. Build schools that open minds, homes that encourage truth, and societies that protect the freedom of the young to know themselves fully.

For in the end, the empowerment of girls is the empowerment of humanity itself. Where girls are free, the world is freer. Where they are wise, the nations prosper. Where they are strong, injustice trembles. Let us then do everything we can — as Susie Bright commands — to nurture that power while it is still tender, to raise daughters who walk not in fear, but in truth. For the girl who knows herself becomes the woman who changes the world, and her strength will echo for generations yet unborn.