▁to ▁offer . ▁G GE ' S ▁youth ▁development ▁model ▁consists ▁of ▁leadership ▁programs , ▁raising ▁conscious ness ▁by ▁encourag ing ▁youth ▁to ▁think ▁crit ically ▁about ▁their ▁place ▁in ▁society , ▁expl oring ▁the ▁concept ▁of ▁identity , ▁setting ▁career ▁goals , ▁community ▁organ izing ▁for ▁social ▁justice , ▁building ▁aw aren ess ▁on ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁nut r ition , ▁and ▁pract icing ▁physical ▁fit ness . ▁ ▁In iti atives ▁ ▁Young ▁Women ’ s ▁In iti ative ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Girls ▁for ▁G ender ▁Equ ity ▁played ▁a ▁major ▁role ▁in ▁helping ▁the ▁City ▁Council ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁create ▁the ▁Young ▁Women ' s ▁In iti ative ▁as ▁a ▁counter part ▁to ▁Young ▁Men ’ s ▁In iti ative . ▁Mayor ▁Michael ▁Blo om berg ▁started ▁this ▁initi ative ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁to ▁offer ▁equal ▁opportun ities ▁to ▁black ▁and ▁Lat ino ▁men ▁and ▁boys ▁in ▁sout heast ▁Queens , ▁northern ▁Manh attan , ▁the ▁South ▁Bron x ▁and ▁St aten ▁Island ’ s ▁North ▁Sh ore . ▁In ▁a ▁press ▁release , ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁Council ▁Spe aker ▁Mel issa ▁Mark - V iver ito ▁called ▁Y WI ▁" the ▁first ▁coal ition ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁tack le ▁the ▁system ic ▁gender - based ▁inequality ." ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁Young ▁Women ' s ▁In iti ative , ▁released ▁a ▁compreh ensive ▁report ▁consisting ▁of ▁a ▁detailed ▁ag enda ▁of