International Day of the Girl Child Festival at Rosa Parks Museum Highlights Menstrual Equity, Culture & STEM Engagement

Speakers include The Honorable Montgomery County Probate Court Judge J.C. Love; City of Montgomery Councillor Marche Johnson; and Montgomery County Commission Vice Chairwoman Carmen Moore-Ziegler.

The Third Annual WIT International Day of the Girl Child STEM and Multicultural Festival is taking place on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Rosa Parks Museum at Troy University in Montgomery. The event is a collaboration between Women in Training, Inc., the City of Montgomery Department of Special Events and the Montgomery (AL) Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. WIT Monarchs will distribute WITKITS of menstrual, dental and hygiene supplies to help end period poverty.

Montgomery County Probate Court Judge, The Honorable J.C. Love, III, will be the keynote speaker, and focus on his role as "Girl Dad" to two daughters: Caroline, age 10 and Catherine, age 8.

The festival is being held in honor of the United Nations' International Day of the Girl Child. Celebrated annually on Oct. 11 around the globe, International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address challenges girls face, promote girls’ empowerment and promote the fulfillment of girls’ human rights. 

Iyabeji Adeyela Bennett, President and CEO, Women in Training, Inc., said volunteers will be on hand at the 3rd Annual WIT International Day of the Girl Child Festival to distribute WITKITS of menstrual, dental and hygiene supplies from the WIT Mobile.

One in four American girls and young women skip school or miss work because they cannot afford sanitary pads or tampons to stay healthy and clean during their period. To alleviate period poverty, WIT’s teenage twin co-founders, Breanna and Brooke Bennett, successfully advocated for the passage of Alabama State Rep. Rolanda Hollis’ HB 50 that allocates $400,000 annually to Title I schools to provide menstrual supplies for more than 56,000 menstruating girls statewide.

"We are honored that the American Red Cross Community Adaptation Program donated the WITMobile to empower us to better serve girls and menstruators throughout Alabama, and elsewhere," Iyabeji said. "We will proudly handout WITKITS at the festival. Our mission is to End Poverty. PERIOD! including helping to end period poverty. That is the focus of all of our programs and events."

Please watch CNN Heroes Young Wonders Breanna and Brooke Bennett, the twin girls who started Women in Training, Inc. on their 12th birthday in 2019.

In the video below, produced by Katie Couric Media for Proctor & Gamble, the young founders speak about their mission to help end period poverty and create menstrual equity for all girls. Please click the video below.

Chairpersons for the event are Women in Training, Inc. Board Member Dr. Nandini Ramroop and City of Montgomery Councillor Oronde Mitchell. Dr. Ramroop is also the Monarch Sponsor for the WIT International Day of the Girl Child Festival.

"International Day of the Girl is a global event celebrating girls’ empowerment and brings attention to the challenges that girls face,” said Dr. Ramroop."I am honored to once again chair this event, on behalf of Women in Training, Inc., as this is the leading organization providing a platform to address girls’ needs. I am also happy to celebrate unity in culture and diversity in our very own Capital City.”

The Montgomery (AL) Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is returning for the second year as collaborators on the WIT International Day of the Girl Child Festival. Members from the Divine Nine sorority are collecting menstrual supplies to donate to Women in Training, Inc. at the festival for the WITKITS project to help end period poverty.

Mrs. Robette Hayden King is representing Montgomery (AL) Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. as Chair of the International Awareness and Involvement Committee.

Members of the Montgomery (AL) Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. will also have tables to provide nail and non-acrylic hand painting for children.

Rosa Parks Museum at Troy University

"Throughout her life, Rosa Parks was committed to women’s rights, educating young people, and working to end poverty," said Ms. Donna M. Beisel, Director of Museum Operations, Rosa Parks Museum at Troy University. "The Rosa Parks Museum is honored to carry on her legacy, and we are happy to step in to help Women in Training, Inc. with International Day of the Girl Child Festival."

Other sponsors for the Third Annual WIT International Day of the Girl Child Festival are as follows:

Ms. Jaimini Patel

Baptist Health

WIT Board Parliamentarian Mr. Johnathan Wilson, and his wife, Mrs. Taaka Wilson, WIT Volunteer Coordinator.

Miss Alabama Volunteer 2026 Mary Elizabeth Madden will sing a solo, take photographs with girls, and speak about the importance of volunteer service.  

Other guest speakers include City of Montgomery Councillor Marche Johnson; Councillor Oronde Mitchell; and Montgomery County Commission Vice Chairwoman Carmen Moore-Ziegler.

Ms. Stefani Priskos, Director of the Alabama Center for Traditional Culture, will bring greetings from the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

The emcees for the Third Annual WIT International Day of the Girl Child Festival are no strangers to the stage. Ms. Amerika Blair is returning for the second year, and she will be joined by Mr. Tyson Hall.

Mr. Tyson Hall

The free International Day of the Girl Child Festival will feature interactive STEM activities from Auburn University of Montgomery to illustrate scientific thinking.

Ms. Erica Overby Pettah, STEM Coordinator, WIT International Day of the Girl Child Festival, is coordinating all STEM-related activities at the festival.

As a special treat, Bell All Hands Bridgett is providing free popcorn, cotton candy and snow cones!

Girls and their families will also enjoy classical Indian, Greek and Caribbean dances; African drumming, as well as Afro-Indo fusion drumming; a fashion show featuring Pakistani clothing and cultural dance; West African fashions; and a step show by Divine Nine sororities and fraternities.

Raaga Ryali will open the festival with a Land Acknowledgement to recognize that we are on sacred ancestral land of the Creek, Chickasaw, Cherokee and Choctaw. Raagla will also perform traditional Hindu music, as she did at the 2024 WIT International Day of the Girl Child Festival.

WIT Vice President for Youth Development Yeye Olosunde Aduke, MSW, will follow the Land Acknowledgement with a traditional African libation that centers Mrs. Rosa Parks and other girls and women who died during the modern Civil Rights movement.

Joining us for the first time at the WIT International Day of the Girl Child Festival are the following performers:

Symphony Q Academy of Dance; Laquangela Serita Lester, Owner and Founder.

"We are continuing the holiday tradition and magic of The Nutcracker that our community has come to love each winter," Ms. Lester said. "However, this year, we bring something new and meaningful—a reimagined story rooted in Montgomery’s history and spirit. Christmas on South Jackson Street celebrates the richness of legacy, resilience, and unity through the beauty of dance, making it a truly unforgettable holiday experience."

Please watch the SQAD video below:

Deetya Garrepelly: Deetya will perform a medley of Bollywood Hindustani classical dances.

The Central Alabama Association for Chinese will perform traditional Chinese dances; Tammy Zhang, Choreographer.

Cheerleaders from Angels Among Us – A Special Needs Community; Musette Splunge Hankins, Founder & President.

Goodwyn Middle School Cheerleaders with choreography by Ms. Dekyndra Spann Miller and Assistant Coach Breonsya White.

Nyla; Mime Performer

First Baptist Church Greater Washington Park is facilitating an African fashion; Ms. Janice Durr, Choreographer.

BAPS Charities will perform a traditional Hindu dance; Ms. Hiral Patel, Choreographer.

Bringing up the finale will be the Self Made Steppaz line dance performance; Mr. Konterrio Mills, Choreographer.

MGM Drum Collective; Ms. Timikel Blakey Sharpe, Founder, will present West African Rythms. They will perform at the festival's beginning and closing. At the midway point, the African drummers will be joined by Mr. Vikash Achutaramaiah, an Indian drummer, creating an exciting Afro-Indo Fushion performance. All drummers are invited to attend and join-in for the drum circle closing.

Please enjoy the video below of the MGM Drum Collective.

Some of the crowd favorites from previous International Day of the Girl Child festivals are returning with new routines:

Shivalaya School of Indian Classical Dance; Ms. Sudha Raghuram, Choreographer.

Mrs. Salma Ali is also returning for the third year as the choreographer for the Pakistani fashion show and cultural presentation.

Kash Kinetics dance company is returning with Caribbean dances; Ms. Bella Kash, Choreographer.

Montgomery Greek Dancers are returning with an upbeat cultural dance performance; Rania Charalambidou, Choreographer.

Ms. Lipika Das performed a traditional folk dance to represent Bangladesh, a country rich in culture, history and resilience. As she stated: "One of the most significant moments in Bangladesh's history is the struggle to preserve its language and identity."

Representatives of the Divine Nine sororities and fraternities are once again performing a Step Show at the WIT International Day of the Girl Child Festival.

The Beta Pi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is returning with "pretty" ladies from Alabama State University.

Members of the Nu Xi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. at Auburn University of Montgomery will also participate in the Divine Nine Step Show.

The Youth League Institute of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. are returning as special guests, escorted by The Honorable Judge Tiffany McCord.

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. provided Kappa Youth League volunteers last year to assist the organizers. This year, the Kappa Youth League volunteers will be joined by men from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Other special youth guests include the Young Ladies of Class, escorted by Ms. Sheyann Webb Christburg.

Working diligently behind the scenes to organize all of the performers are professional stage managers: Ms. Nicole Dallaway and Ms. Payton Stovall. Women in Training, Inc. has arranged with licensed businesses to sell international food and drinks. Ms. FeLisha Franklin is volunteering as the Vendor Coordinator for the WIT International Day of the Girl Child Festival.

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