New York University’s Perspectives on Global Issues by Christie Martin

Christy: So, do you want to start by telling us a little bit about your background and what led you to start your organization 4GGL?

Jin In: 4GGL is really my experience but more importantly my life story. I began doing community service since I was eight when I immigrated to the United States and found a mentor who taught me to serve the most vulnerable people in my community. It began in Houston, Texas, then to other large cities across the U.S. (San Francisco, NY, DC…) which expanded to communities around the world experiencing abject poverty. So my community became global. What I didn’t know in the beginning was that I was the poor. I was an immigrant little girl raised by a widow mother. But this mentor – Barbara Crocker - didn’t label me. She simply taught me to serve and to care about people. So it’s difficult to say what came first, my story or the experience. But I believe great innovators and visionaries are those who take chaos or some great injustice that has happened in their lives and turn it into an opportunity to do greater good. They bring order and justice to our world. Read more...

Daily Kos: Can the World's Poorest Girls Save the MDGs?

The United Nations is riveted this week on how badly our leaders are doing to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). One woman of action, a global activist I know, believes that only by empowering girls can MDGs be met. Jin In is Founding Director of 4Girls GLocal Leadership (4GGL) -- Inspiring Girls, Transforming the World.

Jin explained:

MDGs are eight anti-poverty goals the world leaders agreed to in 2000. Unfortunately, if they stay the course, they are not achievable by their target date of 2015. Sadly, not even one.

Now, what if I told you that there is a way? In fact, this solution will advance all MDGs and help to fight extremism and war, making our own communities safer. Read more...