Sawyer Garrity was among the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL the day of the tragic event in February 2018. Now a student at the Frost School of Music, she received an invitation to participate in the Women Leaders Global Forum in Reykjavik, Iceland, from Dr. Felicia Marie Knaul, Director of the Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas, where Sawyer is a student research assistant. The forum will take place on November 17 – 20, 2019.
Immediately following the tragedy, Sawyer began channeling grief through music alongside fellow student Andrea Pena. Together, they composed “Shine,” which they performed at town halls and rallies across the U.S. Their song has since inspired the foundation “Shine M.S.D.,” and become the namesake for “Camp Shine,” a free arts therapy camp that allowed Stoneman Douglas students to process their shared trauma through music, drama, and visual arts.
“I feel so honored to have been asked to be a part of the Women Leaders Global Forum,” states Sawyer. “Being able to spread Shine's message is so important to me, and I'm so glad I have the opportunity to do so at this conference.”
Dr. Felicia Knaul stated: The strong voices of young women are central to the WPL Iceland forum and I knew as soon as I met Sawyer that she could play a key role. I am so proud and pleased that she will represent the Frost School of Music and Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas to inspire a global audience through her music and courage and help bring an end to gun violence.
Sawyer further commented: “My speech is mainly going to be focused on the power of music and art therapy. I am going to be talking about my experience with gun violence and how I used music to start the healing process. I hope to make people realize that discussing the healing after trauma is just as important, if not more, as discussing the event itself. I'm really grateful that the people who run WLGF and that Dr. Knaul and UM are giving me this opportunity.”
ABOUT THE FORUM
The Reykjavík Global Forum is where women leaders discuss and share ideas and solutions on how to further advance society.
The Reykjavík Global Forum – Women Leaders was launched in November 2018, in Reykjavík, Iceland, as the Women Leaders Global Forum. The Forum is annually co-hosted by Women Political Leaders (WPL), and the Government and Parliament of Iceland, under the heading Power, Together.
Each year the Forum invites 450 leaders from around the globe, including Presidents and Prime Ministers and other public figures, as well as leaders from business, academia, civil society, arts, media and more who are playing a vital role in their respective fields sharing ideas, insights, and experiences.
Consistently ranked as the leading country on the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, Iceland is the perfect location for the most relevant Forum for women leaders. It’s the single destination that transcends both geographic and sector boundaries, creating a platform that fosters conversation between outstanding leaders.
