Piloted in 2001, Reel Grrls is a unique non-profit after-school media & technology training program that empowers girls to critique media images and to gain media technology skills in a safe, open environment, mentored by a network of multi-cultural women media professionals. Each year, 80 girls go through our program and graduate with valuable skills in video and audio production. We believe that it is important to give young women the skills to critically evaluate the media they are exposed to and then to empower them to produce their own media. As media plays such an influential role in our global society, we believe that if women and girls are to achieve equality and advancement in today's world they must be taught to be media literate.