Manat K

Manat felt pressure growing up around stereotypes of femininity and popularity, which didn’t match her love for STEM. However, she discovered through talking with friends and family that these pressures were reinforced by confining gender norms. As a syndicated young journalist, Manat recognized that she could harness the power of storytelling to challenge social norms. Manat started Object to help young women in the Bay Area ages 8-15 discover their self-esteem, confidence, and self-image. Object, as in “objecting to female stereotypes”, is a platform that shares professional women's stories of struggle and success and host experiential workshops to develop leadership skills. As of Summer 2019, Manat has connected over 500 girls with women role models in various fields - sports, politics, entrepreneurship, etc. - to inspire them with the confidence to discover their authentic goals and freely explore their passions.