About Us
In Her Own Words
The Mission
How much of her story did you learn in class?
Think about everything you know about women's history, women's rights, and what it's actually like to grow up as a girl. Now ask yourself: how much of that came from a classroom? For most of us, not much.
I got lucky. My mom taught me the things school skipped. Not everyone has that, and I think everyone deserves it. So for my MAX project, I'm starting a podcast to pass that same education on to as many girls and women as I can.
The goal is simple: share what we weren't taught, and build a community that keeps learning together.
Help me shape it
I'd love your emails with suggestions. Send me:
- Topics to explore
- Issues worth tackling
- Causes that need awareness
- Anything else that would help
Write to elle.zak@alpha.school.
Thank you — truly. — Elle
Leadership
Founder: Elle Zak
Hi there! I'm Elle. I'm 11 years old and in 6th grade, and I started In Her Own Words as my MAX project. Some people might think that's too young to start a podcast — but I think it's exactly the right age, because these are the years when girls start asking the big questions, and they deserve real answers.
I grew up lucky. My mom sat with me and taught me the stories that school left out — the women who fought for the rights I have today, the ones whose names never made it into my textbooks, and the truth about what it means to grow up as a girl. Those conversations changed how I see the world, and how I see myself.
But I know not every girl gets that. Too many of us grow up without ever hearing these stories, and I don't think that's fair. So I decided to do something about it. This podcast is my way of passing on what I was given — because every girl deserves to know her history, her rights, and her worth.
Thank you for being here. It means more than you know. — Elle