How Carrington Manous Transformed Her Challenges into Global Change for Youth with Learning Differences
From transformative leaders who inspire and motivate to empathetic leaders who prioritize the humanity of their team members, the leadership styles of girls and women around the world are incredibly diverse. Each approach comes with its unique strengths and challenges, creating a rich tapestry of leadership. Girl Talk knows that all voices, outspoken or reserved, are valuable in their own right.
Carrington Manous, Girl Talk’s National Advocate, identifies as a “servant leader.” Carrington’s leadership is defined by commitment to her community’s needs, empowerment of young people with neurological learning differences, and a desire to develop confident leadership in others. If she had not experienced the challenges and obstacles as a dyslexic student, Carrington said, “I wouldn’t be the type of leader I am because I am very big on making sure students [don’t] feel the way I felt when I was growing up.” Through her self-advocacy, both as a student and as a competitor in pageants, Carrington has built a community of enduring support that she seeks to foster for students with learning differences just like her. The Girl Talk community initially embraced Carrington, a bright-eyed, nine-year-old young girl, as a Camper at Girl Talk Camp. Carrington once again connected with Girl Talk Campers about her mission to destigmatize dyslexia (or #DecodeDyslexia), this time as a Camp Speaker in 2024.
If she had not experienced the challenges and obstacles as a dyslexic student, Carrington said, “I wouldn’t be the type of leader I am because I am very big on making sure students [don’t] feel the way I felt when I was growing up.”
Her sincere dedication to building educational resources, advocacy, and empowerment for young people and their families around dyslexia awareness extends beyond the United States. Carrington’s contributions to educational communities in the Philippines and Guinea are just one example of her global impact. She hopes to create an impact that encourages students, all around the world, to create a cycle that keeps on giving. She aspires to provide an assuring example that “they can make a difference when they grow up and give back to their community as well.” Seeing someone with similar lived experiences and perspectives share their story with confidence can be incredibly inspiring and a powerful function of peer-to-peer mentorship.
At Girl Talk, we know education is a cornerstone of empowerment. It equips girls and young women with knowledge, transferable skills and confidence to pursue their dreams and make informed decisions about their futures. As a National Advocate for Girl Talk, Carrington serves as a champion for equitable access to education, support and resources for all girls.
Drawing from her own adversity, Carrington uses her platform to disrupt cycles of misunderstanding and mistreatment of youth with learning differences. In doing so, she has become a role model for hundreds of thousands of young people and dyslexic thinkers through her dynamic social media presence, community and her recently published children’s book, Dyslexia Doesn’t Define Me.
Upholding leadership for a specific experience, like dyslexia, can often lead to pressure to be perfect or always have the right answer. Leadership, especially for specific causes, can be tricky, but at Girl Talk we know that tapping into our personal experiences and sharing our stories makes a difference. Carrington uses her lived experience and visibility as a tool for change, and, indeed, is driven by her nine-year-old self. Reflecting on a visit to her elementary school, she shared:
“…sitting in that classroom again and realizing that other students may have felt that way, but they just didn’t say anything. I think that’s the whole reason why I want to continue to be a leader and continue to help serve others, because when I do that, other people may feel comfortable enough to do the same thing.”
Enjoyed this blog post about our National Advocate, Carrington Manous? Follow Girl Talk (@girltalkinc) and Carrington (@iamcarringtonelan) on social media for more inspiring, girl-centered content!
Hey Girls! We encourage you to explore and reflect on your own leadership journey thus far. What type of leader are you? We invite you to share your leadership style with us by creating an Instagram reel or TikTok video answering this question. Be sure to tag us @girltalkinc and Carrington @iamcarringtonelan, and use the hashtag #LeadLikeHer !