Waterman told an audience at Mechanics Hall Wednesday night that her coach realized instantly that was her personal story. And her personal story isn’t unlike most of the backgrounds of the girls who attend Girls Inc. today - it’s a lifelong fight for confidence, equity and empowerment in the face of social and cultural pressures that continue to devalue women, and encourage them to break each other down.

“There’s nothing wrong with there being a lot of guys [in aviation] but I think diversity can show that you can be anything that you want,” said Totoski Mwangi of Girls Inc. in Worcester. “Because that’s what we’re told as kids. but as adults it’s not really what you see.”