Finding Purpose Through Leadership
Author: Taelie Breen, Girls Leadership Program Alumna
Finding Purpose Through Leadership
Taelie Breen
Girls Leadership Program Alumna
To be a woman is to have layers—layers of strength, struggle, perseverance, emotion, care, and more. For many of us, becoming our true, authentic selves is not a straight path. It’s a journey on a bumpy, pothole-filled road that throws constant obstacles our way. The journey can be challenging, but with the right people and space, the path to purpose becomes clearer.
Before the Red Ants Pants Foundation’s Girls Leadership Program (GLP), I was lost on that journey. I believed I had a purpose, but I didn’t know what it was—and frankly, I still don’t. Not fully. I believe there’s a difference between having a purpose and having purpose. To have a purpose is to have something that gives your life structure and direction—a compass that guides your choices. To have purpose is to know that your life has meaning and value, even if you don’t fully know what that may be.
At the beginning of the program, I really had no idea what to expect. I was just one girl in a room full of women. We all came from different backgrounds and towns, but carried the same doubts and struggles. The program became a space where we were encouraged to share all of our thoughts and feelings—a place that I didn’t have and didn’t know I needed. I do believe that through learning about leadership, I learned more about myself and began to understand my purpose.
I’d be lying if I said that throughout this experience with the Girls Leadership Program, I never felt discomfort. But those moments of vulnerability taught me that true, authentic leadership comes from honesty, from listening, and from being present. After each retreat, I would go home and wonder, “What can I do for the people around me?” “How can I use what I’ve learned from this experience to support others?” Even now, I still don’t know exactly what the path ahead looks like.
But even with that uncertainty, I plan to use what I’ve learned to help give young women and girls a voice. I believe that telling them “I hear you, I see you, and I’m with you on this journey” gives them a clearer view of their own path to finding purpose.
The Red Ants Pants Foundation’s Girls Leadership Program is offered at no cost to participants. The program is open to girls in their junior year of high school who are Montana residents, inclusive of the sovereign tribal nations within Montana. Applications close September 10, 2025. More at https://www.RedAntsPantsFoundation.org.
Contact: Kathy Weber, Communications/Public Relations, Red Ants Pants Music Festival, 406-698-3150
