“Girls are strong, smart, talented, innovative, powerful, capable, bold.”
– Generation Equality, United Nations Women, International Day of the Girl Child 2019
Something Beautiful: Self-Awareness and Self-Discovery for Teen Girls (13 – 17), A 6-Week Developmental Workshop Series
Dear Beloveds,
You are uniquely designed by a mighty Force. That makes you special and important. No one, no matter how important, and no situation, no matter how daunting, can ever alter this truth. There is no one exactly like you in the entire Universe! You are love and joy and beauty and power and infinite possibilities. There’s no need to copy anyone or pretend to be someone else. You possess your own unique voice, gifts, and abilities; it’s your job to bring them forth so you may live a life of purpose and blaze your distinct path in this world.
Because you are someone beautiful, you can create something beautiful to express the goodness that you are and shape the world into a peaceful, equitable place for all humanity. In your life’s journey, you will experience triumphs and challenges, which may feel uncomfortable; if you allow them, challenges can help you evolve into a wiser, greater human being so do not fear them—nor will they break you. And remember, when life’s circumstances start to feel overwhelming, just know that you are not alone for there’s always a Higher Power within you and women and men of goodwill ready to support you.
May you always carry this message deep in your heart and THRIVE! Ashe!
From My Heart to Yours,
Glenda M. Francis
A transitional period between girlhood and adulthood, adolescence is often a perplexing time in a young woman’s life; it is characterized by physical and psychological changes and the search for self-identity and acceptance by peers. For many girls of color, in particular, this period is additionally beset with significant challenges of poverty, violence, institutional bias and discrimination, and a general lack of societal support and resources.
Consequently, too many of our girls become ensnared in punitive systems—e.g., educational, foster care, or criminal justice—further impacting their self-concept and trajectory for a healthy, enterprising future. What our girls urgently need now are appropriate guidance, supports, and interventions to ensure they are safe, valued, and empowered to live lives that matter.
Our vision is for every girl to live a healthy life where she is free to explore the landscape of herself, cultivate her own unique beauty and style, grow her competence, and be empowered to lead in her own life—and as a citizen of the world!
Why Young Women Should Attend the Series
This institute was designed with teen girls, especially of color, in mind to:
1. AFFIRM to young women that they are beautiful, unique beings exactly as they are, with special gifts, abilities, and personalities, and can therefore create something beautiful in the world;
2. FOSTER the ability of the teen girls to self-discover, self-regulate, and self-empower through meaningful engagement and by providing information and resources to equip them to make thoughtful, deliberate choices that support their goals and well-being;
3. SUPPORT teen girls to navigate some of the pressing challenges of adolescence (e.g., obesity, social media, anxiety, peer pressure, self-identity, and growth development); and,
4. PROVIDE a forum and safe space where teen girls can gather, positively connect with one another, and be empowered to express themselves in a multitude of ways and develop social-emotional competencies.
What Young Women Can Expect
- Norms of engagement and rituals (e.g., mindful breathing, affirmations, journaling) for respectful, inclusive interactions and personal wellness;
- Engagement in structured discussions, community circles, and theme-based activities (e.g., body image, beauty, being a girl, identity);
- Quiet think time and opportunities for reflection as well as peer/group collaboration;
- Young women shaping the agenda, making collective decisions, and learning how to peacefully resolve conflicts and use their voices to negotiate and produce desired results;
- Supportive community of young women affirming and holding themselves accountable; and,
- Homework assignments to support the work of the series and the young women’s growth and development.
Benefits to Participants
At a minimum, the young women can expect to leave the workshop series with:
- a foundational understanding that love and beauty are who they are, that true beauty emerges when they are authentically themselves, and that they—not friends, family, social media, or society—get to decide for themselves who or what constitutes beauty;
- an emerging understanding of who they are as human and spiritual beings and the gifts they’ve naturally inherited to share with the world;
- meditative practices for slowing down, connecting to oneself, and learning to trust the intuitive wisdom that emerges to make the best decisions for themselves;
- a toolbox of strategies for taking care of, honoring, and affirming themselves;
- a self-generated declarative statement of affirmation; and,
- emerging leadership and communication skills (e.g., an awareness of the roles they can play as citizens of the world).
Dates for NEXT Something Beautiful
TBD
Join Our Waiting List to be among the first contacted for registration and to receive important program updates!
United Nations International Day of the Girl Child
The United Nations International Day of the Girl Child, celebrated on October 11 of each year, is a global initiative aimed at supporting more opportunities for girls and increasing awareness of gender inequality. For more information, click the button below.