BUFORD, Ga., In today’s age where the media narrowly defines beauty by constantly showing unrealistic images of what women are supposed to look like, it’s no wonder that females are suffering from low self-esteem.
This constant berating by outside sources telling females that they are not good enough, not skinny enough or not pretty enough causes large negative effects on how women and girls view themselves. Dove researches found that “only 11 percent of girls globally are comfortable using the word beautiful to describe themselves.”
As a pre-teen, Fabrisia Gamble experienced the struggles of low confidence. “I didn’t think of myself as anyone special. I didn’t hate myself, but confidence definitely wasn’t an attribute I possessed.”
In 2005, Gamble enrolled in a leadership program through the organization I Am B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. (IAB), where she learned self-development and how to practice self-love. “The main barrier IAB helped me overcome was realizing my worth,” said Gamble.
In IAB programs, they help their students build self-esteem and leadership potential by teaching the girls a new paradigm of beauty; that what they have inside is what makes them beautiful, special and unique.
These paradigms helped change the way Gamble saw herself. “Over time it just became more and more normal to be accepting of myself and eventually even love the person I am,” said Gamble.
The teachings of IAB also helped nourish self-empowerment and highlight female potential. “I Am B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. gives girls an awareness of the power within themselves that they may not have had before,” said Gamble. “The program helped me realize the potential I have, as well as the opportunities that are out there for ladies everywhere and I feel as though I am a stronger woman because the lessons I learned through IAB.”
The nourishment that IAB has on their students makes a lasting impact. “Overall, there’s no telling how grand of an impact IAB has had on me, but I can honestly say that everything about me that I am proud of today, I can link back to something I learned in the program” said Gamble.
Gamble graduated this May from the University of Georgia with a degree in Spanish and will be finishing a second degree in Business the next spring. In addition to being a college student, Gamble is now a volunteer mentor that helps other girls in the IAB program learn to value their self-worth. Due to the lasting impact IAB has had on Gamble, she gives back to IAB whenever she can.
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