She’s EmPOWERed: Empowered Flower Girl Salutes Sesi Magazine during Women’s History Month

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Women’s History Month is an international observance highlighting the contributions of women in history and modern society. It gives us an opportunity to recognize and showcase their work individually and collectively. 

This month, Empowered Flower Girl honors Andréa Butler and Sesi magazine – the only print magazine for Black teen girls in the United States. Sesi means “sister” in Sotho, a Bantu language mainly spoken in southern Africa. 

History in the Making

One day, while flipping through the pages of several teen magazines, 17-year-old Andréa  noticed a lack of representation of youth of color, especially Black girls. Later that night, Andréa  vowed that if nothing changed by the time she was done with school, she would start one herself.

And she did.

After receiving her undergraduate degree, Andréa  went on to pursue a master’s degree in journalism. She taught high school English and even worked as an editor for LivingSocial – an online marketplace now owned by Groupon. 

That path led her to launch Sesi magazine in 2009 with a high school friend. 

Sesi’s mission is to “give a voice to Black teen girls in a media space in which they are virtually invisible.” The publication is committed to covering what’s most important to Black teen girls, including current events and social justice issues, as well as beauty, fashion, entertainment and more. 

“Life for Black teen girls has gotten even more complex, as they have to navigate not only the typical racism and gender issues but also increased gun violence in various spaces, blatant attacks by state governments on the teaching of Black history and literature, increased instances of suicide and cyberbullying and more,” Andréa  said. 

“Through Sesi, we help our readers process these issues by discussing what’s going on, as well as giving them a place to express themselves through short stories and poetry. We also like to give our readers a place to feel joy through other articles that focus on beauty, fashion and entertainment — the fullness of a Black girl’s life.”

Twenty-first century girls and young women are facing challenges that generations before them may have never imagined and need support from the adults in their lives. 

Andréa  said one of the most important ways to support Black girls is to listen to them. “They’ll tell you what they need,” she added.

New Voices Sought

Sesi accepts submissions from teens as well as professional journalists and student journalists. The publication publishes content covering everything from beauty, fashion and health to social issues, entertainment and relationships. 

“We’re also looking to add more college-related content to the mag,” Andréa  said. 

View the writer’s guidelines at www.sesimag.com/writersguidelines.

Connect with Sesi Magazine:

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How to foster positive relationships and self-love for youth in the digital age

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The teenage years can be a time of confusion and stress for many adolescents. And when you add social media to the mix, small conflicts can cause big drama. 

As teens navigate their way through the ups and downs of adolescence, they often face challenges that test their relationships with family, friends, romantic partners and even themselves. While it’s normal for teens to experience some conflict and disagreements, it’s important that they learn how to communicate effectively and resolve conflicts in a healthy way.

“By teaching and modeling these essential skills, we can help them develop positive relationships with others and promote self-love and self-respect,” says Rasheda Kamaria Williams, chief empowering officer and founder of Empowered Flower Girl, a social enterprise on a mission to transform the way young people relate to one another and themselves. 

Healthy relationships and self-love in the digital age

The internet, social media, and texting have become a huge part of teenage relationships. While these technologies can be used to connect teens with their friends and help them stay in touch, they can also be used to spread rumors, bully others, and engage in other negative behaviors. 

A recent Pew Research Center survey on teens and cyberbullying revealed that nearly half of all U.S. teens have been bullied or harassed online. Additionally, adolescent girls across the country are facing record levels of violence, sadness and despair, according to new survey data from the CDC.

So, how can you guide the teens in your life in developing self-love and positive relationships (on and offline)? Here are some tips:

1. Talk about what positive relationships look like.

 Discuss what healthy, supportive and positive relationships look like and ask young people for examples of each. Help them understand that these types of relationships are built on trust, respect and communication.

2. Encourage them to love themselves first.

Self-love is so important! Help the teens you work with understand that they need to love and accept themselves before they can truly love someone else. It can be difficult for some when they’re bombarded with messages telling them that they’re not enough. 

One way to help teens learn to love themselves is by using affirmations.Some examples of affirmations that teens can use to promote self-love include:

  • “I am worthy of love and respect.”
  • “I am allowed to make mistakes.”
  • “I am capable of great things.”
  • “I am valuable just as I am.”

3. Teach them how to communicate effectively.

Effective communication is essential in any relationship, whether it’s with a friend, family member or romantic partner. Engage teens in activities that encourage them to express their thoughts and feelings in a clear and respectful way. 

4. Model healthy relationships.

Show teens what positive relationships look like by modeling healthy behavior in your own relationships. Let them see you respecting others, communicating effectively and being kind and loving towards yourself and others.

Teaching teens about healthy relationships and self-love can be a difficult task but it is an important one as they transition from adolescence to adulthood. You can make an impact by keeping the lines of communication open and being a positive role model. 

Empowered Flower Girl offers a number of workshops and activities that encourage positive and healthy relationships. From cyberbullying prevention to empathy and self-esteem building, our workshops help young people break down barriers and build authentic connections. Learn more at www.empoweredflowergirl.com. 

Empowered Flower Girl to Host Online Discussion Encouraging Mentors for Girls/Young Women During National Mentoring Month

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Empowered Flower Girl is less than a week away from our follow up conversation on Mentoring Girls & Inspiring Sisterhood.

Join us Jan. 31 from 6 to 7 p.m. ET over at www.instagram.com/empoweredflowergirl where we will examine results from Plan International’s State of the World’s Girls report as well as resources to empower girls/young women and gender-expansive youth.

We will also share details about our She’s EmPOWERed program honoring female-identifying changemakers, nonprofit founders, social entrepreneurs and others using their gifts and talents to bring joy to others.

Empowered Flower Girl Founder and Chief Empowering Officer Rasheda Kamaria Williams will address the top challenges facing 21st century children and teens well as what parents, educators and other youth advocates can do to support young people in these difficult times.

“The past few years have been tough on everyone. But it’s been especially tough on young people. Now is the time for us to come together and support the next generation,” said Williams, a mentoring consultant and empowerment speaker. “We are dedicated to helping girls and youth of all backgrounds grow into strong, confident and contributing members of society. They just need positive role models and resources to succeed.”

One other resource that Empowered Flower Girl offers is Girl World Peace Academy – a virtual course and coaching program for adults who aspire to make a difference for young people in their schools and communities.

Girl World Peace Academy provides participants with the skills, tools and knowledge necessary to become effective mentors and role models for girls/ young women and gender-expansive youth. Through the course and 1:1 coaching, participants learn how to support and empower 21st century children and teens to reach their full potential.

“We believe that every young person deserves to be surrounded by positive, caring adults who can help them navigate the challenges of growing up,” Williams said.

Enrollment is currently open for the course.

Girl World Peace Academy Investment:
The course is valued at $897 but Empowered Flower Girl is offering it for only $297. Enroll by Jan. 31 to receive and additional 30-minute coaching session.

Girl World Peace Academy

Teach Your Child Money Lessons With These Invaluable Tips

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By Laura Pearson

Teaching children how to be financially responsible is a big job, but if you start early, you can give them the tools they need to make good decisions for the rest of their lives. These days, there are many resources available that will help you and your child tackle financial literacy – from board games to phone software to online learning tools. Not only that, you can work in lessons on your own while you’re grocery shopping or setting up an allowance.

Keeping the conversation about money open with your kids is a great way to show them real-life examples, especially when you’re about to make a big purchase, such as a home. Talk to your kids about the process of home-buying and why it’s so beneficial for a long-term financial plan.

Include Your Children in the Process

When it comes to buying a house, including the entire family in the process will open up the conversation about what goes into financing, how to build up good credit and create some security for the future, and how to handle buying and selling according to what the market is like.

Talk to older kids about how the market either favors buyers or sellers and how the local economy affects a seller’s ability to attract potential buyers. Other factors include the season, how many homes are currently for sale in a given area, and current interest rates. Because there are so many details that go into buying or selling a home, involving your kids in the process now will help them understand it a bit better when they’re ready to do so on their own.

Let Them Shop with You

Handling big financial decisions as a family—such as buying a home—is a great way to teach young people about how it all works, but you can do it on a smaller scale as well. Going grocery shopping for the week is an excellent opportunity to teach your kids about the importance of a budget and how to stick to it, so write out a list and allow them to help you figure out how to plan for meals within the amount you want to spend. This real-life experience is invaluable for kids of many different ages.

Look for Fun, Money-Related Games

Another way to get in real-life experience with finances is to find cash-related games your kids will enjoy, such as Monopoly, Pay Day, or The Game Of Life, and play them as a family. You can also use real money and play your own games at home, allowing your child to become a banker or business owner who must give you change after a “purchase.” Talk to your kids about sales tax and how to plan for purchases, especially if they’re old enough to receive an allowance.

Let Them Take Responsibility with Credit

It can be daunting to hand over financial responsibility to your children, but setting up an allowance offers a great learning opportunity where saving and spending are concerned. You might even consider looking for a kid-friendly credit or debit card that allows you to load a certain amount, or setting up a checking or savings account in your child’s name. Additionally, you can use this opportunity to teach your children about credit scores and reports, how they work, and the importance of maintaining a good score — which can help you when it’s time to purchase that new home. This type of financial literacy is crucial to learn as kids get older, but starting early will help them see the value of money now.

Guide Them Through Long-Term Planning

As your kids age, it’s important to guide them through the process of making long-term plans and executing them. Having a sound financial plan is important for any path in life, but if your child has college aspirations, they need a sound plan for that as well. Begin the process of developing those plans with your children as they enter high school, and help them adjust as necessary through graduation and beyond.

Teach Them About Starting a Business

 When teaching your kids about starting a new company, there are a few key steps that you should focus on. The first is to help them write a solid business plan. This should include information on their target audience, their marketing strategies, and their budgetary needs for things like supplies and startup fees. It’s also important to discuss the importance of networking and connecting with other entrepreneurs, as this can be a valuable way to gain support and advice as they start out in the world of business. Finally, you should work with your child to identify any potential roadblocks or challenges that they might encounter along the way.

Teaching young people how to handle money and credit is a process that will help everyone in your family learn about the importance of being responsible. Utilize online resources when possible, help them develop long-term plans, teach them about starting a business, and keep the conversation about money open so you can answer any questions your children have.

Empowered Flower Girl strives to help positively strengthen the relationships between young people and those who care about them. Be sure to spend some time exploring the site to learn more about what we do.

Laura Pearson, of Edutude, is passionate about teaching the younger generation. Edutude was built to share resources on how to keep children engaged and in love with learning.

Mentors Urgently Needed: You can make a life-changing difference for youth

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January is National Mentoring Month

According to MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, 1 in 3 young people will grow up without having a mentor. This means that they may face growing and developing without positive resources and reinforcement outside of the home. 

Life-changing impact

Mentoring has the potential to profoundly transform the lives of young people in our communities. By providing guidance and support, mentors are able to open up new opportunities and broaden horizons for their mentees. However, despite this potential, mentors are still urgently needed in many areas across the country.

Learn why mentorship is so important and how you can help make a difference in the lives of young people today.

What is mentoring?

Mentoring is a process whereby an experienced individual provides guidance, support and advice to a less experienced person. The aim of mentoring is to help the mentee develop their skills, knowledge and confidence so that they can reach their full potential. 

Mentors can come from any walk of life and don’t necessarily have to be in the same field as their mentee. What’s important is that they have experience and knowledge that the mentee can benefit from. A mentor relationship is built on trust and mutual respect, and should be entered into willingly by both parties. 

Mentoring can take many different forms, but typically involves meeting on a regular basis (either in person or virtually) to chat, offer advice and support, and answer any questions the mentee might have. The frequency and length of meetings will vary depending on the needs of the individual involved. 

If you’re interested in becoming a mentor, there are many organizations that can connect you with someone who would benefit from your time and expertise. Alternatively, you may know someone in your personal or professional life who could benefit from having a mentor – if so, why not reach out and see if they’d be interested in starting a mentoring relationship with you?

Long-lasting impact

A mentor can provide guidance, support and advice that can help a young person make good choices and achieve their goals. Mentoring is an important part of helping young people grow and develop into successful adults by:

  • Raising aspirations and confidence
  • Developing new skills
  • Overcoming adversity and setbacks
  • Achieving potential

Mentors can play a vital role in supporting young people through difficult times and helping them to progress towards their goals. 

Read: How Mentorship Supports Young People in Difficult Times

Become a mentor today!

It takes a special person to be a mentor. One who can give of their time, energy and resources to help another individual grow and develop into their best self. If you have the passion and commitment to make a difference in the life of a young person, then becoming a mentor may be the perfect opportunity for you. You can do it!

Still a little unsure? Here are a few tips on how to get started with mentoring:

  • Determine what type of mentoring you would like to do. There are many different types of mentoring programs available, so it is important to decide which one is right for you. Do you want to work with children, teens or young adults? Would you prefer one-on-one mentoring or group mentoring?
  • Consider your skills and experience. Do you have expertise in a particular field that could benefit your mentee? Are you good at listening and providing support? Think about what assets you can bring to the table as a mentor.
  • Complete any necessary training or certification. Some mentoring programs may require you to complete specific training before becoming a mentor. Others may provide training as part of the program itself.
  • Sign up to receive Empowered Flower Girl’s FREE Mentoring Guide to learn how you can fit mentoring into your busy schedule.

She’s EmPOWERed: Eight-year-old Savannah girl sends message of hope with “happy bags” for the homeless

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It is estimated that more than half a million people in the United States are experiencing homelessness. 

While riding along with her mom in their Savannah, Ga. neighborhood, five-year-old Bethany Moultry witnessed people in her community without a place to call home. 

“We were running errands when we pulled up to a stop sign and Bethany saw a man holding a sign asking for help,” said Bethany’s mom, Colleen Moultry. “She cried and asked me if she could break open her piggy bank and give him all of her money.”

That encounter three years ago triggered something in little Bethany that inspired her to move from empathy to action. As a result, she founded Bethany’s Happy Bags for the Homeless.

The “happy bags” are gallon-sized bags chock-full of necessities like personal hygiene items, food, water or juice, utensils and homemade first aid kits. Some may also include items such as hand warmers, gloves, hats, emergency blankets, sun screen, bug repellent and more, but all are packed with hope and a hand-written note of encouragement. 

“I want every person experiencing homelessness to know that I see you and I care,” said Bethany, now 8 years old.

Since launching, Bethany’s Happy Bags for the Homeless has assembled and distributed more than 4,700 bags! 

“From what we have been told by our neighbors experiencing homelessness as well as from our partner agencies, her Happy Bags have literally saved lives,” Colleen said. 

The bags are distributed in Savannah through various channels. Partners like the Savannah Police Dept, Chatham-Savannah Authority for the Homeless as well as several churches and shelters distribute the bags to some of the most vulnerable in the city. 

The work is expanding as the team has begun making bags to distribute in the Hudson Valley area of New York where some of Bethany’s extended family lives. 

In the future, Bethany plans to continue her mission to not only assist her neighbors who are experiencing homelessness, but her main goal to END homelessness. She would like to create an organization that assists with safe, long-term housing, offers mental health services and job training. 

With her passion, empathy and dedication, Bethany is definitely on the path to making this a reality. 

Learn more about Bethany’s Happy Bags for the Homeless at www.bethanyshappybags.com.

Connect with Bethany and her team via social media:

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Raising Healthy Children: How to Set Your Kids Up for Success

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By Joyce Wilson

Parents fill various roles in their children’s lives. In particular, they serve as caretakers, role models, and protectors. According to the experts, one of the most important jobs parents have is to help their children make healthy choices in order to prepare them for adulthood. Here are some ideas from Empowered Flower Girl that can help you begin making those important lifestyle decisions.

Learn the Importance of Healthy Habits

If you want your kids to grow healthy and happy, teach them how to maintain their health. When you focus on healthy habits, you reduce their risk of future conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

For children to maintain ideal body weight, they need to be able to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy food choices. In addition, teach them about hygiene and expiration dates. After all, spoiled food can wreak havoc on the body. When you understand the importance of health, whether the health comes from diet or exercise – including the many benefits of martial arts – you can instill those habits in your children.

Instill Healthy Habits Early

To make healthy eating a priority, stock up on fresh, unprocessed at-home snacks. If you only have nutritious snacks available, children cannot choose to drink sugary soda or eat snack cakes. Instead, keep pretzels, fresh fruit, bagels, and sparkling water at home. Children begin to develop their sense of taste in the first two years of their life. Providing reduced-sodium snacks to toddlers may help them develop preferences for foods with less salt.

Children model themselves after you. They observe your habits and your ability to handle stress and coping mechanisms. For instance, if children see an adult becoming aggressive, they too may react aggressively. When paving the way for better decisions, do not be overbearing and restrictive, because you could encourage eating disorders. Instead, be the example for your kids.

It’s important for your children to see you engage in healthy friendships, too, so invite friends over to the house sometimes and be transparent about minor conflicts in a kid-appropriate way. You can also show them the importance of reconnecting with friends by finding old high school friends online. It’s a simple process of entering your location and searching through databases for familiar names. Reconnecting with friends from your past can be a lot of fun and show your kids how to find people they enjoy being with.

Make Success Attainable

Be open to talking to your kids about good and bad habits. Talk to them if you worry about gaming, drugs, alcohol, or poor education habits. Hold family dinners where you can discuss your day and model good behavior while discussing the risks associated with unhealthy choices. Starting these practices while your kids are young will help them feel more comfortable talking to you about bigger issues, like bullies or conflicts with friends. Empowered Flower Girl offers tools and resources to help both you and your child learn how to deal with these difficult situations in healthy ways.

Set good examples for your kids with your choices as well as your behavior.

In addition, talk to them about how they can achieve their dreams. It is never too early to discuss future aspirations. Teach your children to practice a skill every day and, when they experience failure, to get up and keep trying.

Do not forget to chase dreams of your own. This could involve starting a business centered around a hobby that you enjoy; be sure to do plenty of research to ensure that you’re putting together everything you need to get this venture started on solid ground. Or, join the countless parents and older adults who return to school to finish or start a degree. With all of the obligations of parenthood, you may enjoy the flexibility of online schools. Online degrees can match your passions and interests. The following ideas can narrow down your options:

  • To learn more about data analytics, cyber security, and information technology, choose a degree in IT.
  • To find occupations in management positions or start a business of your own, look into business management degrees.
  • A degree in education may not only launch your career but help you become an effective teacher to your children.

When your children learn to make healthy choices, they maintain those decisions throughout their lives. Developing new habits as an adult can be challenging, but not only can you make a positive change in your life, you can establish a healthy foundation for your children.

Remember to chase after things you love, too, and to make use of helpful resources like Empowered Flower Girl to help you and your child learn ways to work through difficult situations in life.

Joyce Wilson is a retired teacher and enjoys sharing lesson plans, resources, and teaching tips on Teacher Spark. Her website is a compilation of practical resources that will inspire student engagement and instill a love for learning. By tapping into a student’s natural creativity and curiosity, Joyce believes that they can take their education to a new level.

 

She’s EmPOWERed: Third Grader’s Passion for the Planet Inspires Environmental Justice-Themed Book

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Around the world, governments are trying to figure out how to solve the most pressing environmental issues – from air and water pollution to global warming and sea level rise. 

So, what on earth can we do to fix these problems? It may seem overwhelming but the first thing to do is something! 

Meet Aahna Rangnath – an eight year old from California deeply committed to environmental justice. She is an elementary school student who is doing something! Aahna is on a mission to motivate kids to help transform the environment. 

The aspiring author is working on publishing her first book entitled Green Girls.

The book follows a group of three friends who find a magic portal in Hawaii and travel around the world to save the planet.

Aahna, who is of Asian Indian descent, wanted to make sure that the characters in her book reflect the girls in her community. “There are not that many books about girls with brown skin so I made sure all my characters had brown skin, she said. “I want people to know that young girls can be powerful.”

Girls are indeed powerful and have the potential to create world-wide change. 

According to a report from the National Democratic Institute, gender equality is a vital component of climate justice. “Women and girls are, and will continue to be, more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and environmental degradation,” the report stated. 

More women and girls are needed to hold leadership positions and be at the center of environmental activism and governance. 

Aahna is well on her way. When she grows up, she wants to be a scientist. “I want to be a dog scientist because I love my dog and I love science. I do a lot of science projects and I really enjoy them,” she explained.“ I also like doing science projects about water conservation.”

Good luck Aahna. We can’t wait to get our copy of Green Girls. 

Empowered Flower Girl Hosts 2022 Be the Impact Virtual Youth Service Summit

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Empowered Flower Girl (EFG), a social enterprise on a mission to transform the way young people relate to one another and themselves, will host the 2022 Be the Impact Summit on Saturday, October 8, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET. The virtual youth service event will be held during National Bullying Prevention Month and the weekend before International Day of the Girl.

The event showcases and celebrates young people making or aspiring to make positive contributions to society as well as helps them discover their passion for community service.

The summit is free and open to youth and youth advocates globally and includes:

Youth Power Panel:

  • Avery Kelley (Atlanta, Ga.), producer and host of the Teendom Talk Show and CEO of Inspired Melanin
  • Vanesha and Varshini Hari (Redmond, Wash.), sisters and co-founders of Joys of Giving
  • Rosemary Nwaosuagwu (Houston, Texas), 9-year-old author and founder of Books by Rossy

Workshop:

Passion. Purpose. Profession: Introduction to Strategic Service facilitated by Rasheda Kamaria Williams, mentor turned social entrepreneur and chief empowering officer for Empowered Flower Girl; and featuring Tia Russell, founder of Take My Hand.

Presentation:

Youth Service America featuring Nikki Liles, director of partnerships, who will discuss community service initiatives and funding opportunities for young people and youth-serving organizations.
To close out the event, Empowered Flower Girl will announce the winner of its $250 Impact Ideas giveaway.

“There are young people in our communities and around the world tackling issues and championing causes – from climate change and racism to access to education and homelessness,” Williams said. “I am inspired by the courage and commitment of youth globally and Empowered Flower Girl is committed to honoring those using their gifts and talents to create change.”

The 2022 Be the Impact Summit is sponsored by the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest. Empowered Flower Girl was one of three Detroit-area organizations/social enterprises to receive a Social Impact Grant from the Consulate in June.

For more information visit http://www.empoweredflowergirl.com/2022BetheImpact.

She’s EmPOWERed: Giving Back is a Way of Life for Tennessee Teen

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For many children and teens, volunteering is a chore or something you do because you are told.

But not for Asia Bigsbee.

The 14-year-old Tennessee native has been giving back for nearly a decade and finds joy in it.

She is the founder of the Beautiful Spirited Cupcake Mentoring Program for girls ages four to 11. The program helps participants learn life skills that will help develop and mature them into positive and productive individuals in life, education and community.

“The Beautiful Spirited Cupcake Mentoring Program is making a difference in communities worldwide by providing free programming, community workshops and free resources to give girls in low-income areas a lifetime opportunity to dream big no matter what,” said Asia, who began volunteering when she was four.

Overall, she has hand-written more than 200 letters of hope filled with inspirational and encouraging words to girls worldwide. Additionally, she has fed and provided clothing for over 500 hundred people in need in her community.

Activism, Athletics and Academics

Asia has spoken to and served girls through free workshops, seminars and service projects as a girl power champion.

Not only is she laser-focused on uplifting those in her community, but she’s also focused on academics and athletics. Asia is an honor roll student, volleyball player, basketball player and proud member of several regional and national organizations/associations, including Royal Neighbors of America, Delta Gems of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Peace First, Points of Light, Volunteer Memphis and Mentoring Grizz Foundation.

After high school, Asia aspires to enter a veterinarian program.

You can learn more about the Beautiful Spirited Cupcake Mentoring Program by visiting the Beautiful Spirited Women website at www.beautifulspiritedwomen.org.

Learn more at:
Instagram: @beautifulspiritedwomen
Twitter: @bswblessings
Facebook: @bswblessing