“I realize my full potential and I have a desire to openly express myself and be the best that I can be. I have not always had this ambition. My story is about my journey from confidence to loss of sense of self to re-affirming who I am and who I want to be. I hope to empower the BSC community to love themselves, believe in themselves, and reach their full potential.”
“It never dawned on me that self-love was something that wasn't taught until I was in my early 20s. I figured that people were born with confidence and care for themselves and that ultimately something was just wrong with me. It wasn't until I began to recognize that so much comes from your childhood environment and cultural factors that I began to figure out the details.”
Read More“I realized I needed to forgive myself. I had forgiven those I felt I needed to for my own peace. But it was my turn. I felt like I was carrying my childhood self on my ankle. As I’d take steps, I’d feel her weight on my feet. I was in need of comforting her, the little girl who would get so excited to see her dad come home from work but would arise disappointed the next day when realizing he got in late again.”
Read MoreFor most of my childhood, I wished for thinner and looser-curled hair. But through the self-hate, the perms, the texturizers, the frustration, the tears, my hair did not change. It’s still thick and tightly coiled. I wanted my hair to be more like the women I saw on T.V. and in magazines. I truly believed my hair was not beautiful…There’s a lot of “tips & tricks” to achieve long, healthy hair, but the best way I think you can is by being in tune with it and giving it what it needs.
Read More“Last year was the most challenging. Being limited from what I was used to, adjusting to a new normal that is steadily adapting itself, I became more anxious than I ever felt before. Alternatives were not working for me and wrapping my mind around expectations was just as exhausting. Eventually, I burnt out…At this point in time, I have decided to take the reins of my fear in life. I am doing so, by acknowledging that even if you think you are moving forward, overthinking, and anticipating all your fears, can and will only hold you back. Fear does not attract what you want to happen. Mind over matter is of utmost importance.”
Read More“When I was younger, I was fully aware that I was ‘bigger’ than other kids around me but it didn’t really occur to me that I was negatively seen for being fat until I entered elementary school. I would like to add that I am fortunate that I was never extremely bullied by my peers but little things have stuck with me, resulting in a detrimental effect on my self-confidence and making me increasingly self-conscious as a young girl.”
Read More“Becoming your own boss can be inspiring and empowering but the road to get there is often tough. Do you choose to stay in your part-time job that overworks you or do you take the leap of faith to make it on your own? Neither choice is easy, I've done them both and I want to let you in on my story of how I overcame those obstacles and got to where I am today.”
Read More“My whole life, I’ve faced a self-proclaimed downhill battle with my hair. I refused to see the beauty in my natural curls and I did whatever I could to hide it so I wouldn’t have to directly deal with it. This past year, quarantine forced me to come to terms with my hair and over the last few months, I’ve developed a much healthier relationship with it. I feel so empowered to finally talk about my hair on a public platform and pose as an example of how personal growth journeys cater so much to self-love.”
Read More“I grew up in a predominantly white neighbourhood and went to a predominantly white school. When my best friend moved to Ottawa in grade 5, I became the only Black girl in the grade. I never got a chance to express my blackness because there was no one else who was Black!…I do wish I had more Black friends growing up. This definitely made me think about my future children and how much I want to make sure they grow up around other Black children. They will know that they are beautiful because I will tell them every day. I will show them how to take care of their hair and tell them that it is okay to get darker in the summer, it’s beautiful…My babies will appreciate their blackness from the start.”
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