I Am That Girl
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"Be Seen. Be Heard. Belong. These words hold depth and meaning to thousands of girls across the globe and connecting them through their message of community, self compassion, and empowerment on both an individual and social level." "That is the power of language; it has meaning, influence, and value. Sometimes it is easy to overlook the magic that is language, but when we make the time to recognize and appreciate that value of speaking our truths, well, we can truly change our experiences in life." - Carolyn Brown, The Crown Collective I just loved Carolyn's words from her blog post - be sure to check it out here! Her and I got to serve alongside I Am That Girl for their #Girl2016 event earlier this month. I first heard about IATG last year and I jumped at the opportunity to help with some of the design for their biggest event yet where 300 girls from all over the world gathered at the El Rey Theater in Downtown Los Angeles. The energy was palpable. I'm still pinching myself that I got to be apart of it all.I had the incredible opportunity to design the stage setup (including those rad signs from the stage you see above!) as well as the VIP rooms, and the DIY/crafting stations. Which, hello, I totally loved. I honestly didn't know what to expect from the day. I knew my team would show up, we would install, we would direct volunteers, and then we'd just help out wherever it was needed. And we did all of that. I wanted to be apart of something that would encourage and inspire these young women. But what happened was, they inspired me. Their passion, authenticity, their excitement for the future left me feeling so inspired for the future of our world as a whole.These girls are the heart of this organization and with each new speaker, musician, interview I couldn't help but think of how important this is for them. I kept thinking of how I could have benefited from this when I was in high school - how we ALL could have. I truly believe women are the future of this country and for that to happen we must empower our young girls. Such a simple concept. And IATG is doing that so so well. Scroll through to see more snapshots from the day from Emily Duncan Photography!The girls got to hear empowering messages from Rachel Platten, Derek Hough, Lizzie Velasquez, Monique Coleman, and Aija Lise - just to name a few! They also got to add patches and bling to their IATG denim jackets provided by Levi's and they got to make their own floral crowns with The Crown Collective. So. Much. Fun.I got to style the press room with gorgeous furniture from Circa Vintage Rentals. They seriously killed it with the aesthetic!
If you'd like to learn more about IATG - like joining a chapter, read their blog, sponsoring a chapter, or how to get more involved personally, be sure to check them out HERE