October 2013 is Awareness Month

In October 2013,
When You Believe Foundation, Inc. commemorates...
Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Body Confident, Beautiful Me
Love Your Body Day - October 16th

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Find BCBM on: Facebook and Twitter

Love Your Body Day 2013 - October 16th

Today is...

Love Your Body Day

Tell us why you love your body

What do you love about your body? What makes you beautiful?

Taking care of your body is loving your body

A sound mind makes a healthy individual, and does the body good!

Just do it!

Note to self

DO it for YOU!

Preserve the HEALTHY YOU

Define your beauty

Say these words to yourself, EVERY DAY!

Find BCBM on: Facebook and Twitter

Phenomenal Woman by Dr. Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.

I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size

But when I start to tell them,

They think I'm telling lies.

I say,

It's in the reach of my arms

The span of my hips,

The stride of my step,

The curl of my lips.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

I walk into a room

Just as cool as you please,

And to a man,

The fellows stand or

Fall down on their knees.

Then they swarm around me,

A hive of honey bees.

I say,

It's the fire in my eyes,

And the flash of my teeth,

The swing in my waist,

And the joy in my feet.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

Men themselves have wondered

What they see in me.

They try so much

But they can't touch

My inner mystery.

When I try to show them

They say they still can't see.

I say,

It's in the arch of my back,

The sun of my smile,

The ride of my breasts,

The grace of my style.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

Now you understand

Just why my head's not bowed.

I don't shout or jump about

Or have to talk real loud.

When you see me passing

It ought to make you proud.

I say,

It's in the click of my heels,

The bend of my hair,

the palm of my hand,

The need of my care,

'Cause I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me. 

Poem by Dr. Maya Angelou

BELIEVHER: Sonia Pratt Staples-Williams

Name: Sonia

Age: 34

What three physical features do you love most about yourself that makes you feel beautiful?
Answer: Eyes, Lips, and Stomach.

Appreciate yours, celebrate hers!

Appreciate your beauty, and celebrate the beauty of others!

YOU are beautiful!

Beautiful: Comes in all shapes, colors, and sizes!

BELIEVHER: Nisa Harper

Name: Nisa

Age: 37

What three physical features do you love most about yourself that makes you feel beautiful?
Answer: Full Lips, Voice, and Skin

Raising Awareness in October 2012

Body Confident, Beautiful Me: A Love Your Body Campaign

Breast Cancer

Domestic Violence

LET’S TALK: MY ENCOUNTER WITH THE THREE-OUNCE TUBE

Name: Aisha Koroma
Age: 26
The three body parts that I love are my EYES, LIPS, and definitely my SKIN TONE


Four years ago, I experienced stubborn acne breakouts. After months of experimenting with various beauty products, the bumps were gone, but the scars remained. Frustrated with the tiny dots on my face, I went hunting for a miracle product. Tried different things but nothing worked until a friend introduced me to a tiny little three-ounce tube. With no questions asked, I started using the product in the tube. Two weeks later I noticed the fading of my scars. Filled with excitement, I purchased another tube. Months later, not only did the scars disappear, my entire face was smooth and bright.


Loved what I saw so I was like “ummm, face is bright but the rest of my body isn't … How about using the “tube” on the rest o f my body.” A few weeks went by and saw minimal results. Then I upgraded to a “cocktail” of tubes and soap bars. With these cocktails came a ritual. Every morning and night, I glazed my body with a cloud of soap mixture followed by a polish tube twirl. A year later I went from being a 60% Hershey dark chocolate to a caramel milk chocolate.

I’ll admit, for a while, I fell in love with the “new me.” Then I took a closer look in the mirror one day and realized that I was still the same person but with a lighter/brighter complexion. Asked myself, “who is this ‘new girl?’ Is she any better than Aisha with the darker skin tone?” Answer, I was the same person with the same amount of melanin production. The only thing different was the increase levels of chemicals/toxins in my skin.


Had a moment and I said “STOP!!!” The color of my skin at that moment didn't make me any better of a person than I was nor did it bring me inner satisfaction. Difference: my skin was lighter. Bleaching my skin had no positive contribution to my personal well-being so I stopped intoxicating my beautiful dark skin with chemicals. Unlike others, I didn't just wake up one day and decided to become “yellow bone.” It was a process … Not a justified process, but something led to my encounter with the three-ounce tube.


As we try to educate others, it is necessary for us to trace and understand all roads that lead to a certain destination. Sometimes we fail to educate ourselves before educating others. When this occurs, you’ve intentionally displaced the significance of schooling. Ask, analyze, and understand before you teach/preach … Let’s get REAL … Bleaching your skin may change your perspective of what defines beauty, but it won’t change WHO you are … If there is a dissonance between what you see and what really exist, I urge you to dig deeper for a MERGE.

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Want to share your story? E-mail us at WYBFoundation@gmail.com or fill out this survey

BCBM Tour (3)

Speaking to students in the Introduction to Women's Studies class on November 16, 2011.

Thank you to:

Dr. Laura Gillman

Dept. of Women's and Gender Studies

Virginia Tech

BELIEVHER: Megan Woo

Name: Megan

Age: 23

What three physical features do you love most about yourself that makes you feel beautiful?
Answer: Hair, Breasts, and Curves.

"I really love my body. I love how my body makes me feel. I love my curves. I love my breasts because they make me feel sexy  I love my hair because it moves so beautifully in the wind. I love how I move in my body. I love the way I look. There are so many beautiful things about the female body. The female body is so complex. Our bodies allow us to give birth to new life. It also makes us feel sexy and confident. We don't need to be stick thin to be beautiful. Confidence is beautiful" - Megan Woo 

BCBM Tour (2)

Speaking to students in the Global Feminisms class on November 10, 2011.



Thank you to:

Dr. Minjeong Kim

Dept. of Women's and Gender Studies

Virginia Tech

BCBM Tour (1)

Speaking to a section in the Introduction to Women's Studies class at Virginia Tech on November 8, 2011.

Thank you to:

Dr. Minjeong Kim

Dept. of Women's and Gender Studies

Virginia Tech

BELIEVHER: Kary Meissner

Name: Kary

Age: 26

What three physical features do you love most about yourself that makes you feel beautiful?
Answer: Hands, Smile, and big Hips.

"I feel beautiful most of the time, unless I'm sick, exhausted, or otherwise not myself. I get appreciative stares from men and sometimes women that reinforce that I must be attractive. I'm flattered when people do, but I really don't see why they make such a fuss...its just physical beauty" Kary Meissner.

BELIEVHER: Anne Ancheril

Name: Anne

Age: 20

What three physical features do you love most about yourself that makes you feel beautiful?
Answer: Hair, Eyes, and Smile.

---

"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within" Elisabeth Kübler-Ross.

BELIEVHER: Bintu Musa

Name: Bintu

Age: 23

What three physical features do you love most about yourself that makes you feel beautiful?
Answer: Stomach, Legs, and Thighs.

---

"The ultimate beauty secret for a woman getting older is, Don’t be too thin! It is always better to have a little meat on your bones" Heidi Klum.

BELIEVHER: Janet Atere-Roberts

Name: Janet

Age: 21

What three physical features do you love most about yourself that makes you feel beautiful?
Answer: Breasts, Stomach, and Hips.

---

"This body is your body, ashes now and roses, but alive in my eyes, my breasts, my throat, my thighs. You run in me a tang of salt in the creek waters of my blood, you sing in my mind like wine. What you did not dare in your life you dare in mine" Marge Piercy.

SOURCE:
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174148

BELIEVHER: Christina Dyal

Name: Christina

Age: 21

What three physical features do you love most about yourself that makes you feel beautiful?
Answer: Hair, Eyes, and Waist.

---
Phenomenal Woman by Dr. Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

BELIEVHER: Priya Saxena

Name: Priya

Age: 21

What three physical features do you love most about yourself that makes you feel beautiful?
Answer: Eyes, Smile, Shoulders, and Legs.

---

"Who Am I?"

Who am I?
My first answer would probably be my name.
But, my name does not describe who I am on the inside.
I could then give the title of my profession.
But that is what I do.
I could then tell you I am a wife, a sister, and a daughter.
But those are my relationships.
I ask again, who am I?
I could describe myself as an extrovert and outgoing.
That is my personality.
I am organized in planning events.
But that is a gift God has given me.
I could describe my appearance, but that is not who I am either.
So many times I have believed what others say I am.
If I receive affirmation, then I feel worthwhile.
However, when I receive criticism, then I feel like a failure.
I have chosen to ride the roller coaster of emotions,
Instead of believing the truth of what God says about me.
I have tried to work harder to prove that I am worthwhile.
Yet every time I mess up or fail, I am reminded that I will never measure up.
I will never be pretty enough or talented enough.
I will never be skinny enough or do enough good things of the church.
I will never be a good enough wife or sister or daughter.
But, I keep trying harder and harder.
I believe the lie that if I continue to try harder, I will finally be "good" enough.
One day, God gently said to me,
"Stop trying so hard to prove yourself to others.
Get your worth from me. I've already given it to you.
Remember my grace.
It's a free gift and nothing you can achieve by trying harder.

Rest in my grace.
You are working so hard to have a certain position in the eyes of others,
To be well-liked and to have popularity.
You want to be appreciated for what you do.

But I want you to know that you already have an elevated position.
Because you have a relationship with my son, Jesus Christ,
You are a part of my kingdom as my daughter, and co-heirs with Christ.
Because you are the daughter of a King,
You are given the position of being a princess.

You are my princess, a royal princess.
Remember that an earthly princess is not special because of who she is or what she does.
She has status and position because of who her dad is, a king.
She has royalty in her blood.
You have royalty in your blood as well.
You are the daughter of a King.
And no matter what you do, your status will never change.
I have chosen you and I have a plan for your life.
I will not forget you and will be with you always.
I have engraved you in the palm of my hands.
Rest in the knowledge of who you are in me.
Nothing else will ever be enough.
You are my daughter and I love you!"

by Shelley Hitz

SOURCE:
http://www.teen-beauty-tips.com/self-esteem-poem.html

BELIEVHER: Francil

Name: Francil

Age: 24

What three physical features do you love most about yourself that makes you feel beautiful?
Answer: Eyes, Nose, and Lips.

---

"Why are women so much more self-critical than men? Because women are judged on their appearance more than men, and standards of female beauty are considerably higher and more inflexible. Women are continually bombarded with images of the 'ideal' face and figure – what Naomi Woolf calls 'The Official Body'. Constant exposure to idealised images of female beauty on TV, magazines and billboards makes exceptional good looks seem normal and anything short of perfection seem abnormal and ugly. It has been estimated that young women now see more images of outstandingly beautiful women in one day than our mothers saw throughout their entire adolescence."

SOURCE:
http://www.sirc.org/publik/mirror.html