change

Everyone has a story. Everyone has gone through something that changed them. -Author unknown

This past Summer, I attended an event in New York City where guests were asked to participate in the Wall of Love.  We were asked the question, “How will you create change?”  Each person proceeded to pick up the chalk and write an answer.  My answer was: “by changing the conversation from celebrity gossip to inspiring people.”  Why this statement? Throughout high school,  I entertained a lot of my free time by reading women’s style and celebrity gossip magazines.  Over time, I became quite obsessed with the magazine’s images and content, which slowly then defined beauty, success, and popularity for me.  As a teenager, this became the influence in my life, as well as the topic of conversation with friends.  I gained a false sense of confidence, and I spent a lot of money trying to dress and look the part.  I was not a passionately driven individual seeking something beyond myself.  Rather, I had a singular view of life – “me in the world.”

Then in college, I discovered charity: water and their work helping children in developing nations gain access to clean water.  I watched a documentary on sex trafficking and learned about the harsh realities of child sexual slavery in the U.S. and abroad. These topics moved me to do something.  This new kind of conversation inspired me, and I began to perceive the world with new eyes.  Just a few years later, local and global impact became my focus.  It took a little spark to ignite my voracious conscious fire, and now our team is sharing a print magazine full of stories that uplift the good in culture and pave the way for you to take action.

Life has taught me that you get your heart back when you begin to understand what is really beautiful in this world and what really matters.

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