Michelle Shirley for Be Strong

When I was a kid, I was not very outspoken. It was not because I did not have anything to say, but because my home life taught me to stay quiet. I learned early how to shrink myself to avoid conflict, how to smile through fear, and how to hide the parts of me that longed to be seen.

It took time, healing, and the right people to show me that my voice had value. Today, that quiet little girl has grown into a woman who now spends her days speaking to students, parents, and community members about the power of connection, the same kind of connection that once saved me.

At Be Strong International, our after school program that teaches Heart Skills® gives students what I wish I had at their age: a place to belong, to be heard, and to discover who they are without fear or shame. Throughout the school year, our facilitators meet with middle school students to help them learn how to manage emotions, build healthy friendships, and set boundaries that protect their peace. They laugh, they talk, they grow. They practice being strong from the inside out.

This Give Miami Day, I am asking you to help me raise $7,500 to sustain these spaces for youth within our program sites. Your gift covers costs for engaging activities, mentoring, and helps us to reward students with scholarships.

Help a young person find their voice, just as I found mine.

Let's help every child learn what it means to Be Strong.