Emily

For young Emily, life was full of dread and anxiety.

School had become a daily battleground; she was bullied by her classmates. She felt surrounded by images of skinny, sexy young women in ads, TV shows, and movies, and believed she would never measure up or be good enough.

She started to withdraw and became increasingly detached. She clung to the security of home and parents, and slowly shut herself off from the rest of the world.

Then her parents encouraged her to sign up for an all-girls program offered in her neighbourhood.

There, she found herself surrounded by girls her own age who were struggling with the same issues she was. The program taught them to try new things even when they were afraid, to play sports without worrying about how they looked, and to create their own images of girls and women that focused on their intelligence and strength.

In this supportive new world, Emily discovered she could be herself. She developed new confidence, and realized she loved to sing and act. An eager student, she is now a budding performer, unafraid to show her true colours.

For Emily, life is now about hope and opportunity.