NORFOLK, Va. — For some children and teens, handling the challenges of their youth can be difficult. Da'shaye Clarke hopes to help them navigate tough situations.
Earlier this year, after the military wife relocated to the area, she founded The Journey of Me Program. The nonprofit promotes mental wellness and self-love among young people, especially those from low-income families.
The program's mission is to create a safe space where kids and teens feel valued and empowered. Through pop-up events and workshops, The Journey of Me aims to help them embrace what makes them unique while combatting the effects of bullying.
The group works to help young people feel better about themselves, creating care baskets filled with homemade, organic products like hair oils and bath bombs.
"And we provide low [or] free services for hair, nails, makeup," Clarke said, "just to make them feel good about themselves and try to cut down on the bullying."
She said the mission is personal for her.
"My daughter, she has some sensory issues, [and I saw] her go through where she was bullied," Clarke said. "I have a little sister that went through things where she was bullied; like, my nephew goes through it every day. I was like, 'What can I do?' And I was just like, 'Oh, well, this would be good, and this would be good.' And it just went from there."
Positive affirmation is a key focus of the program and the center of some of its initiatives. The S.I.S. Girl Group, a music group within The Journey of Me Program, recorded songs like Skin I'm In, which promotes body positivity and self-acceptance.
"It's really about embracing who you are," Clarke said. "And we just want to encourage that."
Exercises encourage children and teens to express themselves in a healthy way, including an activity that involves giving them small mirrors on a piece of paper and having them write positive affirmations about themselves.
"We also create a safe space," Clarke said. "We are creating a letter thing where they just write a letter and they just pour out everything that they want to say. Sometimes, kids are not troubled — they just need someone to listen."
She said these simple gestures can make a big difference for children and teens who may feel isolated and alone.
"It's hard being a kid these days," Clarke said. "So, we just really try to get in there and just let them know, like, it's okay to be you."
As The Journey of Me Program continues to grow, Clarke hopes to expand its reach by holding more events and securing more volunteers to provide services.
"We are big on speaking life into kids," she said. "I just want kids to know, like, you are beautiful, like, regardless of if you are different from others."
The nonprofit is accepting monetary and in-kind donations to support its initiatives. If you'd like to donate, click here.
Volunteers are also needed to help with events and provide services, like hairstyling and mentoring. To learn more about volunteering, visit The Journey of Me Program's website here.