I Am That Girl is a group on campus that works to facilitate conversations between students about things that matter. Our meetings create a place where students feel comfortable sharing personal experiences on topics that do not usually come up in everyday conversation in the classrooms, dining hall or dorms. I Am That Girl was brought to Tabor in October of 2015 when Alexis Jones came to Tabor to speak to us about her work. Alexis Jones founded I Am That Girl in 2002 and it became an official non-profit in 2008. Since its beginning over 250 chapters have been founded around the country, one of those being at Tabor.
Tabor’s local chapter of I Am That Girl is run by co-chapter leaders, and five other members of the leadership circle, each having individual roles in the program. The chapter holds multiple meetings a month, some open to the whole school and others restricted to our almost 100 chapter members. We also hold I Am That Girl sponsored events such as open-mic nights and class meetings. Our chapter meetings have varying topics, some taken from the I Am That Girl curriculum and others put together by Tabor students and faculty members about topics they believe are important to discuss in this setting, ranging from body image to social media usage.
I Am That Girl has also participated in multiple community service activities with the surrounding area. In the past we have raised money to “sponsor a girl” through I Am That Girl, tutored at a local all girls middle school, and held a meeting for a group of Girl Scouts. We also held a gratitude week for our school last year. This week was dedicated to recognizing groups on campus that we believed were not always appreciated as much as they deserve, including the health center, dining hall, and plant operations. The gratitude week and our other community service opportunities highlight the organization’s focus on giving back.
Participating in I Am That Girl has helped me find my voice. I began freshman year an incredibly shy girl, afraid to share my opinions and experiences with others. Finding I Am That Girl during my sophomore year gave me a place where I felt comfortable saying what was on my mind and sharing experiences I have had in order to help others. Eventually, this new found self-confidence began to extend outside of our meetings. I was participating more in class, expressing my opinions, and becoming a leader on campus. Now as a senior, I am thankful for the gift of I Am That Girl. As a current Co-Chapter Leader, I work to strengthen the group to ensure someone else will receive the same benefits that I did.
