BEAUTY

When you're starting a non-profit it's very much like starting a company. There are many round table discussions and darts thrown at the question, "Who are we?" "What's our brand?" "What's our product?" Who is our niche supporter?" Growing up in the non-profit world I understood that you could go two routes a.) The "look at the starving babies! Help them!" route or the b.) "Lets a build a house and hug it out!" I prefer to hug it out. I have spent a lot of time listening to non-profits talk about the dark side of man and I wanted REWRITE BEAUTIFUL to focus on the positive: Changing how girls see beauty in themselves, using Art as the vehicle to do so and building communities of girls who believe they have more to contribute to the world than what they look like.

The truth is there is a very real and dark side to the REWRITE BEAUTIFUL mission. We are established today because we saw a need in the 7  million girls in the USA alone who are currently in a great deal of pain, depression and suffering from an Eating Disorder. I was so blantantly reminded of that  while I was doing some research on Google this evening. I was trying to google "How to be better non-profit" When all of the sudden I saw the defaults  (What is Googled most often) with that phrase "How to be b.." You can see the phrases below.

I dont' know what this does to you, but my eyes watered and my heart sunk when I saw this. The fact that there are enough people out there Googling "How to be beautiful" and "How to be bulimic" that it defaults to this phrase just gives me a great deal of sadness and a heck of a lot of ammo for the week. I mean REWRITE BEAUTIFUL says that being "beautiful" consists of how you treat other people. Yet there are hurting people out there looking for "beautiful"  in places they will never find it.

When it comes down to it, I'm not a branding guru. I don't know what's going to make any of you guys care about the 7 Million girls in the US with an Eating Disorder. I am just one person who can see a problem and do my best to make it better. I think we can all do that. I encourage you guys to notice when your eyes water and heart breaks this week and to do one little thing to make it better.

The masses have spoken and they want some Rewrite Beautiful this summer! So we’re packin’ up our spray paint, pastels, cameras, wood and all other creative materials we can fit into a Toyota Carolla and heading out to Change how girls see beauty in themselves. This is who is taking our booty’s off of our hammocks this summer… and sending us on the Rockin’ Road Trip to: Rewrite Beautiful!

Destination A: July 6^th 2010

Whittier Christian School

Whittier, California

We will be working with girls k-8^th grade!

Destination B: August 11^th 2010

Faith Worship Community

Costa Mesa, California

We will be working with Jr. High, High School and College aged girls!

Destination C: Saturday, August 21^st 2010

Street Art Party

Costa Mesa, California

We will be inviting everyone from tiny tikes to wise old artists with dreads to come and do Rewrite Beautiful Street Art together. To get the VIP invite you'll have to  join us on facebook.

 So I know what you’re thinking…you wanna come on our Rockin’ Road Trip to: Rewrite Beautiful….and you feel all left out….awww…don’t be sad! Here at Rewrite Beautiful we believe everyone can play a part of this cause. You can either:

Submit BEAUTIFUL!

Our whole goal in doing this Rockin' Road Trip to: Rewrite Beautiful is to get the word out about Rewrite Beautiful. You can do that yourself by making your own Street Art, putting it out on in public and submitting it to us to post here on our blog. To find out how check out our link Create Rewrite Beautiful Street Art

Show BEAUTIFUL!

You can volunteer to come help us facilitate Rewrite Beautiful in schools. Whether you’re a teacher on Summer “Vaca” looking for a cause to make a difference with or a just a boy who has a fetish for saws and likes to cut wood into weird shapes, then you should Show BEAUTIFUL!  Email us at RewriteBeautiful@gmail.com for more 411

 Shout BEAUTIFUL!

We love a girl who puts her heart out with a Shout Out! Thank you Krista!

Are you thinking of a place that you would love to see Rewrite Beautiful Street Art done? Give us a Shout Out to whichever school, organization, soccer team, Indian tribe or Eskimo’s that you think could use some Rewrite Beautiful. The only reason we have this road trip is because of the Beautiful Jenna and the Beautiful Krista who gave Rewrite Beautiful a shout out at WhittierChristian School and Faith Worship Community.

Supply BEAUTIFUL!

Are you wondering, “How the heck are they going to afford to buy all of those art supplies for all of those girls who want to Rewrite Beautiful?” We are wondering the same thing too! We need a lot of help to “Supply” BEAUTIFUL art supplies to meet the “Demand” to Rewrite Beautiful. If you would like to donate to the Rewrite Beautiful cause,  please send all checks to:

Rewrite Beautiful

177 Riverside Avenue, Suite F #1110

Newport Beach, CA 92663

 A little girl who will grow up knowing how beautiful she truly is , thanks you! 

Kjerstin is a Girl that can Go! (All the way to India!)

Imagine that you have flown the 30 hour flight to India. You have taken the 9 hour bus ride from Hyderbad to the small town of Tenali in Andrha Pradesh, India. You are now in front of a crowd of starving, sick and desperate Indian people. You are passing out bananas and bread to small children and the thought in your head isn’t “smile and hug the children” it’s “I feel fat. I wish I didn’t eat breakfast. I want to purge.” This exact predicament is what an eating disorder does to a girl. No matter where she is or the circumstance she is paralyzed in her thoughts. She is a girl that can’t go beyond her thoughts and definitely can not help others.

 This is why Rewrite Beautiful is Changing how girls see beauty in themselves. If a girl does not see the beauty in herself she can not help others to see the beauty in themselves. There are millions of girls today that are not only paralyzed from helping people in other nations, they are paralyzed from just being present for their families. There are girls who stay locked in their rooms because they don’t like the way their jeans look on them. We believe no one deserves to hidden from the world, no matter what they look like in their jeans. The world misses out when these girls are not present. This is why we are trying to create Girls that can Go and use their talents, passions and education to help others in need.

 When girls are healthy and outside of their bedrooms and not obsessing about the size of their jeans they do amazing things and start amazing organizations like these:

 31 Bits  www.31Bits.com

Founded by: Brooke, Alli, Anna, Kallie

The Go: A mission trip to Uganda

Vision: 31 Bits works with women inNorthern Uganda. The Ugandan women make awesome jewelry that is sold here in the US. The money is sent back to the women so they can sustain their lives. 31 Bits "strives to build a loving community that cares for individuals’ spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical needs."

 International Princess Project  www.intlprincess.org

Founded by: Shannon Keith

The Go: A mission trip to India

Vision: IPP helps Indian women get out of prostitution by giving them the opportunity to learn a new trade, Punjammie making! These women make gorgeous Punjammies (Pajama pants made out of beautiful Indian fabric). The women once enslaved in the sex trade not only have the opportunity to support themselves with a skill and dignity, but they also are provided a place to live and to heal in body and spirit and to live lives of freedom.

 Isanctuary  www.isanctuary.org

Founded by: Stephanie Pallaro

The Go: A mission trip to India

Vision:  iSanctuary exists to provide opportunities for girls who were formerly in the sex trade to grow, gain restoration, and eventually sustain themselves by earning an income as they reintegrate into society.  Another awesome jewelry making venture...iSanctuary gives the girls the opportunity to create jewelry that is sold in the US and the profits are sent back to support them. "Education and vocational training combat one of the most significant factors that make women and girls vulnerable to trafficking and poverty." Just a little FYI: Many women in 3rd world countries go into the sex trade because they have no education thus they have no skills and selling their bodies is the only job available for them.

 Iam Hope and Healing  www.iamhopeandhealing.org

Founded by: Hallie Kotrla

The Go: San Diego, California

 Vision: I AM is a safe and secure place for women and men who struggle with anorexia, bulimia, compulsive overeating, binge eating disorders and body image issues, as well as any associated problems related to these areas. IAM helps newly recovering ED survivors find Sober Living, Sponsors, Meetings and a community of support.

This is just a glimpse of what Girls that can Go do. It takes a ton of work to start and run organizations like these. I hope these girls inspire you to either get healthy enough to Go or support girls that Go.

On an Inspirational note: Harvest India is a non-profit organization based in Southern India that helps every person under the Indian sun in need in the name of Jesus Christ. The pastor, Suresh Kumar is visiting the US right now. I ran into him the other day. He asked me about Rewrite Beautiful, I told him about us going into schools and changing the way girls see beauty in themselves, he was excited. Then I told him that the vision is that these girls would eventually turn into women who are equipped to Go to India and serve other women. I got a classic, thumbs up from Suresh, a head nod and a “Good job man! God job!” If I do say so myself, “Right on!” I hope all of you girls know that you have something in you that you need to GO and give to others, small or big you have it to share. And I hope all you boys keep encouraging all us gals to GO and be the women we were created to be.

I about choked on my scalding hot latte from Kean when my friend said to me, “Why should I care about those girls with Eating Disorders? That’s not my problem. That’s their parents problem. I adore you Irvina and I will always support everything you do, but I could care less. Don't get me wrong, I think what you're doing is cool, but it’s just not relevant to me.”

I rebutted, (and sort of shrieked) “But, how can you say that?!?!  You have a wife and a mom and a sister?”

He said, “Yeah, but their healthy. This doesn’t effect them or me.”

I sighed and out of the corner of my eye I saw my friends beautiful wife in the distance a confident, beautiful woman that knows she has value in all the many facets that make her “beautiful”. And then I sat up in my barstool and said,

“And THAT is exactly why you should care.”

With a smirk he said, “You have the floor my friend.”

I explained, “Imagine if your beautiful wife didn’t think she was so beautiful? What if she was constantly talking about how much she needs to lose weight, asking you to confirm her beauty and was so insecure about her physical appearance that she feared food? What if she wouldn’t eat out at restaurant with all of our friends? What if instead of spending her day rehabilitating people to health she instead obsessed about her waist line and bra size? How would that affect YOUR marriage? How would that affect YOUR life? What if your mom avoided you by constantly making excuses that she had to go to the gym and never shared some chocolate chip cookies with you? How would that affect YOU? And what if growing up one of your sisters refused to eat her breakfast, lunch and dinner?  How would that have affected YOUR childhood?”

 I have had a handful of people ask if REWRITE BEAUTIFUL is a  religious organization I say, “Well, yes and no.” We did not file as a church or religious organization because we want to first and foremost be inclusive not exclusive. We know that Eating Disorders are universal and we want the ability to REWRITE BEAUTIFUL  to be pen to everyone and anyone. But, the yes comes in where we believe that every human being is a unique creation. Every woman on this earth is someone’s daughter, someone’s sister, someone’s mommy, someone’s aunt and someone’s friend and REWRITE BEAUTIFUL knows that a girl with an Eating Disorder can’t be the unique girl she was created to be while she has a gnarly diseases taking her down.

 So if you wonder, “Why should I care about THOSE GIRLS?” I ask that you think about a girl you absolutely adore...A girl who makes you smile....whose laugh is contagious... and imagine that girl present in body, but dead in spirit and I think you’ll have  your answer. This is the girl I think about...

Her name is Ever. Ever played a huge part in establishing REWRITE BEAUTIFUL in that she helped the vision for it to actually take place...I used to rock her to bed when she was a newborn baby. I would look at her, this tiny person who was happy, serene and playing with my hair (when she was supposed to be falling asleep) and I just knew that I didn't want her to ever believe that she was anything less than beautiful. It's because of Ever, that I care about THOSE GIRLS?  How about you? Who do you want to REWRITE BEAUTIFUL for? I look forward to hearing...

Kiss, Paint, Create!

 Irvina