East Texas organization celebrating nine years of encouraging girls, women

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - The I Am Beautiful Movement was started in 2013 by LaToyia Jordan. She said she felt lost and wanted to do more and give more to girls in the community because she didn’t have this growing up.

“We talk about human trafficking and we talk about vision boards, showing them how to dress through our fashion shows, just a confidence-building day,” she said.

This weekend, current and past girls gathered for brunch at Lago del Pino to talk, inspire, and reflect on the past nine years. Jordan said one of the biggest things they’ve done was bring Miss America 2019 to East Texas.

“I wanted the girls to be able to be around a queen. Somebody who had life struggles, and she was able to share her story with the girls, and I just wanted them to be able to meet a Miss America,” Jordan said.

The organization encourages and promotes mother and daughter relationships through bonding activities. Madisyn and Mesha Washington are a mother-daughter duo who have been a part of the movement for many years.

“Coming to this workshop, they get to meet people from other towns, and girls whose parents are encouraging them to be leaders,” Washington said. “It’s always very encouraging. Every year we leave, we leave encouraged like it’s time for us to go lead the world because we just left ‘I Am Beautiful.’”

Washington’s daughter was so inspired by the workshops that she began her own platform to lift others up.

“I made a thing called Madi’s Corner Advice where I give advice to people, and I help people that need a word or need a lift. I help people with COVID, just touch their heart with kind words and kind things to say to them,” Madisyn said.

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