Been Beautiful is a student-led nonprofit organization that was started by Alice Tran, a student at Brookfield High School. Their mission is to educate people on common mental health issues and eliminate the negative stereotype that surrounds mental health. They aim to do this by providing a safe space for people to be open about mental health, that also provides information and resources to help people deal with it.
Tran was inspired to start this organization by the obstacles she had to overcome growing up. She says she struggled with bullying and developed insecurities that heavily affected her everyday life. She feels that “No child, nor anyone at all, should ever fear being themselves to the point that they deprive themselves of living life.” Creating Been Beautiful is her way of helping less people go through what she went through, and supporting those who are already experiencing struggle.
Starting a nonprofit is a large task for anyone, especially a teenager, so she first began to expand her reach by introducing the idea to other students who shared her passion for mental health. They started promoting the idea on social media, which quickly gained attention and support. After raising enough awareness, she began to take action and raised money through bake sales to gain a 501(c)(3) certification and become an official nonprofit organization.
One of their most impactful projects was a drive for menstrual products that traveled through both Connecticut and Mississippi. Donation boxes were placed in public centers in Fairfield County, such as Danbury High School and Brookfield High School. This made it easy for people to drop off donations, resulting in an overall successful drive. All the donations from this went to the Center for Empowerment and Education, which will then be donated to displaced women and children.
Been Beautiful additionally has a blog called The Butterfly Effect that focuses on educating people about signs they may be struggling with, and ways they can cope. Along with this, they investigate relevant social issues like how social media is actively impacting mental health. This outlet allows them to reach significantly more people and get their positive message out there. Informational articles can be read by all and inspire many more than the nonprofit would be able to do on its own.
They are always looking for volunteers to help them in their various projects and fundraisers. So if you are interested in getting involved, you can go to their website – www.beenbeautiful.org – and get registered to volunteer at some of their events. In the future, Been Beautiful will continue to expand and improve, ultimately hoping to make the world a better place.
