Confidence & Heritage: Embracing Identity through Creative Expression
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Heritage is the story of where we come from and what we bring forward into the future. It also plays a major part in our identity and self-esteem.
“I’ve learned to celebrate my Puerto Rican heritage by doing what I love — I put myself in the art I’m creating and make it represent me,” said 10-year-old Club kid Amadeya after participating in a heritage and self-esteem workshop known as Celebrándome (“Celebrate Me”) at the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in the Bronx, New York.
With the pervasiveness of social media and its impacts on children, it’s more important than ever for young people like Amadeya to have the tools and support they need to build their self-confidence. And with about a quarter of all Boys & Girls Club youth identifying as Hispanic or Latino, culturally relevant programming is essential for kids to deepen their perspective and respect for themselves and others.
“In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we wanted to really allow a community that is rich in Latinx and Hispanic culture to truly connect with a tool that was designed for them,” said Dre Brown, National Self-Esteem Educator for Dove Self-Esteem Project. Dove, a national partner to Boys & Girls Clubs of America, supports Club youth in building their self-confidence through programs and workshops, such as Celebrándome.
Challenging Beauty Standards & Appearance Ideals
“Sometimes, it is very difficult breaking the barriers of the expectations around us,” said Brittany Icaza, Program Director, Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club. “Have to have our hair this way, dress this way and look this way. Can’t do this because it’s not the ‘norm.’ We tell our kids this all the time: if you want to be you, then be you proudly.”
“Appearance ideals” are what culture and society tell us about how we should aspire to look — the current understanding of what is beautiful, desirable, etc. For many young people, social media can skew their perception of themselves and what they think they should be like, harming their self-esteem as they constantly compare themselves to their peers and others around the world.
As Club parent Fatimata says, “they’re growing up in a digital world where the idea of what is considered beautiful has been altered and young people are more prone to low self-esteem.”
Representation matters. When you never see yourself reflected in the “appearance ideal,” it can negatively shape your sense of self. Building self-esteem isn’t always easy, but when you mix supportive spaces, intentional conversation, and culturally relevant curricula, magic happens.
That’s why the Dove Self-Esteem Project designed Celebrándome, an education tool to empower Hispanic and Latinx youth to build confidence and self-esteem. Designed to speak to the Latinx cultural immersion, Celebrándome elevates and amplifies the voices of youth who find themselves living and thriving within those cultures. Participants learn to embrace their individuality, challenge unrealistic beauty standards and understand the impact of social media on self-image. They also take home bilingual affirmation cards to practice and reaffirm their growing confidence.
“If they’re not seeing themselves in the pictures or the language, then they’re going to think that this isn’t really for me,” says Richelle Calderon, Dove Self-Esteem Project trainer. “Having this tool translated into cultural Spanish and with pictures of people who look like them, it has a different impact on them.”
After the workshop in his Kips Bay Club, 11-year-old Gavin was able to explain what challenging appearance ideals meant to him: “it’s not judging someone by the way they look and not trying to change the way you look to look like someone else.”
Identity & Art: What Your Self-Portrait Says About You
It’s important to help young people to think critically about appearance ideals while building their self-esteem, confidence and ability to make decisions that are right for themselves.
“Programs like Celebrándome make the kids feel important,” says Latinx painter Laura Alvarez. After the workshop, Laura guided the youth attendees to create individual self-portraits that reflect their new perspectives on confidence and self-image. “A lot of time, kids don’t feel like they matter enough. The only way to help them feel like they have the right to go into a space where they don’t feel comfortable is by giving them confidence.”
Painting themselves allowed the youth participants to embrace their self-identity and think about what they like about their Hispanic/Latinx heritage. Brittany says, “Latinos in our community face a lot of issues embracing who they are and their heritage. At our Club, they are free to be themselves — celebrated and loved uniquely and equally.”
“One thing I like about being Black and Puerto Rican is I get to experience both,” said Amadeya.
After painting, 11-year-old Mark said, “I felt like I was able to express myself. I like colors and I tried to put a football and basketball in there.”
Amadeya agreed: “My favorite part of yesterday was painting. It made me feel artsy.”
Once the paintings were dry, the youth self-portraits were combined into a large-scale mural — a lasting symbol of the power of self-expression and community at the Kips Bay Club. They invited families in for an official “gallery opening,” where their families and the community came together to honor the creativity, confidence and individuality of the participating youth.
“I loved it,” said Club parent Nate, “I was proud of him for it. He was proud of it.”
For Fatimata, it was inspiring to see her daughter accept herself at such a young age: “she painted herself with her hijab on. That tells me a lot: that she’s self-confident in her hijab and she doesn’t feel like she has to have her hair out to fit in. Seeing her painting really made me happy.”
Encouraging Confidence & Self-Esteem
A sense of belonging is a fundamental part of the Boys & Girls Club experience, where young people have a safe place, caring mentors and life-enhancing programs that prepare kids and teens for great futures. In fact, 95% of Club kids say the people at their Club accept them for who they are.
Culturally relevant programming is a key part, and Boys & Girls Clubs of America is proud to partner with Dove and the Dove Self-Esteem Project to bring programs that support young people’s health and wellness to Boys & Girls Clubs. In addition to curricula like Celebrándome, Dove generously supports SMART Girls, a small-group health, fitness, education and self-esteem enhancement program designed to meet the developmental needs of girls.
Stay in the Know
Every kid deserves the right to be themselves, feel a sense of belonging and have access to opportunities that support great futures. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s commitment to creating safety and belonging for all youth. Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest resources and stories from Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide.
