The inspiring, motivated, captivating activist, speaker and author Alexis Jones, is the reason that the world now has the amazing community and book, “I Am That Girl.” Involved in over 50 countries, the I Am That Girl organization fights to help girls grow and develop more self-esteem. Jones also wrote a book to help the girls of Generation Y overcome self-esteem issues.
Growing up in Austin, Texas, Jones knew that her desire to make a change in the world was always inside of her.
Jones started the organization with cofounder Emily Greener when she herself was struggling with self-esteem issues and did not see enough people talking about it.
“I’m pretty sure, from the moment I was born [I wanted to make a change]. I think some people are just hard wired that way and I certainly am,” Jones said.
With the support from friends and family to keep her motivated, Jones decided that she was determined to make a difference, which inspired her to start I Am That Girl.
“I funded the first few years of IATG (I Am That Girl) off my speaking engagements until my best friend/cofounder Emily Greener and I secured our first $100k brand partnership with Claire’s,” said Jones.
Starting and working with the nonprofit organization did not seem to keep Jones busy enough because she soon continued on to write her own book, also titled, “I Am That Girl.” The book offers tips to girls on how to find their passion and use it.
Because I am a member of Generation Y, this book especially spoke to me. Being someone who is so young, with a burning passion can be intimidating and make you want to ignore your desire to make a difference. “I Am That Girl” encourages girls to instead chase after their passion and make the change they dream of.
“I Am That Girl” offers a lot of advice to help girls stay focused on their passion. One of the biggest lessons of the book is that it is extremely important for females to come together as one and support each other, instead of trying to tear one another down. The book kicks off with a forward that is written by actress and activist Sophia Bush, who is part of Jones “tribe” and also a part of the I Am That Girl community.
“Soph is one of my best friends, ever since college. She rushed me at USC and we were Kappas together, so to have such a long-time best friend support me was such an honor,” Jones said.
Bush’s part of the book begins with her outlook and personal experiences on how she got to where she is. Similar to the theme of the rest of the book, the forward offers encouraging words to help girls gain confidence. There is a special emphasis on young women to work together rather than against one another.
Jones’ book itself is an example of what she is trying to explain to other girls. The work was hard and time consuming, but allowed for her to achieve her goal. “It took me about a year and the process was intense. It’s kind of like running a marathon and was exponentially harder and more time than I could have ever fathomed,” said Jones.
Jones continues to have high hopes for the future and is determined to grow the I Am That Girl community. It currently has more than 770,000 people in 50 countries involved, but Jones is not stopping there. When asked what her plans are for the future, Jones said her “hopes for IATG is that we have a chapter in every town in every country of the world, so that girls can find an amazing supportive community anywhere they go.”
Jones has also started a new program for athletes. “I started a new ProtectHer program which grew out of the urgency of the rampant sexual assault and domestic abuse happening in athletics. I speak in locker rooms all over the country about the importance of young men respecting and protecting the women in their live,” Jones said.
Making the step forward in the direction of achieving your dreams and goals can be challenging, but Jones encourages everyone to take that leap. “Perfection doesn’t exist so it’s easy to have an idea or a dream and never take a step in the direction of making it happen. My suggestion is to just start somewhere today. Even if it’s a tiny step in the right direction,” Jones expressed.
Evelyn Fiske is a junior, English major, at Western New England University. She loves tackling each day with a positive attitude and lots of coffee. Evelyn hopes to one day teach English in another country, with her biggest goal being to positively effect everyone she meets.
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