Wonder, girl!

Girls get bombarded with messages about what is seemingly acceptable given their body types or shapes, or hair texture, gender, intelligence, aptitude for sports, music, etc. It is time for a new narrative. It is time that all girls feel empowered to wonder. And not only to wonder, but to make it happen. The Wonder, girl! Project is one effort towards that inspiration. It is a project highlighting young women who are not allowing themselves to be limited by stereotypes or by how others might classify them or otherwise think of them. These are young women who are setting a new standard, young women who are doing it (whatever that special 'it' is for them). The new narrative is BE WHO YOU ARE. Wonder, girl!

“My identity is very important to me. I am a huge body positive champion, as I am plus size. And I’m trying to help people understand the idea that FAT is not a bad word! I promote the idea that in media fat people are more than just the comic relief. We are the love interest, the super heroes, and brains of the world too. All bodies should be celebrated and I hope to inspire people to be happy about their bodies in a world that tells us our bodies should be a certain way.” Lawyer, Megan Odgers Shot on location courtesy of Monterey College of Law in Monterey, CA.

Woman strong. Audree is active-duty military, a powerlifter, and a makeup artist. Shot on location courtesy of the Presidio of Monterey Army Base in Monterey, CA.

Epic is when you meet someone who was bullied and harassed for years for being gay… for being unique… for not identifying with what others considered social norms. So much so that cutting became her hobby. And then one day she realized she had had enough, and she boldly began being herself. To commemorate her growth, and to remind herself of her strength, she tattooed the words No More on her forearm. And now this warrior is inspiring others.

After attending a huge national maritime expo where less than 5% of all attendees were women, and practically every single one of them attended the one small breakaway session meant for women (by the one maker of women's gear) I was inspired to highlight their work. This is Nelly Hand of Drifters Fish (driftersfish.com), her own company which runs boats out of Alaska. This petite, beautiful woman tossed about gear and managed equipment like a boss. And no, it doesn't matter what gender she is, or how big or how burly. This woman can fish!

Talk about highlighting women who are breaking stereotypes!  Power, strength, agility, self-confidence, capable of anything… yep, these women are representing!

With a graduate degree in International Development, Megan will begin a two-year stint with the Peace Corps in Armenia in the early spring. Have a thing for program design and analysis? Development Aid might just be the right career path for you, too! Shot on location courtesy of Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in Monterey, CA.

International Kiteboard, Ski, and Snowboard Instructor. Since Jen was 18, she has been travelling around the world teaching kiteboarding, snowboarding and skiing. She has traveled to both east and west coasts of Canada, Dominican Republic, all over Australia, Thailand and South Africa teaching at ski resorts and kite schools.

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