By Daniel Bestul, Collin Bouressa, Olivia Kjorlien & Samuel Drake
Beautiful Strength visited the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay on February 29th.
The Beautiful Strength program is a transformative initiative designed to empower individuals to embrace their inner resilience and grace. Through a combination of physical, mental, and emotional exercises, participants are guided on a journey toward discovering their true potential and cultivating a sense of confidence and self-assurance. The program focuses on building both inner and outer strength, encouraging individuals to harness their unique qualities and channel them into positive growth and personal development.
Participants of the Beautiful Strength program experience physical transformation and a profound shift in mindset and perspective. By fostering a supportive and nurturing environment, the program enables individuals to break through self-imposed limitations and unlock their full potential. Through a holistic approach that integrates fitness, mindfulness, and self-care practices, participants are equipped with the tools and strategies needed to navigate life’s challenges with resilience, grace, and a renewed sense of inner strength.
The program was created by Annette McNamara in 2018. It started as a body positivity shoot but quickly led into a greater photoshoot to celebrate humanity as a whole. McNamara felt the need for herself and all people to feel seen, heard, valued, and loved. “I wanted to provide a safe space for self-expression and a safe place to get to know others who may not be in our own circles and humanize everyone,” McNamara said.
McNamara has photographed over 4000 people in this project. It is a quiet yet very expensive way for people to tell their own stories and feel validated. Her current goal is to reach all 50 states and keep on striving for her lifetime and a lifetime beyond. McNamara said, “The biggest goal for Beautiful Strength is to make it a sustainable and thriving non-profit that exceeds my life and continues on after my death. A current goal is to complete this project in all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, and then work on going global.”
Good Times Programming (GTP) brought this event to UW-Green Bay (UWGB) in February to bring an inspiring event that is related to Black History Month and one that anybody can participate in. Ryleigh “Ry” Pierce is the Mindful Living events coordinator for GTP at UWGB, and she said that she wanted the event to “help students highlight their positive aspects and traits more than they may have initially realized they have.” College students can surround themselves with negativity, which can have an outsized impact on their mental health. Pierce hoped to combat that with this event, especially during a month that puts a light on expressing people’s history. Pierce and GTP want to create a hopeful and positive atmosphere at UWGB, and events like this help. They hope to have Beautiful Strength back at some point in the future.
The Beautiful Strength event brought in many students and staff at UWGB. One person who participated in the event was senior Emma Bliskey. Before the event, Bliskey was excited to gain a moment of self-appreciation and self-understanding of the event. Bliskey said, “I was so excited to participate. This event had been on my calendar for a couple of weeks, and I was very excited for the day to roll around to do this activity.”
After Bliskey drew her self-portrait and told her story, she felt happier and something she would like to do yearly. “I felt happier! Using song lyrics and positive words I’ve loved throughout my life brought me joy. I am a very sentimental person, and I would love to do something like this for myself annually. I could see how a full-body self-portrait taken yearly with important words and writing on it would be so special.
Anyone is able to participate in this event. All in all, 46 people attended the event at UWGB. All it takes is a photo and a story. McNamara hopes her work can continue to inspire change. “The world needs connection and more love. I hope everyone who participates in Beautiful Strength feels like they are part of creating those lines of connection and making the world a better place.”
