When was the last time you faced your insecurities by stepping out of your comfort zone in order to achieve a new level of confidence? What would you be willing to face in order to get out of your own way so you can live up to your fullest potential? Jenny Gaither is a pioneer in the body-positive fitness space for facing her insecurities around her belly fat at the ripe age of 22 by creating a national campaign on Facebook. The Facebook invitation encouraged women of all shapes, sizes and ages across the country to bare their #bellyjelly while working out in a sports bra in a public place. The challenge was completed once they posted a picture of themselves in a sports bra on Facebook.
The outcome of this self-acceptance-mission-driven campaign not only changed the life of Jenny, who was a fresh out of college graduate who didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life, but word spread and thousands of women around the world participated. What Jenny didn’t realize was her own personal journey toward body-positivity and self-confidence was turning into a movement — an organization (Movemeant Foundation) and the largest body-positive fitness festival in the country (We Dare to Bare).
The groundswell of women who participated wanted more. It was clear to Jenny she wasn’t the only one who was tired of feeling objectified by her body or who craved a platform to be reminded of her power and worth. Numerous emails, Facebook messages and notes later, Jenny saw the need for a community where self-acceptance and self-improvement could play equal roles. But what did all of these women have in common? Jenny noticed the importance fitness and physical activity played in her own life and in the lives of the women who were impacted by the campaign. Movement was the vehicle for which each woman was able to tap into a more badass and stronger version of themselves.
From each individual physical outlet a larger community was born and that’s when Jenny created Movemeant Foundation – an internationally recognized nonprofit to use physical movement – from dance, running, hiking, boxing – as a tool for women and young girls to build self-worth and confidence.
Movemeant has grown to be a global sought-after tribe (#movemeanttribe) women of all ages want to be involved in. The fb campaign evolved into Movemeant’s largest charity fitness festival, We Dare to Bare. This festival’s mission is simple: help women build positive body image through fitness and give them a space to build a community of support and sisterhood. With its roots in San Francisco and New York City, Movemeant’s fitness festival has become the must-attend event for fitness and body positivity. Now, Movemeant has teamed up with Shawn Booth’s BOOTHCAMP to bring We Dare to Bare to Nashville, Tennessee for their first-ever pop-up event!
Proceeds from We Dare to Bare go to Movemeant’s impact channels: a body-positive, movement-based curriculum for low-income, at-risk girls in middle schools and an individual athletic scholarship providing low-income families with the funding and community to sustain an active lifestyle. The funds raised at We Dare to Bare Nashville will help Movemeant bring their impact programing to Nashville middle schools so girls in the local community will benefit from body-positive, movement-based programs.
Over the past three years, Movemeant has grown exponentially, impacting girls all over the world. The middle-school curriculum began with one pilot program in San Francisco in 2015. This year, Movemeant is in 14 schools throughout the Bay Area. In 2019, the program will grow to 36 middle schools in SF, NYC, Nashville and Chicago, impacting over 2000 low-income, at-risk girls. This year, Movemeant will grant $100,000 in scholarships to 100 girls around the world so they can pursue their movement goals! In total, through their large-scale events, campaigns, and impact programs Movemeant Foundation has impacted over 1 million women and girls since 2015!
“We are so excited to bring our Movemeant to Nashville, a community with so much heart, a tight-knit fitness community and badass women to lead the way. Grab your ticket to We Dare to Bare Nashville on November 4th and experience for yourself the power of Movemeant!” – Jenny Gaither
