Can you imagine making a YouTube video that hundreds of thousands of people watch? What about winning awards from Seventeen and TeenNick and even President Obama? These are just a few of the major accomplishments Emily-Anne Rigal, soon to be Barnard collegiette, has achieved through her founding of WeStopHate.org. WeStopHate is a nonprofit program designed to raise self-esteem amongst teens in hopes of ending bullying.
Emily-Anne is a shining, inspiring example of how one person is able to make a tangible difference, no matter how young or old.
While the awards and celebrity endorsements (Lady Gaga, Whitney Port, and more have sported WeStopHate bracelets) are unbelievably cool, Emily-Anne’s biggest accomplishment is being a positive—and in some cases even life-saving—influence in the lives of countless teens struggling with self-esteem.
As explained on the organization’s website, the mission of WeStopHate is to foster confidence in teens because “teens who are happy with themselves won’t put others down. Stopping bullying means putting an end to the lifelong, painful consequences each victim suffers – and that creates a better world for us all.”
Growing up, Emily-Anne was a victim of teasing and bullying herself, and she struggled with self-acceptance. As her confidence increased in time, she realized her happiness increased in well. This prompted her to share her feelings and stories in videos online, which gradually evolved into the media revolution that WeStopHate is today.
The website states that it “uses the power of digital media for good by allowing it to shape the way we see ourselves and how others see us, consequently pre-empting bullies.” WeStopHate has its own YouTube channel, Facebook page, and merchandise, all of which allow teen voices to be heard, to help themselves and each other.
“I believe it is my life’s work to help others turn self-hatred into self-love,” Emily-Anne said in an interview with No Country for Young Women. Her ambition and selfless determination encourages us to likewise make the world a better place—and we can.
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Any Neutrogena® Wave for Change® video views on Neutrogena.com/waveforchange and on Neutrogena® page on Facebook 7/1/12-8/31/12 will activate $1 donation to GlobalGiving. Neutrogena® will kick-off Wave for Change® with $100K donation. Then, for each eligible video view, Neutrogena® will donate for a maximum of $130K. For more information about GlobalGiving, visit GlobalGiving.org.
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