Girls Only Club
Girls Only Club is an empowering movement started on June 9, 2011 by Nandi F. After taking the time to find her inner strength and self confidence she decided to help other girls do the same. Girls Only Club’s sole mission is to reach out to girls all around the world having difficulty learning to accept their differences, life situations, or overall hardships. It encourages girls to find realistic ways to do so through blog posts, games, contests, discussions, etc.
Bold Magazine had an opportunity to fire off a few questions Nandi’s way. We were so impressed by Nandi’s go get’em attitude and straight forward approach we had to find out more about the girl behind the words! Read on for insight into the girl behind Girls Only Club.
Bold Magazine: What was the reason for starting the Girls Only Club?
Nandi F: My main purpose for starting the Girls Only Club was because I became fed up with the images of women portrayed in the media. According to the shows we see on television, we’re either designer fashion crazed, party animals, and/or fighting each other over the smallest things. We are WAY more than that, and I want to do whatever it takes to let the world know how strong we are and the amazing things we’re capable of doing.
BM: Why launch on September 12th? Is there any significance behind that date?
NF: There is a significance behind September 12th. A few years ago, I noticed that anything used to identify me (my birthday, ID numbers, etc.) had the number 2 in them, so I deemed “2” my lucky number. GOC is a part of me , so why not launch it on the 12th? I would’ve chosen September 22nd but I doubt I would’ve been able to wait that long to launch. 🙂
BM: What do you expect the Girls Only Club site and magazine to look like? What topics will you be discussing?
NF: Well, so far the Girls Only Club site and magazine are bright, bold, and PINK. A lot of times, the color pink is associated with anything soft and quiet. I want to change that idea to anything and everything powerful. Some of the many topics to be discussed in GOC magazine are: self acceptance, the importance of being an independent girl, the dangers of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), and fun recipes for an at-home spa day!
BM: How do you plan on building self-confidence in young women?
NF: I plan on building self-confidence in young women by teaching them that what they see on television is NOT the only form of beauty. We’re all unique — there’s no need to force ourselves to change to look like the top celebrities. Through Girls Only Club, I want to open the discussion between all girls so there will be no shame in who they are. I truly believe that giving girls a platform to speak about how they’ve had issues accepting themselves and their differences will allow them to inspire each other and learn things about themselves they never knew.
BM: Where do you see the Girls Only Club going in the next year? five years? What is the overall goal?
NF: Wow! In the next year to five years, I see Girls Only Club being an international brand and showing girls all over the world what they’re made of. My ultimate goal for Girls Only Club is to have after school programs and/or summer camps where girls can actually meet and connect with one another in a more personal manner. I really don’t know what the future holds for GOC, but I do know it’s nothing but positivity. Girls Only Club will also be launching our “Our World, Our Beauty” campaign soon, where we focus on helping girls reach the ultimate amount of comfort with what makes them stand out from the crowd. More info will be release once the official site is launched.
BM: Tell us about yourself, Nandi. What are your favorite things to do? Read? Movies to watch? Foods? Colors? Music? Etc?
NF: I’m more of a relaxed , laid-back person, but I do love having Girl’s Night Outs with my friends and have a bunch of fun! I’m also a self-proclaimed nail polish fanatic , so you’ll always catch me in the beauty aisle of any store adding more colors to my collection . As far as my musical taste , I’m the definition of diverse! You can put my playlist on shuffle and listen to everyone from Prince , Michael Jackson , Adele , The Temptations, Beyonce and Bob Marley! I love spicy food , chocolate , scary movies (even though I know they’ll make me paranoid afterwards , I still torture myself anyway), the color pink (if you haven’t noticed) , and almost all books (my taste in books are as diverse as that in music).
BM: Are there are other “Key Players” involved with the GOC at this time? Writers? Co-Founders? Etc?
NF: At the moment , there isn’t an “official” GOC team , but I would love to build one . However , I am blessed to have worked with many amazing women in the making of GOC magazine (Shanda B., the team at You-ARE-loved, Tara @ Be Prepared Period, DeAnna L’Am , and many more!)
BM: What can we all do to help?
NF: We can all contribute to Girls Only Club’s mission by allowing girls to be themselves . That means freedom of expression , support in all they do , and lots of love ! If you want to participate in Girls Only Club in a partnership , ideas , or anything else , you can send a quick e-mail to officialgirlsonlyclub@gmail.com .
BM:What are you looking forward to most about in starting the GOC?
NF: I would say that I’m most excited about the success stories . I can’t wait to see how Girls Only Club helps young women find who they are and the confidence to know where they’re capable of going!
BM: Lastly, show us your BOLD! (this means to tell something awesome about yourself- unique? wonderful? not well known? etc.
NF: My bold would probably be my determination. I’ve always been one to try my hardest at everything and not stop until I reach my goals. I guess you can say the word “obstacle” isn’t in my vocabulary. Even when things get tough, I remain patient and motivated to see my dreams work out the way I anticipated. 🙂
Take a virtual trip over to Girls Only Club to see what’s going on in their world. Their new and improved official website and online magazine is set to release on September 12, 2011.
http://officialgirlsonlyclub.tumblr.com/
Thanks for being BOLD with us, Girls Only Club!
