Making a Difference in People's Lives
Shamekia Goldsmith
Certified Personal Trainer
"Boldly Me is doing great things for children and adults; building in children what needs to grow and re-building in adults what has been damaged over the years. If not for the opportunity presented by Alanna and Boldy Me, I would still be holding back, holding out, and trying to avoid that sickening feeling that comes with fear.
I have a new confidence. It doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from knowing that fear is my biggest hurdle and it only lives in my head. Since my experience, I’ve become a Licensed Zumba Instructor and started salsa lessons."
Dr. Lance J. Dome
PhD, MFT
"Having personally talked with Alanna, I am impressed with her love, concern, and drive to help people struggling with being physically different. Her organization, Boldly Me, fills the important needs of support and education for many who have been suffering in silence. As a therapist myself who works daily with people trying to push beyond their own perceived limitations and inner struggles, I wholeheartedly endorse Boldly Me’s mission and the efforts of Alanna and the Boldly Me team. They are truly a light in the darkness."
Kristin Spitz
Chair of Membership & Finance, Boldly Me
"I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Alanna this year. Her kind heart, vision and commitment toward the physically different have been such an inspiration to me. I have grown a lot and gained more confidence in myself through my involvement with Boldly Me."
Keith Martin
Vice President & Secretary,
Boldly Me
"This has been a great foundation year for Boldly Me, establishing the foundations for an incredible future, the journey of which has provided me with a great learning curve."
Psychologist Shannon Keehan,
Westmont High School
"Everyday I speak with kids that feel broken by what life has laid upon them. It is these kids, so wise beyond their years, from the struggles they have endured and pain they have weathered, who possess the strength and wisdom to become true agents for change. Yet it is these kids who are so often falling through the cracks. Boldly Me had the potential to reveal the significance of these individuals to our society, to help them realize their true power and move forward in making their lives, and this world, a better place. What Boldly Me offers is the missing piece that cannot be measured through testing, but makes all the difference."
Student, in Boldly Me Quest Program
"I have benefited so much from my time spent with you. I have gained an outlook on life that I never really had until I was able to listen to you talk and take your classes. Personally I have gained so many things to help me through life. I have learned about myself and I have learned the tools to be successful in my relationships. At 18, I didn't really expect to gain so much and be such a large part of your dream but I guess that's how the world works sometimes. Thank you so much, I am incredibly grateful."
Carolyn Hennesy
Actress
"Alanna and Boldly Me are truly exceptional. Alanna understands that, all too often unfortunately, our personal sense of self-worth and esteem are derived from our perception of how society sees us physically.
Boldly Me is working tirelessly to enable those who have been hurt or altered, either at birth or at some point in their lives, to see themselves as beautiful, worthy and important on the inside first. And if the rest of the world doesn’t agree then the rest of the world can go jump. As an actress, being asked to attempt to live up to some unattainable measure of flawless perfection, this speaks to me on many levels. I support Alanna and Boldly Me because she knows and is teaching others that…it’s really an inside job."
Corinne Vita, Mother of Jonathan (15 years old)
"We are so grateful to have met you at the Alopecia support group and hear your story as a child, teen, young adult and now Mom living with Alopecia. Your experience covered the entire span of what our family was dealing with our son getting full hair loss and alopecia. Your courage to accept your bald and beautiful look gave our son and our family courage to shave his head and move on instead of trying to hold onto the past.
Your inner beauty shined through in your talk and this reminds us that it’s not about outer beauty but more importantly to be beautiful from the inside out.
We enjoyed meeting with you to continue the support for looking different and ways to deal with the condition. Your idea to get Jonathan volunteering with a sports team is a great idea. It fits what Jonathan is good at and is a good way for him to share his talents and get a good experience.
Best wishes as you go forward with Boldly Me. It’s important for people to feel accepted. You are doing an important job with your foundation."
Renee White
Survivor of Epilepsy
"Alanna made me feel good about who I am and want to attempt to share my own challenges with my seizure disorder, Complex-Partial Epilepsy."
Principal Abra Motta, Westmont High School
"Our students today are faced with so many challenges, whether they come from social expectations, academic pressures, or
socio-economic hardships. Often times areas of student emotional support and real life guidance are not given to our students through traditional channels. Boldly Me provides one more layer of support for students as they grow up in these unprecedented times."
Student, in Boldly Me Quest Program
"I'm so glad I've had the chance to work with you on this project and help spread the message of Boldly Me. I came into the BoldQuest group ecstatic to join up and get to work. My chances of graduation were sketchy and you have been a lifesaver in helping me to achieve my goal of graduating. It's easy to see how passionate you are about what you do and it truly is an inspiration. I can't express in words how grateful I am that you took the time to work with us teenagers and educate us so that we can move on in our lives past high school. But while we may be moving on from school, I know the things you've taught us will stick with us. When you told us that this was your dream, to have this group that wanted to help make positive changes, it made me feel like I was part of something bigger and I'm honored to be part of it. So it is with all my heart that I say thank you."