Alessia Dickson is a Teen Author and Motivational Speaker Despite her Illness

Full Name: Alessia Dickson

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Age: 18 

Tell Me About Your Strength!

I'm an award winning motivational speaker and teen author of my YA book series, The Crystal Chronicles. I stared writing at novels at age 6 and began writing The Crystal Chronicles at age 10. When I was in tenth grade at age 15, I published my book and it was eventually released a year later just after my 16 birthday! Soon after, I began touring local elementary and high schools as a motivational speaker, empowering students to dream big and realize their own potential. Since my publication, I've toured 48 schools and have spoken to over 20,000 students. I've won literary awards, appeared in a television interview, and was featured in a magazine article alongside James Patterson. I'm currently working on releasing my second book, and of course, continuing my work as a motivational speaker and attending university!

What a lot of people don't know however, is that I suffer from a debilitating chronic migraine disorder, which is actually one of the most debilitating diseases in the world! It has caused huge mental health issues in my life and I lost almost a year of school due to the condition. I'm a huge advocate for mental health and continuing to achieve things and keeping up hope while living with a physical disability. I would love to share my story to empower as many young people as I can! 

Alessia's website

Alessia, you are truly an inspiration to me! I can't imagine achieving what you've achieved at your age, but it goes to show you that you cannot discount someone just because she is young. I'm so impressed that you continue to fight for what you want despite your chronic condition. Way to show your strength! XOXO - Kelly

Are you a strong young woman? Click here to tell me your story and you could be featured, too!

Despite Her Nerves, Olivia Stepped Up to Be the Leader

Full Name: Olivia Rack

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Age: 14 

Tell Me About Your Strength!

Around September of 2015, my select soccer season finally began. I was beyond exited to start off the season and to see my soccer friends after a very long time. After a couple of weeks of training and hard work, my coach thought it was a good time to pick someone to be the captain of the team, or the leader on the field in other words.

I thought that it would be such an honor to be chosen for such a great role.

Later that week, it was time to announce who was going to be chosen. I was anxiously waiting to hear who he was going to pick. Once I heard my name I was thrilled! I was also nervous since being captain is such a big role. As captain you have to talk to the ref about their outrageous calls, cheer up your teammates after a rough game or practice, always be encouraging, always stay positive, and most importantly, never give up. I knew it may be hard, but I was ready. My strength is to always encourage others to work hard and to be a leader.

Something Unique About Me: I love volunteering to help out others in my community.

Olivia, I'm so happy you stepped up to take on this leadership position even though you were nervous. You learn the most about your strength when you face your fears head-on. So proud of you! XOXO - Kelly

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Rachael Tried to Be a Light On the Darkest Day

Full Name: Rachael Hamad

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Age: 14 (almost 15!)

Tell Me About Your Strength!

On November 10, 2016, I walked into school on what I thought was a normal 8th grade day. My friend and I were walking to homeroom all cheery, but when I walked into the classroom, my mood drastically changed. All of my classmates were crying uncontrollably and I had no idea what to do. I was so confused as to what was happening. I asked one of the girls in my class what was going on. She told me that a 7th grade boy on the football team had committed suicide. 

I practically went into shock. I had heard of this boy but I didn’t know him very well. Even though I only heard of his name and knew his face, it made an impact on me. The rest of that day, my classmates and I went to many counselors, the principal, and other members of the school staff. They were trying to help us make sense of what had just happened, but it didn’t really help.

I couldn’t grasp the incident.

I talked to some of his friends and teammates on the football team and they didn’t understand either. They said he was relatively happy all the time and didn’t seem like he was going through anything so bad that he would make the choice to kill himself. This made me realize that people, not only in my generation, but everyone, need to be nice to everyone around them. They don’t know what others are going through and we need to treat others the way that we want to be treated. I know this phrase is used a lot, but it’s so true, and I can’t express it enough. You never know what’s going through someone’s mind and we need to realize that.

That day, my friends came to me to talk about this. They recognized my strength of being able to talk to others easily and being able to help. I helped them through the day, and tried to make them a bit happier even though it wasn’t easy. My goal was to put a smile on their faces and get through the horrible day that changed us all.

Rachael, I'm so sorry you had to experience this, but I'm so grateful for the message you've given us today: treat everyone with kindness because you never know the struggles they are going through . XOXO - Kelly

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Jorja is Swimming Laps Around Her Competition

Full Name: Jorja Solak

Hometown: Lutz, Florida

Age: 13

Tell Me About Your Strength!

I am strong because I am excellent in school and in athletics. I swim early in the morning and in the afternoons after school, all the while keeping my grades up to A's!

My day consists of waking up at 4:20 a.m. for morning swim practice, then going to school. When I get home, I have about an hour to get all my homework and studying done, then I go back to swim practice for two hours.

I am mentally and intellectually strong because I am able to keep my athletic life up while maintaining good grades and a healthy mental state. I believe I am a strong, young, independent woman and I believe all young woman should be strong as well.

Something Unique About Me: I am a fast reader and can read a chapter book in a day!

Jorja, I think you wake up even before the birds! You show such dedication to your sport and academics; I bet you're swimming laps around everyone at the pool and at school, too. Thanks for telling your story! XOXO - Kelly

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Risk-Taker Natalie Conquers a 1,000-lb. Animal

Full Name: Natalie Roell

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Age: 13

Tell Me About Your Strength!

I have always been curious, and have loved to learn new things and have new experiences. I really love horses and started taking riding lessons. One Saturday morning, I was two hours into my lesson when my horse, Isis, started disobeying my commands. She started galloping across the arena and wouldn't stop.

She bucked, and threw me into a fence.

I couldn't feel anything for a second, then my whole body started to hurt. But I stood back up, brushed off the dirt, and got back on the horse. This experience has taught me about being a risk-taker and not letting my fears overcome me.

Natalie, I can only imagine how much that must have hurt! Not too many people would be able to get over their fear and get back up on an animal that big, but you are as mentally tough as they come. Thanks so much for telling us your story. XOXO - Kelly

Are you a strong young woman? Click here to tell me your story and you could be featured, too!

Carlee Riggs Doesn't Let Alopecia Areata Make Her Insecure

Full Name: Carlee Riggs

Hometown: Felicity, OH

Age: 17

Tell Me About Your Strength!

Every single day, I would wake up and couldn't wait to brush my hair ever since I was old enough to do it on my own. I loved to put it in pig tails, a pony tail, or just leave it a big mess.

Then, when I turned 12, I wanted to start to style my hair to make myself feel beautiful. Starting at that age, I was self-conscious about my hair. I didn't like it because I tried to curl it and it wouldn't curl. I tried to straighten it but it wouldn't even do that really well. Soon enough, though, I was straightening my hair every single day until I turned 17. 

One day, when I was 17 years old, I was getting ready for homecoming and I looked at my hair and saw a big bald spot. I just covered it up, thinking I was dealing with the stress over homecoming and moved on.

Then, on Christmas Day, I got up and looked on my pillow and my whole life changed. I woke up to four clumps of hair on my pillow. Then, I started having some medical issues in January with weight loss, which I had always had a problem with. In the hospital, the doctors told me that my hair was falling out from the stress of weight loss, and I believed them because it was stressful.

But two weeks out of the hospital, I found bigger and more bald spots. It got so bad, I couldn't look at myself anymore. I called the doctor and she referred me to a dermatologist. When the dermatologist walked in, she was so shocked to see me with my hair like that at the age of 17.

She sat me down and I could tell it wasn't good news. She said "You have Alopecia Areata." I didn't understand what that meant at first, but then she told me it is a type of hair loss where your immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles. I just froze. All I could think about was, "What am I gonna do? I love my hair!" I didn't want to look in the mirror ever again. 

For school, I would tease my hair up so high so you couldn't see my bald spots at all and I tried to keep it a big secret. But people stared, asked about my hair and gave me dirty looks. I couldn't handle it, so I had to leave school.

But then one day, I stopped crying over the loss of my hair and found a reason to love it. Before, I wouldn't even walk around the house with my spots showing because I didn't want to look at them myself. But that morning, I decided, "It's your day to shine. It's your hair, but you're beautiful just the way you are."

I stopped being insecure. I showed up to school with my best friend by my side, and I got through the day. Then the next day. And finally, through the rest of the year. I went from the girl who only cared about her hair and would spend hours and hours fixing it, to the girl who suddenly loved herself. I started to realize I'm beautiful in and out even without all of my hair. 

A few weeks later, my eyebrow hair started to fall out. I felt knocked down again. But I knew if I could get through my hair loss, then I could get through this. School started again and a couple people started to ask what happened, and I would just smile and tell them I have a hair disease.

They are always saying, "I'm sorry!" but I'm happy. I'm happy I went through this because losing my hair partially was the best thing to ever happen to me in my life. I began to love myself more on the inside instead of trying to fix the things on the outside that made me feel so insecure. I began to be so happy with the way I was living life.

Sometimes, I still don't have enough strength to see how beautiful I am, but I have such an amazing support group to help me through that. I believe I have strength because God gave me this hair disease to show me nothing on the outside matters, everyone is insecure, and everyone wants something more.

But for me, I'm happy with myself. I'm happy to have almost no eyebrows and bald spots because I can look at them and think to myself, "That was the first battle that broke you into pieces, the battle that made you depressed, but also the battle you beat because you admitted that you are worth loving, even without your hair."

Carlee, I'm amazed at your strength. You have climbed a mountain of a challenge with courage and grace. Thanks so much for sharing with us! XOXO - Kelly

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Stage Fright? Not for Mallory!

Full Name: Mallory Wellbrock

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Age: Almost 12!

Tell Me About Your Strength!

I've done over 20 plays and been singing since I was two.

I feel like my strength is being able to get up in front of crowds and being able to entertain them without being frightened.

Mallory, that can be a real challenge, for sure. Thanks for joining the "Strong Young Women" team! XOXO - Kelly

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Cameron is Mind, Body, and Soul Strong.

Full Name: Cameron Siler-Nixon

Hometown: Tampa, FL

Age: 13

Tell Me About Your Strength!

I am strong in every way. I am strong in my mind, maintaining an A+ average in middle school helps me prepare for my goal of attending UNC or Washington-U. I am already beginning my high school grade point average in 8th grade by taking 4 high school credit classes. I expand my mind to think globally by traveling around the world with my Spanish teacher. 

I am strong in my body. I play volleyball, basketball and run track for my school. In my spare time, I take CrossFit classes with Ms. Kim at the Bob Sierra YMCA and volunteer around the community. I believe that it is important for girls to keep their bodies healthy and strong, so they will be able to take care of themselves and be prepared for any situation.  

I am strong in my soul. I love the Lord. He is the source of my strength and I know that I can always rely on him to show me the right path in any situation.  Growing up in this world is not easy with all of the standards we are held up to.  I know that I am beautiful and strong in God's eyes.  Because of this I know that who I am is all I need to be. Ultimately, strength comes from the inside and we can be and do anything we chose. I am strong and you can be too.

Cameron, your confidence shines through in your writing, and I'll bet it inspires other young women to believe in themselves, too. Thanks for adding your story to the "Strong Young Women" series! XOXO - Kelly

Are you a strong young woman? Click here to tell me your story and you could be featured, too!

Kira Noel Stays Strong, Even With a Life-Changing, Chronic Illness

Full Name: Kira Noël

Hometown: Ottawa, ON, Canada

Age: 17

Tell Me About Your Strength!

Three years ago, I was diagnosed with a type of dysautonomia, called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS); an incurable and life-changing chronic illness. I went from overachieving student, to bedbound overnight. The medications barely helped. Any self-confidence that had managed to survive middle school crumbled away. I became depressed, anxious, and suicidal--as if chronically ill wasn't enough.

Little by little, my condition improved and, with it, my mental health. I returned to some semblance of my old life for nearly six months. The thing about chronic illness is that it's chronic; it doesn't stay gone. But when my health took a turn for the worse again, I didn't let it take over my life. There are still days I cannot walk or stand, and others where my brain fog prevents me from speaking in complete sentences, days where I cry for the life that I could've had. Even on good days, I cannot stand for long, but I refuse to let this illness define me or my life.

Today, I am at the top of my class, an advocate for youth, especially girls, in STEM, and an author. I know that I can never win against POTS, but I don't need to; I just need to keep on fighting.

Kira, thanks for writing such an eloquent piece for the "Strong Young Woman" series! Keep fighting. You've already done so much in your seventeen years; I know you can make your life whatever you want it to be. XOXO - Kelly

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Vausi Smith Always Remembers Her Value

Hometown: Tampa, FL

Something Unique About Me: I have a "never quit" attitude!

Vausi's Strength:

Hello my name is Vausi. I am 12 years old and currently in the 7th grade. Last year, I was bullied by an older girl at school and it was very challenging mentally. I started to feel very sad and questioned my confidence. The turning point for me, was realizing that I shouldn't let anyone bring down my confidence. I talked to my Mom about the situation and she reminded me of how unique and special that I am. 

I hold my head high and always remember my value. It is very important to stand up for others who may be getting bullied and encourage them to stay strong and press on!

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Vausi, thanks for being the first in my "Strong Young Woman" series! You never know who might have needed to hear this message today. XOXO - Kelly

Are you a strong young woman? Click here to tell me your story and you could be featured, too!

Calling All Strong Young Women!

Photo by SIphotography/iStock / Getty Images

Are you a young woman between the ages of 12 - 18? Tell me about your feats of strength! Are you mentally tough? Physically? Emotionally? Spiritually? Intellectually? Have you done something extraordinary that requires tons of strength? Built a business, knocked one out of the park, excelled academically, coached someone else (or yourself) through some pain? 

In 300 words or fewer, tell me about a specific time you used strength in your life for a chance to be featured on my blog*! If you're chosen, I'll ask for a picture showing off your very best bicep flex, too. =)

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