Our Beautifully Flawed Story

Beautifully Flawed was founded in 2014 by Charity Harrison as a H.S. Senior Capstone Social Change Project. The student organization was formed at Columbus City Schools’ Centennial High School to build solidarity among the girls within the school and create an uplifting environment that allowed students the space to share the issues they faced and receive additional support and resources.

After graduating high school, during her undergraduate career at The Ohio State University, Charity found herself struggling to focus, isolating from social activities and support, experiencing difficulty completing routine daily tasks and her academic assignments. It was not the rigorous curriculum that made it difficult to achieve academic excellence. She was navigatin undiagnosed and untreated eating disorder, severe anxiety and depression, and trauma. Her whole life, she was the friend and leader who supported and empowered others. For the first time in her life, she found herself having to partake in one of the most courageous acts- taking off the masks of perfectionism and admitting she needed help. After taking the time to focus on her overall healing and wellness, Charity wrote a blog entitled “Dear Not Enough” which illuminated the complexities of trauma, navigating the world and mental health stigma as a black girl in America. She wanted to let others know, that it is okay to not be okay all of the time. Even in this moment, you are enough, capable, and worthy of good things, love and support- simply because you exist.

She then dedicated her undergraduate and graduate studies to researching an intersectional approach to education, mental health, and social change. She found children and teens are not alone in their plight to grow through adversity. Across the world millions of students are struggling to navigate the waters of life and cope.

1 in 5 children live with a mental health condition that is impairing their personal, social, academic, or occupational functioning.

As awful and heartbreaking as this statistic is, due to healthcare disparities, systemic oppression, hate crimes, and various societal factors, the experience is worsening for students who identify with numerous marginalized identities.

The suicide rate for black children ages 5-11 has doubled and the suicide rate for Hispanic girls ages 9-12 was 40% higher than non-Hispanic white girls in the same age group.

45% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year and the rate significantly reduced if apart of an affirming, accepting community.

For students who identify with one or numerous marginalized identities, due to a long history of systemic inequities, biases, and discrimination, these populations are more likely to face greater physical health risks, mental, emotional, social, and behavioral health challenges. Additionally, have a deeply rooted distrust and fear of healthcare systems. Thus, impacting their equitable access to care, the quality of care received, and one’s chances of surviving the risks.

Charity is currently a Licensed Mental Health Therapist and Beautifully Flawed is now a nonprofit organization. Through programming and public speaking events the organization has assisted over 400 hundred students across the city of Columbus learn tools to care for their mental and emotional health and increase their awareness of community resources.

With the help of Beautifully Flawed supporters like yourself, the organization can continue to evolve and service students, their families, educators, and local communities who typically would face numerous barriers in seeking care and support.