Taya Goodwin

iBELIEVE has been one of the most impacting things I have ever been a part of. I remember getting called down to the guidance office and getting told that I had the opportunity to attend a summer camp. I was conflicted on whether I was going to commit to going or not. All my life I have struggled with anxiety. If you know what that is like, it is a really hard problem to deal with. It affects you, in so many ways. My anxiety played a big part in the decision of attending this summer camp. Thankfully, I decided I was going to go.

On June 18th, 2023, I attended Kenyon College for my first ever summer workshop. I arrived and was welcomed by some of the most amazing staff members. They welcomed me with open arms, they spoke to me as if they had known me my whole life, and they put themselves in my shoes and listened to what I was feeling in the moment.

As I was getting settled into camp, I met some of the most amazing humans I have ever had the chance of meeting. Kind people, loving people, accepting people, sensitive people, hardworking people, world changers. In life, you meet people that make the world feel like it isn't so big and scary after all. People that being around, make you feel like the anxiety and fear you have is gone for that amount of time you are with them. For me, the people here were that for me. I felt this weight in my chest that was there for so long, finally lift. I finally found something that made me feel like I made a difference in the world. One of the most important things that I learned is that anyone can make a difference. Your words, your thoughts, your ideas, your work, matters.

The iBELIEVE Foundation is one of the greatest things I have ever experienced. I went home with a new mindset, new friends, new memories, and new skills that I will use and think about for the rest of my life thanks to iBELIEVE. This foundation is magic, and each one of us has the magic to help everyone around us and make a difference in this world. It only takes one.

Thank you, iBELIEVE. I can't wait for next year.