Our Beautifully Flawed Story
Empowered to empower.
Humble Beginnings. Transformative Legacy.
Beautifully Flawed was founded in 2014 by Charity Harrison as a H.S. Senior 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, and experiencing difficulty completing routine daily tasks and her academic assignments. It was not the rigorous curriculum that made it difficult to initially achieve academic excellence. She was navigating 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 mask and admitting she needed help. After taking the time to focus on her overall healing and wellness, 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, not alone, and worthy of good things- simply because you exist.
She then dedicated her undergraduate and graduate studies to studying 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 in healthy ways.
live with a mental health condition that is impairing their personal, social, academic, or occupational functioning.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2019
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.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022
seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year and the rate significantly reduced if apart of an affirming, accepting community.
The Trevor Project, 2022
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. Data highlights an imperative demand for mental health support for BIPOC and queer identifying females.
Beautifully Flawed meets the need.
By providing students with free, accessible mentorship and mental health support by Licensed Therapists who are a part of their communities, our program fosters trust and safety that dismantles mental health stigma. Additionally, ensures populations who typically face barriers to receiving equitable and safe mental health support, receive the deserving care to reduce mental health symptoms and improve their health outcomes.
Currently Charity is a Licensed Mental Health Therapist and Beautifully Flawed is now an Ohio based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Through programming and public speaking events,
Beautifully Flawed has assisted over 400 hundred
students across the city of Columbus learn tools to care of their mental and emotional health, gain a community of supportive relationships, 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