” I graduated from a training program with FAST. It’s a women empowerment group to help you grow spiritually, physically and mentally!  Firstly, I would like to say FAST has made an overall positive impact on my life. The training, provided has helped me build my confidence up enough to be comfortable sharing my story without judgment. Through the training, I have gained support from the leaders and other young ladies who share similar experiences to mine, and now I no longer feel alone. The training has given me a sisterhood in which we shower one another with love, support and business networking. The sisters have been all around uplifting, helping each other build strong foundations in all aspects of life. The sisterhood continues to give me something positive to look forward to, from working out together, motivating one another, and always being or having a listening ear and praying together on Wednesdays, building encouraging moments. Lastly, I would like to close by saying that it has left me with a spirit of connectedness, happiness, fulfillment, and purpose. Thank you to FAST and my courageous sisters here on their life journeys like mine!”

—  Eva

 When I was asked this question I burst out crying because I felt like after a nine-week class I failed probably the most important question! Who am I is such a loaded question. I have identified with so much trauma…. My first answer is… I am a girl whose mother died when she was six and I never knew my father. My next answer is a single mom of an inquisitive little boy Noah. My next answer is a girl who loves fashion and clothes and makeup. The next is a young woman who loves church. The life class has taught me the lessons I need to learn and also be reminded of… I need to have grace for myself and others. I need to choose a relationship with God and not religion. I need to know more about the word of God not just cliches. I have grown to learn that therapy is something that I need for so much unresolved trauma. These last nine weeks have exposed so much about me, good and bad and have had me in deep reflection. I may not know who I am today but that won’t be always… I’m on my way to my next and my new season. I am grateful for this training because it shook up things in my life that needed to be shaken…Understanding boundaries and what real love looks like. Yes, I still have a long way to go. Yes, I’m willing to share my knowledge with other young women. Yes, I’m still healing through so much that I don’t even have the words to express. Yes, I am not where I desire to be but I’m where God wants me to be. Yes, I have grown in so many ways from patience to wisdom and there is so much more knowledge to gain.”

—  Arianna