International Day of the Girl
We are living in ________ times. Fill in the blank: ironic? defeating? energizing? polarizing? challenging? Whatever this is, it is not boring. But it can also feel difficult to know what to do to make a difference and preserve self-efficacy.
Which is why on International Day of the Girl, we at Oiselle are sticking with our basics of doing what we can to support girls and women. Yes, Oiselle is a business. A business with a mission: to design great product, improve the sport, and build the sisterhood. From the inside to the outside, we are authentically by, for, and about women. Philanthropically, we look for areas to really make an impact. Oiselle’s Bras for Girls Program is the perfect blend of need meeting opportunity, and we are excited to keep it rolling and growing.
We know that breast development education and sports bras can make a crucial difference in keeping girls active and moving their bodies, which in turn improves outcomes for women over the course of their lives. And, hallelujah, we make sports bras and have an amazing team of women who love to spread the love of sport! Last year, we donated more than 2,500 sports bras and these sweet booklets to girls in need, and this year we have a goal to donate more than 4,000 (and special thanks to Title Nine for donating larger size bras to complement our giveaways!).
On a personal note, as the mother of 3 boys, and a currently non-practicing family doc with an MPH, the Bras for Girls program keeps me connected to girls’ education and my public health roots. Standing around in a sports bra saying “all breasts are normal” repeatedly to a group of 12-14 year old girls, and then going for a run with them? That’s my sweet spot. And when I catch a girl’s eye and know that what I just said connected…that sustains me through a remarkable amount of bullshit. I know that what we are doing matters.
So this is your invitation to do something real with your time, whatever that is. Spend time doing something that makes a difference and sustains you. And, if you’d like to nominate a program for a Bras for Girls giveaway, please let us know here. Keep up the good work, sisters. We need all of you!
Primary Subcategory
Social - Giving Back
MORE STORIES
Reflecting on the Year of the Underbird
This past August, we launched our Year of the Underbird program: an open application for aspiring Olympic Trials marathoners, with a promise to select 5 women for a 6 month contract encompassing a stipend, gear, storytelling, and community support. As we reach the end of our flight with our selected athletes, we invited each of them to share a few reflections on their past 6 months as teammates.
Black History Month: Celebrating Our Athletes
We are honored to support five exceptional Black women athletes challenging norms in the running industry: athletes, advocates, and powerful voices in the sport. We invited each of them to reflect on their journeys through sport: how their identity has affected their development, and how they hope to impact the rising generation of athletes. Hear from Madie Boreman, Kendra Coleman, Brenna Detra, Carmen Pelar Graves, and Ari Hendrix-Roach.
Learn, Grow, Pass It On: Increasing Access to Adaptive Sports
Paralympian, pushrim athlete, and Oiselle Haute Volée, Jenna Fesemyer, continues to pave the way and inspire the next generation of wheelchair athletes. She is committed to increasing access to adaptive sports, including access to equipment and training resources, and recently co-hosted a wheelchair clinic for young athletes in Columbus, Ohio.