By: Angela Thompson, Cokeville Branch Library

The I’m Just Me Movement encourages us to recognize and embrace our unique strengths, talents, and achievements. The movement began in 2013 when the Culbreath family needed some help from their community. What started as a simple fundraiser to support post graduation costs for their son, Rze Culbreath, quickly grew into something much bigger.

At the time, Rze had just graduated from high school and wanted to attend college. Simultaneously, his mother was diagnosed with stage 3 Breast Cancer. The family was overwhelmed by the love and support they received. They were also pleasantly surprised by what they learned about their community, their neighbors and each other. In 2016 they founded the I’m Just me Because Month in hopes of reaching people on a national level. Today, through their mission and outreach they positively impact communities across the country.

During October, the I’m Just Me Because Movement reminds us to be a little kinder and offer acceptance and respect to those around us. It also reminds us to remember that each person is unique. This uniqueness can be race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or any other characteristic that makes us different from those around us.

Being able to express who we are can improve and help maintain our mental wellness. When we have confidence in who we are we can share our unique qualities with others. This is a great time to reach out to those around you, show them your unique qualities and embrace and support theirs.

During October, proudly show your strengths, talents, and achievements with those around you. Some people may define themselves by their challenges or appearance, while others may show their inner beauty or unique features. This month challenge yourself to start a conversation with someone to get to know them better. The conversation could be as simple as discussing clothing choice, tattoos, or asking them where they were born. During this month, you should also remember to celebrate the person that is like no other person – you! I’ve always been told not to judge a person by how they look, but to take the time to get to know them. Let’s take some time to get to know others in our community this month: who knows, we might be surprised at the new friendships we can make.