For more information contact:
Matt Hayes
Be Strong
(954) 246-5807
matt@bestrong.global
DEERFIELD BEACH, Florida, January 8, 2018 — Be Strong Executive Director, Ashleigh E. Cromer, was connected to Denis Estimon as one of his mentors in early 2017. Over the course of the last year, the two have spent countless hours discussing how to change the world – a disruption for good – creating a comprehensive approach that would not only save and change lives, but create a culture shift, led by the students. Spending time visiting local schools, working on the Be Strong Resilience Program, and hosting events together, the two realized, as Estimon shared, “We are stronger together.” Cromer adds, “As our friend Common says, ‘It takes the wisdom of the elders and young people’s energy.’”
“When I decided to be a part of Be Strong, there was such a stigma around bullying at my school. It was shocking.” Britney 17 years old, Be Strong Student State Representative goes on, “Even though I felt a bit isolated, I realized that this was my chance to help remove that stigma and be passionate about this amazing opportunity. I am passionate about Be Strong and it became almost contagious.”
“Be Strong strives to inspire students to feel empowered and encourage change in their peers,” said Ashleigh Cromer. “We meet students where they are and provide sustainable education and resources for change – in a digestible, actionable, and entertaining way. Our youth are smart, open, inspiring, and our most precious resource. I’m motivated by their resiliency and ability to connect in a way that’s comfortable for them.”
Estimon immigrated to the U.S. from Haiti in the first grade and fully knows how it feels to be isolated – especially at lunch. During his senior year in high school, he and his friends launched We Dine Together, an in-school outreach program with the sole purpose of combating social isolation, making sure no one had to eat alone. Their mission is to go into the courtyard at lunchtime to make sure no one is starving for company. For new kids especially, the club is a godsend. Since it started last year, hundreds of friendships have formed – some very unlikely.
Click here to watch the CBS Evening News story
Featured by CBS, their story reached over 20 million people, including the attention of district, state, and national officials. As interest grew around the We Dine Together programs, Denis realized the work needed structure, backend support, and a scalable model with sustainable tools; enter Be Strong. We Dine Together is now part of the fabric of, and managed by the Be Strong team. Denis aims to promote the message of unity, love, and inclusion as a speaker, activist, influencer, as the CEO/Founder of We Dine Together, and now Director at Be Strong.
For More Information on how to bring Be Strong & We Dine Together to your school or community, please email: media@bestrong.global
ABOUT BE STRONG
Be Strong is a national non-profit organization creating transformative change among society with hope and resiliency training. Uniting the survivors, allies, and the bullies. Additional information on Be Strong’s events and initiatives is available at https://bestrong.global/ or (954) 246-5852. Be Strong is a 501(c)3 and all donations are 100% tax-deductible.
ABOUT WE DINE TOGETHER
During their senior year in high school, Denis Estimon and his friends launched We Dine Together for the sole purpose of combating social isolation. We Dine Together aimed to provide a proactive solution to one of the leading top-five safety, health, and social issues. While the program began to grow, Estimon realized the work needed structure and a scalable model with sustainable tools. Enter Be Strong. We Dine Together is now part of the fabric of Be Strong’s comprehensive approach. wedinetogether.org
Media Contact: media@bestrong.global
