The I Am Movement was created to provide a space where Minnesota women could expose their vulnerabilities and stand by each other in expressing these insecurities. At i-am-movement.com, women stand behind their insecurities through a black and white photo of themselves and a hand-written sign. These vulnerabilities range anywhere from hidden pasts, to family secrets, to putting up with the impossible standards of society. Through this, Minnesota women are encouraged to share why they’re vulnerable and accept themselves for who they are.

Ali Miller is a University of Minnesota sophomore studying strategic communication who is the photographer behind this movement. She decided to start the I Am Movement upon revealing her own insecurity of being sexually assaulted a year ago online through a company called Be Bangle. This company creates bracelets engraved with inspirational quotes, reminding women that they are enough. This company helped Miller come forward and meet an incredible community of survivors who shared similar pasts and stories. Miller says, “I felt more loved and more accepted and comfortable in my own skin than I had in three years, all because I chose to be vulnerable. So I thought to myself, what if every woman did this? What if we all shared our scars, weaknesses and past and all of us could fall into a community because of vulnerability? This is how the I Am Movement was born.”

Monica Nordgren is a University of Minnesota senior studying psychology whose I Am statement reads, “I am Monica Nordgren. I fall in love with boys. I fall in love with girls. I am happy.” For Nordgren, this movement served as the capstone to the end of her self-discovery, which was a very long and difficult process for her. She says that in her early years of college she would completely avoid discussing relationships because she was hoping that by pretending this part of her life didn’t exist, it would simply go away. “Slowly, I began telling my close friends - sometimes by accident, but other times on purpose. As more and more people began to find out, I started to gain confidence and become comfortable in my own shoes. To hide who you are is exhausting, and I was hiding for far too long. That’s where the I Am Movement stepped in,” Nordgren says.

Nordgren recalls that the day her post went live she was so nervous she could hardly focus. She was thinking that coming out to the public would be the most anxiety-ridden day of her life, but it turned out to be the best. “Ali Miller and the I Am Movement not only gave me the opportunity to share my story, but also to be reminded of how exceptional people can be. I can say without an ounce of doubt in my mind that I have never experienced such an outpouring of support in my life.”

For Miller, she says the most rewarding part of creating this movement was “giving women the means to tell their stories.” She adds, “Everyone has the capability to share their past with the world, but doing it through a photograph with an army of people behind you somehow makes it easier. I am so happy I have been a liaison for these women to form a community.”

What started as Miller wanting to share her story turned into a means for women to come together to share their vulnerabilities and feel comfortable in their own skin. This movement serves as a constant reminder that we are not alone.

In the future, Miller hopes to expand this movement by traveling to continue to share stories of college-aged women around the country.

If you would like to participate in the I Am Movement please click here.