Jessica Bowden M.S.M.
CEO of Teens Now Talk & Executive Director and Founder of =ITY (pronounced equality) Inspiring Today's Youth Society
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Jessica Bowden’s unprecedented accomplishments over her 35 years created opportunities and paths, where none existed for thousands of youth. Providing key tools to assist in building confidence, encouragement, and inspiration to help teens and their curious parents navigate through the difficult years.
Jessica’s gifts and talents for translating youth and adults’ opinions, needs, values, and concerns into practical tools and programs for achieving positive self-worth and personal power have been demonstrated time and again.
Everyone has been told NO in their life, says Jessica, setting in motion negative emotion and feeling…. No you’re not qualified, not ready, not prepared…and with every NO you receive, you challenge your self-worth thus weakening your self-confidence. Breaking the cycle starts with seeing the word NO as New Opportunities!
Jessica, a teen mom in the seventies, faced with cultural, financial, educational obstacles was used to hearing the word NO, but never let it stop her from reaching her goals. Jessica uses her personal experiences, successes and core beliefs to design engaging programs and seminars to assist others to discover a powerful mind-set and tools for success. Revealing the steps required to turn the NO’s into a YES, become accountable, overcoming adversities, take control of your life and learn to succeed when others expect you to fail.
Here is what some people had to say about Jessica:
“Jessica you have changed my life more than you know. Being a teen hoping to become a concert pianist, in a world that consistently tells me no, to now seeing my dreams come true. Once on tour, I’ll always remember the women who helped me to achieve my dreams.” Isaac Adam, Student.
“Jessica’s Powerful, Educational and Engaging Seminar’s, teaches lifelong lessons and everyday tools in a manner that’s fun, easy to grasp and recall.” Ed Matwawana Managing Director of Training BBI, Manager, Second Chance Programs at CEED.
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What are you most proud of professionally? And who or why?
I am most proud of starting a magazine that provides literally thousands of youth and their curious parents, within and beyond Atlantic Canada with a literary platform written by and for teens to showcase the special person they are, while finding or developing their creative voice and opportunity to engage, empower and share with others through art, words and music, they are not alone.
What’s your vision for Atlantic Canada in 10 years? What’s our biggest opportunity now?
My vision is to see a dramatic interruption that expands into the elimination of poverty and racism. Our biggest OpportunITY, now, is to see how people are coming together due to the pandemic and learn from the tools and compassion. The biggest MISSED opportunITY is how our youth are on the back burner, and not provided a SPACE to share. When in fact today's youth will be the ones finding the cures, sculpting our communities or running this country in 10-20 years.
What was your greatest stage of growth? What made it a shift for you?
Growth from a child into a mother of two, a mother of two into a friend for thousand and everything in between. I always knew the path I was on was the right direction, the obstacles were merely roadblocks to gain my attention and my successes were windows to see how far I have come, breathe and give thanks, then package and share with others.
What’s your deepest learning from this past year?
Change is inevitable, fame, fortune will never trump family and friends.
Who’s inspired you, directly or indirectly? How have they inspired you?
My mom with her independence, my children with their innocence and indirectly, my grade 9 teacher who told me I would amount to nothing. I say her so I can always remember to NEVER treat a child that way.
What would you have done differently?
Nothing, I am where I'm supposed to be.
What are the principles you live by?
A mother is only as happy as their saddest child.
I stand with my heart not my ego.
Loving, caring and helping my family will always top my world.
I am as good as the person I helped.
Always speak your truth - less lies to worry about and less garbage on your brain.
Show you are a leader by actions and leaving room for others to grow and eventually take over.
Always give a hand up, never a hand out.
Dance like nobody's watching.
How have you recovered from fractured professional relationships? What uncomfortable truths have you learned about yourself in those experiences?
People and things are in your life for a reason or a season. Let’s face it, fractured professional relationships are there to teach or move you along, to build you up and yes, even knock you off your ego pedestal. I come to accept the fact that it is my responsibility to know, change or accept the differences. That said, after I lick my wounds and put my ego in check, I give thanks for the opportunity and knowledge and then place what I learned into a package to teach others. Building and knowing one's self worth, and value will turn uncomfortable truth into powerful knowledge and success.
Recovered from fractured situations - a prime example, Covid-19 closed my business as 80% of our connection is with schools. This was a perfect opportunity to dig out my designer skills and create the Hold The Line - Black Lives Matter collection, with proceeds going to help underprivileged black youth get ready for school. We supplied over 250 youth with designed BLM backpacks and supplies, held two powerful rallies, trained and employed youth over the summer to work the pop up stores, as well as empowered and connected thousands of Black, Brown and Allies across the world. Together we must Hold The Line for our youth future to succeed.
What is Hold the Line? This is the only time you will have 3 to 4 generations standing up for Black Lives Matter. Great-great freed from slavery and hanged on trees, great grandmother - beaten, hung and couldn’t enter white schools, grandmothers - no jobs, education, beaten and raped, mother - low income, underprivileged, program heavy so some can work their way though the cracks, with some succeeding. In 2020 the world witnessed how fast things can fall backwards, with a lynching, where a man died by the knee of another. We all must Hold the Line, we cannot fall back or our future will not stand a chance!
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innovator, entrepreneur, international speaker, advocate, mom, philanthropist, motivator, writer, actor, Model