See Beautiful Grant Applicant: Be-Ruth Foundation

The feature below is brought to you by Be-Ruth Foundation, an organization that is in the running to receive a See Beautiful Grant. For more information about all of our giving initiatives, please click here. 

To learn more about Be-Ruth Foundation, please visit their website page: here.

Why The Evolution of Ruth Sees Beautiful

My grandmother, Ruth, was a woman of strength, grace and poise who valued education and worked tirelessly alongside my grandfather to bless other people in the community. To her, education was a priority: she worked to support her children and grandchildren in their scholastic endeavors. She was a human rights advocate and marched during the Civil Rights movement. 

Her many sacrifices reminds me of a caterpillar. The strength of the caterpillar determined to soar as a butterfly. The struggles women and girls encounter are just like what butterflies face as they free themselves from the cocoon of darkness & uncertainty. Women & girls are disproportionately underrepresented in STEAM fields, and young girls that are coming behind us are strengthening their wings so they can take flight and lead the world to greater heights.

My grandmother Ruth's sacrifices reminds me of a how a caterpillar persists despite her struggles and still nourishes herself & her family because she knows change is coming. Because of her generosity, I grew in love, in faith, in spirit and in truth. Now I am well prepared to launch young girls into the next phase of their lives by providing empowering educational opportunities. I want to show young girls how to shed the old mindset (depression, fear, doubt, etc.) that keeps them from flying high. I am creating a safe space for them to flap their majestic butterfly wings and SOAR.  

Just like butterflies, we have struggles. Homelessness, depression, addiction, unforgiveness, breaking glass ceilings, being lukewarm, domestic violence, stress, feeling unloved, lack of achievement and bullying. But we can use these struggles and gain strength to evolve & transform.

Be-Ruth uplifts t(w)een girls through our extracurricular programs: Empowering through Exposure, Engaging through Mentorship and Educating in STEAM.  Girls are transformed. Our grand vision: a generation of talented young girls who prevail; who are unwavering in using their gifts to succeed in STEAM professions, who champion diversity and who insist on environmental stewardship, who free themselves & free their communities.

The butterfly’s only job is to reproduce and the cycle starts again. They live by process.  A system that is their life. Beautiful in form & function. Butterflies go through every step of their transformation process gracefully, with purpose & vigor, knowing higher heights are on the horizon.  We teach young girls to do the same.

This is not easy. It even takes more time than we want it to.  But when the butterfly transforms, it's easy to see it's worth the work.

For me, the symbol of the butterfly is more than pretty colors. It represents every young girl that has overcome the adversities of life and flourishes into a beautiful young woman of character.  
My grandmother’s sacrifices remind me of the caterpillar that evolved, a multi-faceted jewel of the richest & most vibrant hues that glides above everything that tried to keep her down.

I continue Ruth B. Settle’s legacy by giving girls life changing experiences and opening up doors for them to walk through. I use hindrances as help-mates. Struggles as stepping stones. Let's join together to help girls rise and continue to BE and See Beautiful!! 


Let's Be Ruth!

Submitted by Philana Swan

CEO of Be-Ruth Foundation