Community Highlights: Meet Dominique Hunt of Confident SOLE

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Hunt.  

Hi Dominique, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Confident SOLE was a vision for years. I knew I wanted to help girls/women in some way but didn’t know what that would look like. Most girls go through a season in their life where they’ve dealt with low self-esteem or self-identity. I originally wanted to help women build themselves up but thought it may be best to start this process while they are still young. If we give them the tools and resources while their young, they can develop into strong and confident women. I began to reflect on my journey as a teenage girl and how much a program like Confident SOLE could have benefited my life. Growing up as black girl in the 80’s, I didn’t much representation in school, magazines, or TV. I wasn’t confident in my skin color, body type, or my ability to accomplish anything outside of sports. As I was developing Confident SOLE, I began to provide programming that would have been beneficial to my younger self, my pre-teen daughter, and my mentees. We began to provide classes on self-esteem, financial literacy, business, leadership, etiquette, and much more. We have impacted over 300 girls since 2017. Confident S.O.L.E aspires to improve young girls’ perception of themselves by equipping them with essential skills. As a result of intentionally investing into the girls’ inner self, Confident S.O.L.E. is expecting to see their participants cease the use of drugs and alcohol, decrease the number of teen pregnancies, and perform better academically. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Confident SOLE has been extremely blessed. We haven’t had many struggles along the way. We have an amazing board that brings great ideas to the table. We have collaborated with people and organizations that have been an asset to Confident SOLE. The only challenge we have faced is adjusting to the way we did programming during the pandemic. We had to adjust quick. It was important we were sensitive to other families and their struggles during the pandemic. Finding ways to touch base with girls was a challenge, but we made the adjustment. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Confident SOLE (Strengthening Our Ladies in Excellence) is organization that empowers middle (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12) girls to love, trust, and believe in themselves through an intentional curriculum. Our six core objectives are Self Confidence, Academic Success, Business and Leadership, Academic Success, Public Presentation, and Etiquette, Financial Management, Community, and Diversity. The organization was founded in January 2017 in Kalamazoo, MI. Confident S.O.L.E. uniquely uses three components to enrich the lives of young girls in Kalamazoo County. We provide enrichment classes, weekly curriculum-based programming, and scholarships. Confident SOLE aspires to improve young girls’ perception of themselves by equipping them with essential skills, such as the skills previously listed in our core objectives. As a result of intentionally investing into the girls’ inner self, Confident SOLE. is expecting to see their participants cease the use of drugs and alcohol, decrease the number of teen pregnancies, and perform better academically. 

Given that Confident S.O.L.E. is concentrated on the improvement of at pre-teen and teen middle and high school girls, participants are heavily identified by school counselors and local therapists. These pre-teens and teens will likely be identified based on their school attendance, low-grade point average, the suspected use of drugs and alcohol, and/or are engaging in sexual activity. In addition, parents can enroll their daughters to prevent the known causes of low self-esteem. We hope to accomplish this by providing workshops that focuses on public speaking, college and career readiness, entrepreneurship, financial management, etiquette, self-confidence, and much more. Also, our curriculum-based enrichment social skills groups hosted in Kalamazoo County schools focuses on relationship skills to build healthy peer relationships, optimistic thinking, personal responsibility, and social awareness. Furthermore; our educators placed in the schools are licensed therapists that focus on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Lastly, our Leaders in Training (LIT) is a youth advisory board that is made up of young girls who are problem solvers, bold, inspiring, and motivational. They strive for excellence in what they do and how they provide value to our community. When representing themselves and Confident SOLE they are honest, supportive, inclusive, and respectful when talking to members of the community or on digital platforms. 

In the US, 7 out 10 girls believe that they are not good enough or don’t measure up in some way, including their looks, their performance in school, and relationships with friends and family members. These individuals find it difficult to find good, value, or worth in themselves when compared to their peers. In fact, according to a study on dosomething.com, nearly 20% of teens will experience depression before adulthood. In addition, 75% of girls who struggle with self-worth are experimenting or engaging in dangerous activities such as cutting, bullying, smoking, drinking, or disordered eating. This compares to the 25% of girls with high self-esteem that are not partaking in such activities. Girls with low self-esteem are 4 times more likely to experiment with sexual activity. Our mission is to equip middle school and high school girls to become confident individuals through social and emotional learning, which will create a foundation for achievement both academically and in their community. 

I believe our brand sets apart from other organizations. We want others to see how well we wear our confidence. Rather it’s through our workshops, group sessions, or leadership we want confidence seeping through. We not only educate our scholars, but we educate our community as well through our social media platforms and our mobile application. Our brand represents bold, inspiring, motivational, and educational. 

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Always be prepared 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.urconfident.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/confidents.o.l.e/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/confidents.o.l.e