Communicating messages of self-love and positivity has been this club’s mission for years, yet it sits on the precipice of change as senior club presidents Ella Ross and Zoe Vavrek begin their final semester leading this thriving community. Currently, Body Positive wants greater community outreach. K

eep an eye out during March for a self-love mural in Fairfax. The club is also going to collaborate with A Woman’s Place, an organization based in San Francisco, to do a food drive which will likely be held on campus. “Hopefully we can set up more opportunities for outreach next year. It has been really successful so far,” Ross said.

Body Positive is one of the more popular clubs here for good reason. The club aims to help people accept their bodies, of course, but also teaches that body image is reflective of a deeper problem and how to cope with that.

According to the Body Positive website, meditation, self-appreciation and new thought patterns are some of the mechanisms which can help change not only unhealthy body image, but stress, anxiety, and perceptions of self-worth. In the past, Body Positive has helped people accept their body’s diversity by sticking encouraging notes on bathroom and locker room mirrors, practicing minfulness during meetings, and sharing stories of self-acceptance.

Ross and Vavrek are hopeful that this outreach will encourage people to join the club and/or movement. The leaders also hope that everyone feels welcome to approach Body Positive without reservations based on gender, previously conceived notions about the club, or any other reason. “It’s such an important message to spread and promote because we can’t fully love other people until we love ourselves,” Ross said.