AMBER JONES

Amber Jones is an Arkansas-based designer and photographer who primarily focuses on feminist design and challenging various societal issues. She currently works as Graphic Designer and Photographer for a nonprofit boutique that supports women and children in crisis. Aside from school, Amber spends her freetime taking care of her plants, her cat, and spending time with her friends. Amber’s degree project focuses on the design of a community-based non-profit that will break stigma, relieve societal pressures, and increase confidence in young children who identify as girls. 

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“FRANKLY, YOUNG GIRLS ARE ALLOWED TO BE THEMSELVES AND FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THEIR OWN SKIN.” 

Amber Jones’ project is creating a community-based non profit organization that will help break stigma, relieve societal pressures, and increase confidence in adolescent children who identify as girls. She chose this topic due to personal experience and her lack of confidence as a child. Even now, Amber struggles with how she perceives herself due to societal pressures experienced at a young age. It is important for young girls now to have a sense of community and the ability express themselves in ways that bring them joy. Despite negative stigma and societal pressures, young girls should be allowed to embrace who they are and should be allowed to do so confidently. 

Through interviews and surveys of like-minded women, the phrase that kept coming up is “you are not alone”. Amber found that women of her generation have had similar experiences as a child. She realized in the process of her research that she wanted to create a sense of community in her project — so she created the non-profit organization GalPal. GalPal is a non-profit whose main goal is to empower young girls by giving them a sense of community, mentorship, and creative outlets. 

To achieve such a goal, Amber created their most important asset: the GalBus. GalBus travels around the United States and visits communities. Once it arrives to a community, GalBus and the staff involved have activities made for the young girls participating. GalPal also arranges speakers to deliver talks on topics including sexual health, school life, and creative expression. Creative activities are organized based on age groups ranging between 8-15. Once the day is over, the staff passes out goodie bags that include access to their website and other forms of promotion.