By Anna Bedell

A summer mentorship workshop for women with disabilities began last Wednesday evening at the Bristol Public Library.

The topic for the first workshop in a month-long program dealt with building self-confidence.

“I’m so excited for this program and hope it inspires young women in the area,” said Jaymie Bianca, who developed and leads the program.

Bianca, a Bristol native, is a tutor at Bristol Central High School and the newly elected chair of the Bristol Diversity Council. She was joined during the first workshop session by a guest speaker, Shaylee Boger, via Zoom, from her home state of Texas.

Bianca is a recent graduate of Trinity College, Hartford. Boger is a Trinity senior studying psychology.

Six young women, ages 16 to 27, attended the workshop in person with one participating virtually.

“The adjective game is an icebreaker,” said Bianca to the circle of women. “I’ll begin by calling myself ‘Jumping Jaymie.’”

The first activity gained momentum as each of the women were asked to choose an adjective to describe themselves, beginning with the first letter of their names. Only the first names of participants are used in the story.

The second activity involved writing affirmations and reading them out loud.

Marina, the Octopus, a stuffed toy used as a prop and learning tool, was passed around the circle of women to encourage them to have confidence through positive reinforcement.

There was laughter, fun and enthusiasm among the group of women.

Guest speaker Boger shared her own personal experiences via zoom from her home state of Texas.

“You have to fake it until you make it,” said Boger. “Having a support system, and having people who believe in us, caused me to force myself to have confidence while playing catch up as a 21-year-old.”

As the summer workshop ended, Bianca said she hoped to provide a safe place for women to come together, while making new friends.

Bianca acknowledged the life skills and learning tools necessary for these remarkable women to empower themselves. They often face challenges most people take for granted.  

Bianca has the life skills and education to help these women through her own personal experience with her twin brother, Brandon.

“He’s had challenges with speech in the past but had great teachers and also participated in many programs like Special Olympics and the Baseball and Basketball Challenger Leagues,” said Bianca. “It helped him interact with his teammates and coaches.”

For more information about the workshop, residents are encouraged to check the calendar online at the Bristol Public Library website.