Age: 42
Company Name: SassiFit Dance Fitness, Studio 21 Dance, and Project 21 Foundation
Position In The Company: Co-owner and Founding Director
Jessica is a mother of two and Ms. Colorado Globe 2022 and Ambassador for the W.I.N. (Women In Need) Foundation, a non-profit that provides recovery and emotional empowerment for individuals who have suffered abuse and emotional trauma. The Mrs. Globe pageant is itself, a fundraiser for the W.I.N. Foundation.
Jessica is a small business owner, and currently, her nonprofit, Project 21 Foundation, is producing the first annual Colorado Small Business Spotlight Calendar for a Cause, highlighting other local, female-owned businesses. All of the proceeds will go to the W.I.N. Foundation.
Jessica is the co-owner and creator of SassiFit Dance Fitness, dance fitness for everyone. The cardio dance routines are modeled after the sideline routines she did as a Denver Nuggets Dancer, and in March, her nonprofit dance and cheer program performed at a Nuggets game – 50 performers bringing her dream to life!
Jessica started dancing at the age of six, teaching dance at the age of 13, went pro right after high school, and opened her first dance studio in 2008. She created SassiFit Dance Fitness in 2004 and then launched it as its own LLC in 2014. Studio 21 Dance always offered in-house scholarships and uniform assistance, then in 2019 she absorbed the dance, cheer, and leadership programs for youth into her newly founded nonprofit; Project 21 Foundation.
Project 21 provides Bullying Prevention programs to local schools through their Compassion Over Reaction Program, utilizing “Pitty the Bully”, the first book in her series, which applies the stigma against pit bulls to the anti-bullying philosophy (which pigeonholes children and perpetuates the behavior rather than extinguishing it). Bullying Prevention is focused on personal responsibility and accountability and teaches children how to solve the underlying problem and recognize the behavior to make better choices. It also helps them understand that when people are acting out against them, it isn’t about them so they don’t internalize those negative messages.
Project 21 is adding a new purpose in 2022; mental health care reform. In line with ending stigmas that damage, the #fromstrengthtostigma campaign, will focus on real-life discussions with those who have struggled with depression and suicidal ideation and those who have lost loved ones to the struggle. Over the course of the next year, Project 21 will be compiling these stories into an action plan, and then bringing a bill before local politicians to enact real changes that will save real people. Our mental health care system is grossly inadequate for those in crisis and Jessica, along with her nonprofit, will be working to bring mental health crisis care to emergency rooms and mental health crisis training to local police officers.
Jessica has one brief year as Ms. Colorado Globe 2022 and she is making the most of her opportunity to make a difference. She believes in using her own struggles to help others find their own strengths. We all have a story to tell and she is using her’s for a purpose.
Website URL:
Social Media Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweet_jessicamason/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/studio21dance
Twitter: https://twitter.com/studio21dancer
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