Sanah balances her studies as a student at University of Texas, San Antonio with her work as the founder and CEO of the Love Your Natural Self foundation, which works to promote self-love.

Name: Sanah Jivani

Age: 21

Birthplace: Spring, Texas

IG: @sanahj

What woman in your life has been the greatest source of inspiration to you? My amazing mom. At only 15 years old, she was forced to drop out of school and placed soon into an arranged marriage. She didn’t get the education she always dreamed of so she has dedicated her life to raising and educating her daughters. Every opportunity I have is thanks to her.

What does it mean to be extraordinary? Being extraordinary comes from believing you are extraordinary. I truly believe that each individual is beautiful and unique. Your power comes from being, accepting, loving, and sharing who you are with the world. ♥︎

How do you hope to inspire the next generation of women? I hope to inspire the next generation of women through my non-profit, The Love Your Natural Self Foundation! We teach individuals to love & appreciate who they are! My biggest dream is to create an “International Day of Self-Love.” This day would be celebrated on February 13th, before Valentine’s Day, because it is important to love yourself before others. It is already celebrated in 135 schools in 28 countries!

What motivates you to do your extraordinary work? At 12 years old, in the 7th grade, I woke up to find all of my hair on my pillow. I was diagnosed with a conditioned called Alopecia. I was immediately filled with self-hatred, and began struggling with depression and self-harm. The bullying was also endless. Everyday, I found gum in my wig and once even found a note titled “50 ways to go kill yourself.” Thankfully, I started to practice self-love. I found the courage to accept who I am, and realized the beauty of self-acceptance. This is a feeling I want to spend my life sharing with others. 

Shop Sanah's sweater here!