Natalia Mehlman Petrzela's i-tri Fundraising Page

I proudly joined the board of i-tri this year because despite "having so much on my plate," I couldn't turn down the opportunity to support an organization that embodies the philosophies that have been so incredibly transformative to my own life and which I wish I learned earlier! Like many i-tri girls, I shied away from sports... until I didn't, and felt the enormous personal accomplishment of training my body to do something I never thought possible. I learned this in my 20s- i-tri teaches it to 11 year olds! A physical feat is only attainable by cultivating habits of mind, something I didn't learn until almost college, but which i-tri imparts in middle school. Working out can be individually empowering, but doing it with a group - like the i-tri trainees - turns exercise into an opportunity to practice INSPIRING, rather than envying or judging, each other. So many adults could use this lesson! Finally, "girl power" is just a slogan until girls begin to value their body for what it can do rather than what it looks like; can enjoy mentorship by women who are living examples that our gender is an opportunity for rather than an obstacle to excellence; and who see evidence all around them that success doesn't come from "playing like a boy" but inhabiting their whole self proudly and unapologetically. Based in eastern Long Island, a region I've come to know and love, i-tri imparts these life-changing experiences in multiethnic communities that in this political moment, stand to benefit enormously from this life-changing program. I am so proud to support i-Tri and I hope you will join me this Giving Season!