Chicago nonprofit grows peace in classrooms through art education [Video]

CHICAGO — The Simple Good is a Chicago-based arts nonprofit that provides social and emotional learning arts programs to students K-12 to support youth mental health.

Founder Priya Shah said being born with a limb difference and a passion for art has helped fuel the work she does through her organization.

“Growing up, I never saw a brown woman with one hand, let alone a woman with one hand,” Shah said. “It was very early on that I realized it wasn’t me that was creating the obstacles, it was people’s assumptions of me.”

In addition to being CEO, Shah models in hopes she can inspire kids who look like her to feel seen while also promoting the work of the organization.

“I’m doing this because I want to elevate The Simple Good,” Shah said. “It’s to create that representation in the modeling world.”