Girl’s Empowerment – Page 3

TBT: That Time We CHANGED BARBIE’S BODY

This last week has been epic.

Just seven little days ago I was finally able to share about a project I’ve been a part of for the last few years. I was on super secret lock down (which made vague-booking so hard!)

But finally all was revealed with this cover of TIME.

As you know, I’ve been working for over 20 years to change the messages that women and girls are sent through media, toys, and advertising. And I feel so incredibly lucky to have partnered with Mattel and the Barbie team on this journey to more variety and inclusivity!

3 new bodies. 7 skin tones. 22 eye colors. 24 hair styles. So many more choices to play!

So in the true spirit of a throwback, here’s a recap of what my launch day was like.

Our day started at 3 AM. And this was the sign that greeted us as we walked in.

That and lots and lots of coffee.

Then the TIME cover story breaks. In case you can’t tell from my expression, I couldn’t be more excited!

Teamwork makes the dream work. I couldn’t have made it through this launch without these guys.

We spent all day tracking the press, doing interviews and working with key influencers to make sure that the story of Barbie’s transformation was told in a way that would spark healthy dialogue (and debate). I mean, come on it’s Barbie. Everyone has an opinion!

Then it was on to the PARTY!!

We had an amazing launch party featuring Queen Latifah and Gwen Stefani – hosted by the lovely Amanda De Cadenet.

The theme of the night was “Reshaping the Conversation” and I was so thrilled to do that with good friends. Special shout out to my dear friend Damone Roberts for always having my back. My new friend Rutina Wesley (Also starring in Ava DuVernay’s new show “Queen Sugar” on OWN- watch it!) and the funniest voice on the interwebs, Luvvie Ajayi.

You can’t make change unless you have a seat at the table. And I had a seat at the table. Literally.

Up for over 20 hours, exhausted, happy, feeling proud.

Then the next day the team at Barbie sent me this fabulous gift. Now a permanent fixture on my patio. Welcome to your new dream house!

This week has reinforced for me what is truly possible when we work together to make change.

Whenever a girl can see herself and her world better reflected in culture it’s a good thing.

This is just the beginning. Stay tuned for more…. #TheDollEvolves

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February 4, 2016April 5, 2016

Let’s Step Up Our Love Game In 2016!

The world’s been feeling like a scary place lately. And I’ve found myself searching for what I can do to soothe my own fear and create more peace and tranquility in my heart.

When I feel overwhelmed, one of the things I focus on is what is true for me in the here and now. And what is true for me lately is that I feel love. Tremendous love for so many things.

For my husband, who simply lights up my world.

For my amazing friends, who fill up my life with laughter and bravery.

For my work and the opportunity everyday to inspire others and marry together my passion and purpose to create social change.

By focusing on the truth of the love in my life, I can change the quality of my thoughts and in turn the actions I take. It is often a small and subtle shift I notice, but it lifts me out of the dark moments and reminds my why I’m here.

I don’t believe in making resolutions. I believe we can make a change any day of the week or year. Moment to moment, we can be the change we wish to see.

But I do believe in creating very clear intentions each and every day. And I want to focus on upping my love game. I want to create more good energy and positivity – within myself and released out into the world.

I may not be able to control a lot of the crazy things happening in the world, but I can control my reaction to them. And I can do my part to create more love, feel more love, share more love and practice more love.

And I’m asking you to join me.

I’m launching #LoveGame16 on Monday: A series of challenges for the month of January to help us all focus on ways to give (and feel) more love and positivity.

They will be simple and easy to do. And I’d love to hear more about how you feel when you step up your love game.

I’ll break up the month’s challenges into four weeks. Look for the next challenge every Monday and Friday on my Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn – and check in here for a new blog post every Monday to list and explain the challenges for the week.

Here’s to starting 2016 with love!

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January 1, 2016April 5, 2016

How To Stay Positive Online

Anytime we open our laptops we become susceptible to bad news. The Internet is littered with it.

You open your browser to check your go-to news source – where positivity is no doubt a rarity. You check your social media only to find “friends” who are doing all the things you wish you were doing, but aren’t. You see a pop up ad with women who look nothing like you, and you doubt yourself.

It’s overwhelming. How are we supposed to stay positive when we’re surrounded by so much negativity?

It IS possible. Here are a few sites I visit on a regular basis that help me stay informed and still be positive:

Hello Giggles – This site markets itself as a positive community for women, and it is just that. Here you’ll find newsworthy articles and lifestyle articles about women like you.

Brain Pickings – Maria Popova’s blog gives meaning and depth to topics of philosophy, science, design and art. I get lost in her inspiring and unique perspective.

Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls – A cultural community for women and girls that encourages activism, learning and volunteerism.

What sites bring you a positive lift?

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December 28, 2015April 5, 2016

Women Who Lead – She Should Run’s National Conversation

Last week I had the amazing opportunity to moderate She Should Run’s National Conversation in Washington DC to help women find a way to run for office.

Their message: Sometimes we need to tap each other on the shoulder and ask one another to run.

Joining me were several brilliant women (and one amazing 12-year-old girl!) who spoke from personal experience about their paths to leadership.

I shared with the audience how the lack of representation of women in the media is what fueled my passion for storytelling and working to create social change.

But when it comes to political and public office – the time for getting women to take a step up and lead is now. We have to find a way to become better represented in our government.

I was thrilled to interview Councilwoman Brianne Nadeau from DC and Representative Susan Brooks from Indiana, both of them leaders with a strong vision for making change in their communities.

“We need more women on the ballot. We need to do better.” – Representative Brooks

“Women make sacrifices everyday … And we have to demonstrate that we’ll make those same sacrifices at work.” – Councilwoman Nadeau

I then interviewed one of the most inspiring 12-year-olds I’ve ever met! Christian Herald.

Christian is an amazing girl. She’s smart, vibrant and full of life. She is a leader in her student council and I’m sure will be our next President one day.

I also had the pleasure to interview the highest-ranking Republican woman in Congress, Cathy McMorris Rogers from the state of Washington. Congresswoman Rogers was elected 11 years ago and has served on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

We ended the night interviewing two of my favorite dynamos: Reshma Saujani, CEO of Girls Who Code, and Julie Ann Crommett, Google’s Diversity Manager, to talk about the intersection of politics and technology.

We talked about the need to create systemic change and how we all work from within corporate and political systems to do so. Reshma and Julie Ann agreed that technology can help disrupt the standard playing field of politics by making new and viable candidates more visible and bringing about more diverse voices.

Overall, it was amazing to be in the presence of women and girls who are so motivated to rewrite the narrative for women in leadership roles.

I have to give incredible kudos to the leaders of She Should Run, CEO Erin Loos Cutraro and Executive Director Clare Bresnahan as well as She Should Run’s national board. The theme of the night was #FindAWay – and we did. We found a way to start an important conversation about women in leadership. Now we have to keep that conversation going!

All photos by Neshan H. Naltchayan

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December 21, 2015April 5, 2016

What Comes After You Enjoy The Moment?

What’s the point of achieving your dreams if you don’t take time to enjoy them? We’ve talked about the importance of soaking in your moment and feeling gratitude for where you are and what you’ve achieved.

But what happens once you’re well into that job you were working toward, once you’ve attracted that great relationship or achieved that health goal? What happens once you reach your dream and it (gasp) becomes the norm??

What do you do after you’ve enjoyed your moment?

1. Allow Yourself to Feel Happy:

I know the “doer” voice in our heads wants us to move right on to the next big goal. But stop. Sit still. Allow yourself to feel happy. Give yourself the grace to really, fully feel appreciative of the accomplishment. Banish the thoughts that want to move you swiftly into goal setting again. Even the best climbers take a moment to enjoy the view before moving again.

2. Be Open to What’s Next:

So you’ve finally crossed it off your to-do list. Now what? Time to dream again. Remain open to the possibilities. Let inspiration and intuition guide you. It’s not a race – it’s a journey. And it’s yours and yours alone. Make a pact with yourself to start again with new visions, new moments to manifest. It doesn’t have to be bigger or better than the last one (that’s perfectionist thinking!). Moments come in all shapes and sizes. Decide which next moment is ready for you to claim.

3. Keep Moving:

Don’t get too attached to the journey looking the same for every accomplishment. Even if dreams or goals don’t work out as you’ve planned, keep moving. That’s resilience. Bounce back, learn from it and keep the growth in motion. Remember, this life isn’t graded, it’s not pass/fail – enjoy the process that unfolds for you…because that next amazing moment is always right around the corner.

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December 4, 2015April 5, 2016

Spreading Confidence with #PearlxChange

This past weekend I had the incredible opportunity to join Nicole Richie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Marianne Williamson and few hundred other new friends at the first ever Pearl xChange conference in Los Angeles.

The event gathered a diverse room of women (and some men) to collaborate, inspire, and take action on a personal, professional, and even a global level. Together we explored our varying paths to success and confidence.

Taking my place on the not-so-red carpet before the show! I’m joined by speakers: Nicole Richie, Psychic Dougall Fraser, Event Producer Ramey Warren and Astronaut (and bad ass) Jeanette Epps.

Nicole did a lovely job hosting and offered a few wise words of her own throughout the day. In her opening remarks she discussed the power of collaboration and openness as a source of empowerment.

“When you’re open, the world is your oyster, and you can create whatever you want…Your mind + my mind is going to help us evolve” –Nicole Richie

I was first up at the mic, which was exciting because I had the opportunity to set the tone for the day – the women in the audience were so receptive, warm, and affirming.
We spoke about that messy path to confidence!

“It does us no good to be resentful of the path that got us here…Forgive, elevate, and move on” — Jess Weiner

Shadi Mehraein gave some solid advice to the entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs in the audience citing her ups and downs along her journey to becoming a successful venture capitalist, investing in women-led markets.

“You’re only going to fail when you give up” — Shadi Mehraein

Marianne Williamson is incredible. If you’ve never been in her audience, know that she speaks with enough power and conviction to mobilize a nation. Marianne discussed the importance of showing up and being there to support one another.

“How are you changing the world & how can I help?” — Marianne Williamson

Dougall Fraser has a gift – but he won’t attribute this to his psychic abilities – no, his gift is reaching people at a vulnerable level and guiding them to their own intuitions. According to Dougall, fear diminishes our power and our power is within our own intuitions.

“We have to carve out time to be still” — Dougall Fraser

Jeanette Epps offered an amazing perspective about both advocating for yourself and your responsibility beyond yourself. Her insightful perspective on the world stems from the fact that she’s seen the world from a few vantage points – including from space and within the CIA.

“I didn’t let anyone define who I would be… I defined who I would be in the world.” — Jeanette Epps

Gwyneth Paltrow took the stage to answer some questions from the audience. She spoke candidly about her divorce, her business, and her philosophy of friendship (even bestie Cameron Diaz was there to support!)

“As soon as I can put a pause in between the negative voice in my head and what I’m feeling, I can get back to myself.” — Gwyneth Paltrow

The diverse paths of each speaker and attendee reminded me that no one’s journey to success or confidence will look the same – nor should it. Life’s twists and turns are often what help us to move forward.

As Nicole Richie summarized in her closing, “Pearls are beautiful on their own…but when you add more pearls to the strand, you become more valuable.”

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November 10, 2015April 5, 2016

Change One Thing

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Each of us can probably rattle off a part of our appearance we wish was different. So it may not surprise us that the latest research from Dove reveals 9 out of 10 girls want to change at least one thing about the way they look. Where this becomes problematic is that we know 60% of girls will stop doing something they love based on how they feel about the way they look. We can change this by shifting the way we speak, think, and act around the concept of beauty.

This is the foundation behind Dove’s latest campaign #ChangeOneThing. We’ve been conducting self-esteem workshops and helping women and girls think more critically about beauty stereotypes. I’ve spent the last month kicking off workshops from Minnesota to NYC, Cincinnati to Arkansas.

Our main message: It’s not girls who have to change, but our culture!

At our NYC launch event, I’m joined by Franchesca Ramsey (host of MTV’s Decoded), Sarah Hammer (Dove Brand Manager), and Dr. Jen Hartstein to help lead an inspiring workshop for girls and their mentors.

Before the event, I was interviewed about how we can change our culture by changing the way we post and share on social media.

Here I am leading the workshop! We also announced Dove’s partnership w/ Pinterest to reveal 80 new self-esteem pins designed for Moms, Mentors and Educators. Dove has reached over 17 million girls with self-esteem programming with workshops just like this.

We had the girls and mentors make real-life Pinterest boards to share their positive messages with the world.

This wonderful girl standing next to me is 10-year-old Olivia Allen. She is the founder of the “I Can Be” Girls Confidence Conference – an event for girls and their parents to develop higher self-esteem. Can you imagine creating a conference like this when you were 10?

The next day, I flew out to Cincinnati to film a news segment with Good Morning Cincinnati !

Then we hosted two back-to-back workshops with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cincinnati.

Their wisdom and energy had me thinking about this:

We can help redefine what is beautiful by using our social media platforms to spread positivity and acceptance. Within our families, friends, classrooms, and communities, we’re constantly shaping the world by what we post online.

It could be one word or comment.
One image or video.

Being mindful about what we communicate is what creates opportunities to shift our culture in big and small ways.

We all have the power to #ChangeOneThing.

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October 13, 2015April 5, 2016

Why I Love “Reverse Mentoring”

Some people have hobbies like baking or building those little ships in bottles (do people still do that?)

I’d say my main hobby is mentoring.

Yep. I collect mentees like some people collected Tiger Beat posters of Rob Lowe back in the day. (Anyone? No? Just me?)

Many people might think of a mentor/mentee relationship as a one-way street, but if you are lucky, you get what I call “reverse mentoring.” The collective wisdom, insight, and inspiration you receive by helping someone on their journey.

I get such an incredible gift from having mentees in my life.

Here are 6 women I’ve mentored and what they’ve taught me in return.

Emily-Anne Rigal, We Stop Hate

I’ve known Emily-Anne since she was 15! She has now created a media empire through her anti-bullying organization We Stop Hate and her new book, Flawd. I’m inspired by her commitment to creating a community that inspires individual change.

She’s also taught me the joys of selfie-taking, social media and when to use the right emoticons. 🙂

Cammy Nelson, Brave Like Me

I met Cammy when she was in 6^th grade and knew she was destined to be a force in the confidence community. She works with girls across the country to redefine bravery as taking risks and taking action – no matter how big or small.

Cammy has taught me about the tenderness of forgiving oneself and the glory of speaking about your dreams while in swimming pools.

Kara Norman, Empower Her, Inc.

Kara thinks I’m mentoring her, but truly she has helped me through her devout faith, passion, and generous heart. She provides events, resources, and programs that help women and girls live fulfilled lives in her community of Atlanta, Georgia. Even when faced with difficult challenges, she rises to the occasion and models grace in action.

Megan Grassell, Yellowberry

So truth is, I cold-called Megan and her Mom after I read about Yellowberry and I’m pretty sure they both thought I was a crazy creepster offering my help and mentorship. But I truly knew that Megan was on to something HUGE. Her ambition and drive led her to create a business that helps young girls feel confident about wearing a bra for the first time. I’m grateful that Megan ended up trusting me and didn’t hang up the phone!

Molly Thompson & Lauren Paul, Kind Campaign

My world got better when these two filmmakers and activists stepped into it. After appearing in their groundbreaking documentary on bullying, “Finding Kind”, we ended up mentoring each other over the years. They are so wholly dedicated to spreading kindness and positivity to women and girls worldwide. I’ll forever be indebted to them for the kindness they showed me on the floor of a movie theatre in Somewhere, USA – crying over broken hearts and big life changes.

Tammy Tibbetts, She’s The First

I first met Tammy during my Seventeen magazine days, and now she’s the Founder and President of an amazing organization that provides scholarships to educate girls in developing countries. Watching her grow professionally over the years inspires me to remember that growth and success take time – but are ultimately worth the wait.

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September 14, 2015April 5, 2016

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