Over the past few days I’ve had the opportunity to interview mass motivator and life coach Lisa Nichols and actress and singer Tatyana Ali regarding the Proctor & Gamble campaign for My Black Is Beautiful’s (MBIB), Imagine a Future program. Let me be the first to tell you that I love this challenge, I love what it stands for and I love most the possibility of what a future would look like if women and girls everywhere could learn to love themselves authentically for who they are.
The campaign is designed to encourage and celebrate the efforts of young black girls who put their beauty into action to benefit their community. In a world where beauty is often defined by one’s outer exterior, MBIB is paving a path towards a new standard of beauty. In its second year of its Imagine A Future program – which seeks to reach and teach one million black girls to believe her Black is Beautiful – MBIB is challenging its community of Black women to redefine what it means to be beautiful on their own terms and by their own actions…and to put their “Beauty In Action.”
In partnership with transformational expert, Lisa Nichols, who has reached millions around the world through her powerful messages of empowerment, service, excellence and gratitude, MBIB launched yesterday a 30-Day “Beauty in Action” Challenge. The challenge encourages Black women and girls to use daily ideas, inspiration, tools and resources to showcase that their beauty goes deeper through strength, spirit and giving back (you know we love that).
I asked Lisa, what did she feel was the biggest issue or issues affecting our young girls today.
“Image of self, what is it that we define as beauty, our young girls need to learn to love themselves authentically, loving their hips, lips, hair, and self from the inside – out,” Lisa told me. She also spoke on colorism being a major issue for our girls and I so agree. I have to say it’s a saddening thing to hear young beautiful black girls speak of themselves as ugly or not black enough. We have to lose this notion it truly destroys the self esteems of so many of our young girls and it’s time to stop it.
This morning I spent some time talking to Tatyana Ali, I asked her how she felt reality shows as opposed to sitcoms like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, are affecting young women today. ” I like some reality shows, so I can’t say that all of them affect young women in negative lights. I actually think in a way some of these shows have made black women cool again, the “It” girls, so that’s good. What bothers me and what I can’t stand for is when we are fighting on TV, yelling at each other and acting in bad spirits.” Tatyana told me she signed up for the campaign because she loves the messaging. Confidence, Self-Esteem and how women view themselves matters said Tatyana.
As studies show that a habit is formed after 21 days of consistently practicing a behavior, it is MBIB’s hope that consumers will strive to put their beauty in action on a daily basis, after the 30-day challenge ends.
Examples of specific days as part of the “Beauty in Action” challenge which kicked off yesterday, March 10th include:
Day 1: Own My Beauty – Learning to love yourself: The more I love me, the more that love returns to me.
Day 2: Set Your “Champion” Free: Remind yourself that you can live the dream and that anything is possible.
Day 3: Each one of my choices has helped me: Share 7 of your accomplishments and how they have made you the woman that you are.
As part of the “Beauty in Action” challenge, MBIB will also embark on a 4-city tour to Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago and DC/Maryland in search of the new faces of beauty. Unlike a typical pageant, these ambassadors will be selected based upon how they display their beauty in action, such as their community commitment and empowerment of their peers. Lisa Nichols, Tatyana Ali, and actress and singer Coco Jones will serve as honorary judges for the ambassador search.
I am personally encouraging women everywhere to take part in this 30 day challenge, for more information on the Beauty in Action tour or to see videos and embrace this challenge follow the hashtags: #BIAJourney and #MBIB!
