I was RAISED IN Blue Bell, PA. 

Besides way too much homework, my day consists of tennis, lacrosse, Girl Scouts, play rehearsal, and dance classes.  Over the years, the UNIQUELY YOU SUMMIT has taught me  that you don’t have to be the black girl with a loud voice or sassy attitude, nor the black girl that is conservative and quiet, or the “hippie” black girl that is all about her African roots. You can be your own individual, with your own individual attributes.  UYS has taught me to be unapologetically different, and unapologetically black.

I define #FORTHELOVEOFBLACKGIRLS as more than a hashtag. It creates a safe place for black girls online where they can express their voices, inspire others, and consistently remind each other to love our blackness; our tight coils that spring down to the crisp of our ends, the glow of our skin, and the uniqueness of our personalities. 

I feel most brave when I have confidence in myself.  Beautiful when I am surrounded by other black girls, and brilliant when I have courage in what I know to be true.  If I could tell black girls one secret, it would be, "FLAUNT YOUR HAIR OFF.  Be proud of your hair, because it is the best.  Whether you wear it natural or straight, or braided or locked; our tight spring coils and thick puffy fros make us who we are."  And if I could change ONE STEREOTYPE about black girls, it would be, "black girls are loud, uneducated, and ratchet."
 

My GREATEST INFLUENCE is MY MOM.

But my #BlackGirlInspiration is Amandla Stenberg.  Right now I'm reading "The Emperor Was Divine." 

I will us my COVER GIRL PLATFORM to connect with other black girls over the issues that face our culture today. 


And I will use this platform in service to the black girls that don’t recognize their value and the black girls that have never been told that their black is beautiful.