A Vision of Unity with Helping Mamas

We have a lot of caregivers, educational stakeholders, and families in our See Beautiful Community. We also have an amazing opportunity for you to get kids involved in an art project that leads to more beautiful for an extraordinary non-profit: Helping Mamas!

Short story: Your kid(s) creates a piece of art depicting "A Vision of Unity" and it will be on display at Helping Mama's Art Show!

More details: Helping Mamas is an amazing Atlanta non-profit doing incredible work to empower families and organizations in need. They're hosting an Art Exhibit called: A Vision of Unity. All of the art displayed will be student art work and YOUR kid(s) can create it! The art will be matted by Helping Mama's and on display at their event on Saturday, May 13th at The Hudgens Center for the Arts.

Please let us, or Helping Mama's, know if you'd like to participate and we can get you additional details!

Visit Helping Mama's invitation HERE.

A Park to Leave You Seeing Beautiful

A cancer Survivor's Park.

A space for Survivor's to see beautiful.

A place for families to come together & create beautiful.

A park within which people can rest, heal or just be.

See Beautiful is thrilled to support the Junior League of Greenville's efforts to contribute to the completion of a Cancer Survivor's Park for families to enjoy. We are honored to work with women to help create more beautiful for cancer Survivor's and their families.

Every purchase you make from See Beautiful where you select "Cancer Survivor's Park" we will donate $5 to meet our $1000 goal.

Learn more about our collaboration with Junior League of Greenville.

"...But Most of All, I See Beautiful"

We have new soft-as-bunnies tees in our See Beautiful store, but that's not the big news. The big news, the beautiful news, is a story of beauty and vulnerability and strength by Sarah Naomi who's modeling this shirt. Sarah is a teacher (as are all our models). Sarah is full of grace and bravery and a love of lifting others up. It's fun to unveil new products for See Beautiful, but it's infinitely more beautiful to see how Sarah has seen beautiful:

"Like many young girls, I struggled with self esteem, self worth and self love throughout my adolescence. I've looked back at old journals from high school and see pages upon pages filled with things I hated about myself.

...A few weeks ago I was invited to model new merchandise for See Beautiful. I nervously joined, put on a brave face and tried my best. Tonight she sent me the photos and I don't see the little girl who hates everything about herself. Instead I see happiness. I see joy. But most of all, I‪ #‎SeeBeautiful‬."

~ Sarah

You can get your shirt here, but you can leave your love and join Sarah in this See Beautiful Community when you follow in her footsteps. That's way more important than the tshirt.

http://seebeautiful.com/clothing.html

Breathe it all in. Love it all out.

Breathe it all in. Love it all out.

Together we give when you receive. That's what love is all about. Choose the Humanitarian See Beautiful Giving Initiative of your choice and help create more beautiful in the world. Live to Give.

You can feel the love here: http://seebeautiful.com/jewelry.html

Breathe

Give yourself permission to take time to breathe, to give, to love, to see beautiful, and be present. Our handmade, eco-friendly reminder also creates a lot of beautiful while you breathe. Select the giving initiative of your choice and change the lives of those you support from Eastern Congo with Mavuno, to Atlanta with BullsEye Rescue to Arusha, Tanzania with Glorious, to Utah with Little Lambs, to Oklahoma with Journey of Sarah, and so much more!

Get yours here: http://seebeautiful.com/jewelry.html

Feel the Love

Feel the love. Spread the love:

Love Lifts Us Up Where We Belong

"We rise by lifting others." 

~ Robert Ingersoll

This piece of art on reclaimed wood is now available to you. You can lift others with love with your purchase too, as you select the See Beautiful Humanitarian Giving Initiative of your choice - from Tanzania to Congo to Oklahoma to Utah - love is lifting a lot of people. We're seeing & creating a lot of beautiful together. Thank you!

Learn more here: http://seebeautiful.com/home--gift.html

Bona Fide Beauty Film

We love people in the film industry who choose to extend the conversation beyond society's definition of beauty, and ask viewers to look inward - and we were thrilled when we connected with the all female group of producers seeking to break ground in the local film market!

AUSTIN, Texas, April 18, 2016—Bona Fide Beauty, a feature film shooting in Austin, TX, will begin production this fall. Inspired by writer/director Samantha Schell’s life journey, the film explores the assumptions and beliefs tied to all relationships and the issues of connecting deeply in today’s society; most importantly, with one’s own self.

“It was written to give myself permission to be me,” Schell says. “Almost 30 years old, single, career-oriented but with hopes of a family in the future, I’ve struggled with creating a balance in my life…Plus, there are just too many hilarious dating scenarios that can’t go untold.” Though production doesn’t begin for several months, Schell and her producers began their 60-day crowdfunding campaign on April 10, 2016, with a kickoff party at Aveda Institute Austin.

Their goal is to raise $50K through seedandspark.com, which will help with production costs. “Crowdfunding is a chance for us to truly captivate people who want to participate in and engage with our story before the film even gets shot,” states co-producer and social media manager Elena Weinberg. “Crowdfunding offers Independent Filmmakers an opportunity to do things exactly how they want to, without having to compromise their vision. Ultimately, a crowdfunded film thinks about its audience first, and our ultimate goal is to make a film that we are proud of that reaches the right audience.”

Produced by an all-female team (Weinberg, Genie Anderson, Stephanie Lauren Moore, and Olivia Gray) who wants the behind-the-camera message to match the one being told on screen, BFB seeks to empower women. “We want to shout from the rooftops that all women are beautiful and strong,” says co-producer Anderson. “This film has a true message at its core and we cannot wait to share it with the world. We just need a little help doing that.”

*For more information, please email bonafidebeautyfilm@gmail.com

Visit their campaign here: Seed & Spark Campaign.

Get connected with the women here:
Instagram: @bonafidebeautyfilm
Twitter: www.twitter.com/BFBfilm (@BFBfilm)
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/BFBfilm

Samantha Schell has worked in the film industry for over 5 years, including assisting Directors, Executive Producers, and Actors from Betsy Beers (EP, Shondaland), Richard Linklater (Boyhood), VPs at Robert Rodriguez's TV network/El Rey, Giancarlo Esposito (Gus Fringe, Breaking Bad), and Lili Taylor ( Carolyn Perron-,The Conjuring). She recently wrapped on her short film she wrote and directed entitled, “Twisted.”

A Love Letter to You

A love letter to you:

Lately you have been hard on yourself - constantly critiquing your size and shape, questioning why you look the way you do and using others' looks as your "good enough" barometer.

The critiquing is one thing and it needs to stop. The questions are important because 1) there is an answer; and 2) the answer is significant.

You exist to be you.

Unapologetically, authentically and totally you.

You are not supposed to look, dress, act, or be exactly like your best friend, your family or even the people staring at you from a billboard.

We all have similarities and that's good to celebrate...beating hearts and lungs that fill with air connect us all. We all get those gifts, but the design of your body, your mind, your soul and the ways you love and give are completely unique to you. That is a gift to this world - to every living soul with whom you come in contact and for those you will leave a legacy on someday.
Some people, some companies might tell you you're supposed to look different, dress different, or act a certain way. That's not true. Let that sink in for a moment: It is not true. In fact, not only is it not true, but the big companies who tell you to look, act, dress, or be a different way are actually doing a job. It's not even their life, it's what they are paid to do.

Seeing beautiful in yourself is not always easy, but it is one of the most important things you can do for you. It's what makes it possible for you to genuinely see beautiful in others. The more you do it, the more you crave it. When seeing beautiful fills your life, you find creating beautiful is a natural extension of how to spend your life.

Life becomes beautiful.

Life is beautiful.

I feel it when you are filled with joy and love for yourself. I thrive in this space of love and thanksgiving. I know it's not always rainbows and butterflies. Everyone stumbles. Everyone. But you will come back to this place of seeing beautiful. It has nothing to do with being what you see reflected by pop culture and everything to do with what's on the inside. That's a job that only you can do - see beautiful in the gift given to you, YOU.

You're the only one who can truly celebrate and honor you. What an amazing gift. It's good and right to share it with others. The world wants you. There is no one who can offer the world what you do.

That is beautiful.
Love,
Yourself

From the Mountains of Utah to Hills of Rwanda with Love

We LOVE it when communities come together in support of See Beautiful and our amazing Giving Initiatives! Check out this incredible Youth Group, led by Pastor Michelle Perry in Ogden, Utah. These kids raised a lot of money and orchestrated an entire church event to support our now-funded "Fight for Life" Giving Initiative with Kula Project to provide 1,000 coffee trees to 48 female farmers in Kayonza, Rwanda. Here they are in their See Beautiful, Fight for Life, tees (in freezing cold weather)!! Thank you!

Bam Jam Back Again

Our AMAZING Bam Jam speakers are FINALLY BACK IN STOCK!! It's the all natural speaker with no wires, no batteries and completely sustainable! Created in a bamboo cooperative, Bam Jam gives jobs and supports a local community in Haiti! Even better, choose the See Beautiful Giving Initiative of your choice at check out and create a lot more beautiful!

The Best Christmas Gift

BENE UPDATE (and perhaps the most beautiful post we've shared since his last)...

This is the email from the Founder of the New Hope Center in Goma, DRC where we send 53 children to school every month through your support. Remember, Bene stopped speaking at the age of 3 after witnessing his Uncle's murder. While in Congo a few months ago I had the opportunity to meet with Bene and offer some tools and support to Bene, his Mom, teacher, and the director of the school. Bene didn't speak while we met, but check this out:

"Bene TALKS TO EVERYBODY now. He started to talk 2-3 weeks after your visit. This is the BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT this year...Bene has had this problem for 4 yrs and being held back in school but next year he moves up to second grade without a problem..."

Bene's voice really is the best Christmas gift. Happy seeing beautiful.

Like A Girl

When did doing something "like a girl" become an insult? Pre-adolescence, "like a girl" is understood to be a badge of honor, but there is a shift during adolescence that leaves girls with a poor self-image and lowered expectations for life. Girls are often much less confident in themselves and their abilities, when compared to girls. Further, studies show that up to the age of 9, the vast majority of girls are confident, assertive and identify themselves using positive descriptors. By the time girls reach the age of 13, fewer than one-third of girls still feel this way. "Like a girl" isn't powerful anymore - in fact, it breeds powerless. 

The way we, as a society, talk about doing things "like a girl" shapes the way young children come to see it too. Exploring videos, like this one from Dove, is a powerful way to dig deeper into this understanding with young girls. If you work with students, I'd highly encourage you to explore this video with them and then discuss what doing things "like a girl" really means.

A huge shout out to a great part of our community, Katy McCalla for rocking the New York City Marathon LIKE A GIRL this past weekend as well. She is so strong - just like a girl. She sees and creates so much beautiful - just like a girl!

A Disguise to Stop Time

Time stops best in moments that disguise themselves like ordinary life. That sliver of land jetting out beneath the sunset is the Democratic Republic of the Congo and while I sat on the beautiful shoreline of Rwanda, my heart remained in Congo. The beautiful resiliency of the children and adults with whom we met and played will forever shape the way I see beautiful. Thank you for being a part of this amazing community. You are inspiring so many lives with your support.

Floridina

Today is a day when I look out over my life and I see you there and I know there is more reason and grace to this world than we will ever understand. Thank you, Floridina, for loving so large, giving so great, and seeing so much beautiful.

Photo Credit: Bobby Neptune

Floridina is one of the 48 female farmers who we have the honor of supporting through Kula Project. When you purchase an item from See Beautiful and select "Kula Project" as the Giving Initiative of your choice, you are a part of helping Floridina and her colleauges run their 1000 coffee-tree-filled coffee plantation. Get involved HERE.

An Invitation from Life

I recently returned back to my own home in the states with a bittersweet taste in my mouth. I find that I continue to wake early - as if a part of my soul is still on Africa time - and listened for the sound of the fishermens' song on Lake Kivu and the birds singing to greet the day in Kigali. I imagined the sound of the children giggling at drawings and high fives in Goma and our shared love for walking in the outdoors. And I think to myself, this is one thing I will carry forever because the world is so beautiful and life forever invites us to come create more.

Envisioning Beautiful

End homelessness. 

Provide access to clean water for all. 

Ooze kindness. 

Stop bullying. 

Plant trees. 

Inspire people to see beautiful. 

Help people find work. 

Eradicate texting and driving. 

Provide education and more access to recycling. 

Give all pets safe, loving homes. 

Stop stealing, move giving. 

These were but a few of the ways the girls in one of our See Beautiful Clubs was "ENVISIONING BEAUTIFUL" yesterday at Cheatham Hill Elementary School! Thirty-three 4th and 5th graders came together to start this school year with a clear focus on 1) seeing beautiful; and 2) creating it. It doesn't get much more beautiful!

This Is Not a Bag

This is not a bag. This is new hope.
This is not a bag. This is a child's education in Eastern Congo.
This is not a bag. This is income for a woman in need Eastern Congo.
This is not a bag. This is creating beautiful.

As you read this, I am sitting in the same town where the women who make these bags live. I prepared this post before I traveled to Goma, so there will certainly be much deeper reflections to share with you when I return. Though I have never met Solange, Riziki, Mapendo, and Argentine, when I carry their beautiful art I cannot help but feel the hope the resonates from them. 

From left to right: Argentine, Solange, Mapendo, Riziki

There is also a good chance that as you're reading this I'm sitting with the some of the 53 children you help us send to school every month by purchasing our products from the New Hope Collection. The magnitude of that is not lost on me. Your purchase brings new hope. Your purchase provides a future. I'm sitting with those future world changers - perhaps right this very second. I cannot wait to share with you their stories and smiles. You can give new hope and get beautiful. Thank you for being a part of this See Beautiful Community, the work you allow us to do is literally changing lives. 

You can further support our efforts here:http://www.seebeautiful.com/bags.html

In Da Club, It's Going Down

THIS! THIS is one of the reasons we do what we do. We're all born seeing beautiful. We work to strengthen this ability so children never lose it. Bless this sweet little one who is clearly a pro.

If you're interested in starting a See Beautiful Club with a group of children/youth, we'd love for you to join us! If you're a former educator or educational stakeholder and would like to learn more about the work we do, and/or help facilitate our Private online space to empower teachers to lead See Beautiful Clubs, join us too!! Send an email to lcrissmays@seebeautiful.com and we'll get you rocking!

Nurture

Society tries to tell us it's not our choice to nurture our thoughts and mind with seeing beautiful and focusing on creating beautiful, but oh how refreshing it is to do so. It's freeing really. As Dodinsky invites readers to do, imagine your mind as a garden, your garden. You can plant anything you want in that garden. You can nurture it as you choose. You can watch it grow and become a better gardener over time. You reap what you sew. The same applies to our minds. You get to choose the thoughts that occupy your mind. You can focus on finding the beauty in everyday situations. You get to nurture the thoughts and actions of your day. How beautiful to have that freedom in your thoughts, as those thoughts inform your actions and those actions inform the world. There is great power in that, so go bloom.