March 8th is International Women's Day, I remember celebrating this "one day" as a teenager and young adult and wearing my women's day pin. Although I do believe in celebrating all that makes us special every day, I thought today would be a good occasion to share my list of inspirational women.
There are so many to list... from Oprah to my mom so this list focuses on women who promote a green / eco friendly, conscious and ethical lifestyle. These are all women who pour their heart & soul into making sure that we each feel our best while making the world a better place.
Yve-Car Momperousse
Yve-Car is the founder of Kreyol Essence, she is a Social entrepreneur and "spiritual seeker committed to making everything around her beautiful". Her hard work promoting Haitian made products and empowering the women of Haiti is truly phenomenal. She was recently featured in Brit + Co for her work solving problems for women worldwide.
"As a social business, we are obsessed with economic development, empowering women, and taking care of our environment. This is Not About Hand-Outs. Sassy, funny and exuding with confidence our hard-working and uncompromising Haitian employees and team do not request charity, but rather jobs. Every purchase of Kreyol Essence products helps us change their lives."
Sophia Roe
Sophia is the TELL IT LIKE IT IS friend you wish you had. She calls herself a "sustenance maker", she's a beauty & wellness advocate who stands up for women, and is all about uplifting each other and seeing the beauty in all of us. Sophia consistently promotes healthy body images, diversity, inclusion and stands up agains body shaming. Sophia is also a chef who shares her amazing, healthy & vegan recipes and is not afraid to let us know about what we're putting into our bodies... and also on our bodies via her skincare and haircare posts. What I love about her is how passionate she is, who else can speak about Diiindolymethane with such passion. Thank you Sophia for demystifying a lot of preconceived notions about our health and wellness.
"The world is a MASSIVE place, and there's room for all of us to be great EXACTLY how we want to be. In my world, WE ARE ALL WINNERS IN OUR VERY OWN DIVISION! ... It's 100% ecstasy to see you all win, and also feel myself winning. We are all stronger together!"
Aurora James
Aurora is the Creative Director and designer of Brother Vellies. A company that makes sustainable accessories handcrafted in South Africa, Kenya, Morocco & Ethiopia designed in Brooklyn. Aurora is a fellow Canadian with a passion for sustaining African artisanal jobs. She frequently visits the local farmers who supply BV and shares images of her travels on Instagram. Aurora believes it's important to know your suppliers and to take responsibility for the origin of your materials - the leathers used in making Brother Vellies shoes are entirely by-products from the edible local food industry. Have a look at the Brother Vellies website for the most beautiful shoes and handbags you have ever seen.
"Brother Vellies was founded by Aurora James with the goal of introducing the rest of the world to her favorite traditional African footwear, while also creating and sustaining artisanal jobs within Africa. Handmade in South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya and Morocco, Brother Vellies creates boots, shoes and sandals in styles that maintain the spirit and durability of their ancestral counterparts."
Militza
Militza promotes natural and eco-friendly living on her blog Little Green Dot . On her blog, she shares DIY skincare product recipes, I always turn to her when I need something that I can't find in store and just want I want to create something special for myself or to gift to someone. I especially love her Dark Chocolate Body Mask and her Rose Moisturing Mist DIYs. She started making products out of necessity like many of us. She was living in Singapore at the time, wanted to live a more natural lifestyle and was having a hard time finding natural and eco-friendly retailers for her and her family. Militza believes that "Whole Food Skincare" creates an opportunity for selfcare, saves the planet, is good for your wallet and it works.
"I was a busy mom living in a busy city, frustrated by the things I learned about the products I brought into my home. I began to make my own skincare from necessity and it turned into a happy, healthy & green lifestyle. And now I want the same for you too."
Valeria Hinojosa
Valeria is the Founder of Water Thru Skin, a conscious lifestyle blog. Valeria shares how she makes conscious and ethical choices in her daily life. I love to see her show her ethical clothing and beauty products and shares her green and eco-friendly travels with us. She makes living an ethical lifestyle look so easy. She also plans the most magical and blissful retreats; her next one is in Bali and includes yoga, daily meditation, sound healing, organic healing meals in a beautiful eco-hotel. Valeria is currently in the process of writing a book, I can't wait to see the final product.
“You Have One Life. Be Raw. Be You. Risk It All When It Comes To Your Dreams. Treat This Earth As Your Temple And Every Living Being As Your Equal. Accept Equality As The Only Language And Pass It Down To Your Future Generations. Choose Love And Make It Your Everyday Mantra.”
Freddie Harrel
Freddie has the most beautiful & contagious smiles I have ever seen. She is a top UK blogger and founder of SHE Unleashed where she facilitates confidence workshops and talks. Her latest venture Big Hair No Care, provides premium ethical synthetic hair extensions and wigs to help women create protective styles to keep their own hair healthy and growing. BHNC stays away from the unfair and harmful human hair trade - and believes that beauty should not be acquired at someone else's expense.
"I’m passionate about women, I firmly believe that we are powerful and limitless but I also know how difficult it is to feel confident and to love ourselves in a society that constantly tells us we are not enough. I have suffered from low self-esteem for many years, and after a dark period, I finally found my way to confidence and self-love."
Paula Pavlova
Paula is a co-founder of the GAIA Collective Moonbox, a mostly subscription box that is aligned with the lunar cycle. Through the box, Paula and the rest of hte Gaia Collective family inspire us to stop and enjoy a bit of pampering and holistic healing. Paula is a dedicated yogi who believes that by sharing her personal practice she can inspire others to change the world through positive intention.
"Everything is divine timing. The whole universe is moving and shifting with us and when we pay attention to it we can align ourselves with our authentic path of natural transformation and evolution. ... When we do this together we become a force for collective awakening, building community, spreading compassion, loving connections and inspiring the kind of collaboration that has the power to ripple harmony throughout our worlds."
Kassandra Kernisan
Kassandra is my other inspiring yogi. She is a yoga instructor, naturopath and founder of Montreal's first Kemetic Yoga Studio - Studio Yoga & Wellness. At her studio, she strives to make students feel at home. She also promotes entrepreneurship by hosting markets at Alkemy Studio. I had the pleasure of meeting Kassandra on a few occasions - her welcoming spirit is unlike any other, she truly makes you feel at home in her presence.
"I struggled with a love/hate relationship with yoga for years because of the un-welcoming ambiance at some studios. After discovering Kemetic yoga, falling in love with yoga again and completing my certification, I still struggled to find a studio in Montreal that I would feel comfortable teaching in. Very quickly, I realized that if I want to see change, I have to BE the change and with the help, support and encouragement of many, Studio Alkemy was born."
Brandie Gilliam
Brandie is the founder, publisher, editor and creative director of Thoughtfully Magazine - a toxin-free wellness + self care publication that is inclusive and authentic. As a woman of color, Brandie is one of very few black female publisher in the United States. Through Thoughtfully, Brandie inspires us all to be more intentional, to take care of one another and the environment, to indulge in slow-living/eating/fashion and of course to do more yoga and meditation. That is definitely my recipe for a balanced life.
"We strongly believe in starting where you are, using what you have and doing what you can because we live it every day in our professional and personal lives. ... We'd much prefer that you make your own choices from a place of self-love and empowerment. Look at it more like nourishing your mind and body with what you need to thrive and not just survive. ... we are here to share some great information with you and inspire you to live a bit more thoughtfully because we wholeheartedly know from experience that it's the way life should be lived."
Happy International Women's Day 2018! May we continue to celebrate ourselves and each other throughout the year. I hope that my list of inspiring women also inspires you to lead a more conscious, mindful & ethical life.
Who are the women who inspire you? Let me know in the comments.
À bientôt!
D.
* All photos sourced from respective Instagram pages.
"We strongly believe in starting where you are, using what you have and doing what you can because we live it every day in our professional and personal lives. ... We'd much prefer that you make your own choices from a place of self-love and empowerment. Look at it more like nourishing your mind and body with what you need to thrive and not just survive. ... we are here to share some great information with you and inspire you to live a bit more thoughtfully because we wholeheartedly know from experience that it's the way life should be lived."
