HerFlow, LASCO honour outstanding J’can ‘sheroes’
COUNTERING THE notion that women do not support women, HerFlow founder Shelly-Ann Weeks, in partnership with LASCO Curves, honoured 12 women for achieving significant goals in business and positively impacting their communities with the launch of the HerFlow Celebrate Her Unsung Sheroes Awards brunch at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel recently.
“I am tired. I am annoyed. It makes the vein in my forehead quiver every time somebody says women don’t support each other. That is not true,” said Weeks, to deafening cheers and claps from a room of some 100 women and a few men.
“We are a lot more supportive of each other than the advertising says, and we need to do more to just shut that down,”Weeks added.
The inaugural unsung ‘sheroes’ were celebrated for their philanthropic work in areas such as female empowerment among women and girls, education, mental health care, advocacy for victims of abuse, among other endeavours – Wine Down for Charity founder Sabrina Webster; Youth Can Do IT founder Lianne McNaughton; Social Advocate Danielle Terrelonge; the Cosmic Wombman founder Ramona Riley; Tamar’s Redemption founder Joseth Brown; Mental health advocate Monique Lynch; Girls Who Know Ja founder Chelsea Wright; Operation Love founder Celia Steele; I am Woman, Period founder Trish-Ann McTaggart; the Angelic Ladies Society founder Sara-Lou Walker; and I’m Glad I’m a Girl founder, Nadeen Spence.
A surprise award was also given to public relations consultant Toni-Ann Kelly, who used her birthday as a platform in support of HerFlow.
Noting that philanthropic work is ‘hard work’, Weeks encouraged each woman not to let the public’s idea of ‘humility’ dim their light or silence their voice.
“There are women feeding the homeless out of their pockets. There are women reading to the mentally ill. There are women who raise money. But we don’t hear about these stories,” Weeks said.
“Sometimes we allow humility to quiet our voices and humility doesn’t mean you cannot embrace who you are and what you are doing; so please, ladies, let us know what you are doing,” she added.
“It is not about accolades, because all of us here know we don’t do it for that, but when you get it, take it. Embrace what comes with what you do. Embraces the accolades. Embrace the good stuff, because we know you are not afraid of embracing the work,” she continued.
Each awardee received a plaque recognising their service and gift baskets from LASCO Distributors, through its Curves brand. Weeks also thanked LASCO for taking an active role in women’s issues advocacy through sponsorship.
“I consider them a partner,” Weeks said. “LASCO has been very supportive of most of the things that HerFlow has done, from our school tours to when I launched my book [It’s My Body Period] last year.”
MOST FITTING PARTNERSHIP
Renée Rose, Curves brand manager, who was on hand to personally celebrate the honourees on Sunday, said that it was most fitting to be associated with HerFlow as both brands target females.
“There are many phenomenal women who are selfless in their mantra to uplift, support and empower other women, so Curves wholeheartedly supports some of these women through HerFlow in recognition of International Women’s month,” she said.
“Curves has been there with HerFlow since its inception. The journey thus far has been rewarding for LASCO, through our Curves brand, as we are able to reach females at the secondary and tertiary levels and lend our support to tackle the stigma that is associated with having a period,” she added.
Unsung ‘Shero’ Danielle Terrelonge, in showing her gratitude for the award, also issued a challenge to the guests to buy Curves sanitary napkins to end period poverty. She set the bar by first purchasing $20,000 worth, or what she described as ‘30 periods’ and challenged attendees to not only be inspired, but to take action for the cause.