Worth Noting: Dove Launches #SpeakBeautiful Campaign, #BlackWomeninHollywood

We have quite a number of things on our radar plus a few things that have social media abuzz, from the launch of Dove's partnership with Twitter for their latest campaign, #SpeakBeautiful to with Essence Magazine's Black Women in Hollywood event and a bad-ass affirmation of girl power, there is much worth noting.

1. Dove and Twitter Partners for Social Change Campaign, #SpeakBeautiful

Dove has teamed up with Twitter to launch the #SpeakBeautiful campaign, which is aimed at encouraging more women to be more positive tweeting about beauty and body image. 

With so many women guilty of body-shaming themselves and other women, the campaign has took to social media to tackle the issue of beauty standards among women. Twitter has shared that over 5 million negative tweets on beauty and body image has been published by active users over the last year.  Watch campaign video below, and join in the Twitter Chat on Oscar night (Sunday) - where you can participate in the positive dialogue of beauty standards by tweeting @Dove. Dove has partnered with women including self-esteem ambassador Jess Weiner, Dr. Jen Hartstein and Danah Boyd.

2. Humans of New York, Bad-Ass Affirmation of Girl Power

If you are an avid social media junkie like us, then quite possibly you have heard of Humans of New York (if you haven't, you need to). Created to showcase the diverse personalities and characters of New York inhabitants, creator Brandon, has taken shares the stories of New Yorkers through beautiful photography and short stories. 

Last week, HONY introduced to a female electrical engineer, we reminded women that they too, can a bad-ass in the workplace, she shared, "I don't look like an electrical engineer, but I'm in charge of power continuity in Manhattan. Don't get me wrong-- I have a boss. But I'm the only black woman who is the shift manager of a control room. So when it's my shift, I'm running shit. And I'm proud of that."

Her story has reminded us and other women, that is okay to take charge and own our power, wherever we are planted.

Humans of New York

3. Angelina Jolie's project for women

Angelina Jolie with the support of the UK Foreign Secretary William Hauge, has opened the Centre on Women, Peace and Security at the London School of Economics, in their new institute Global Affairs.

The centre which is the first of it's kind is a follow-up step to a four-day summit Jolie and Hague held last June in conjuction with the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict project. Jolie shared, " If you were to ask me who I think this centre  is for, I picture someone who us not in this room today. I think of a girl I met in Iraq three weeks ago," she said. "She is 13 years old, but instead of going to school, she sits on the floor in a makeshift tent ... To my mind, what we have begun today at LSE is for that Iraqi girl and others like her." - Makers

4. Times Reporters Asked Female Celebrities the Wrong Question

With the Oscars happening Sunday night, many women, like ourselves will be using the hashtag #AskHerMore to encourage reporters to ask female celebrities on the red carpet, more than just beauty and fashion. The campaign which is started in February 2014, by The Representation Project, aiming to remedy the fact that "reporters often focus more on a woman's appearance than what she has accomplished.", is backed by Amy Poehler and has been receiving a great response from female celebrities and other women globally. 

Last week, Buzzfeed shared a round-up of the times when reporters asked female celebrities the wrong question and the well, they put the reporters in check. The most recent, Taylor Swift on the red carpet at the Grammys. - Buzzfeed

5. Essence Magazine's #BlackWomeninHollywood promotes Sisterhood, Celebrating Black Women and their Achievements

Essence Magazine hosted its 8th Annual Black Women in Hollywood Awards, which took place during the week leading up to the Academy Awards, turned the spotlight on some breakthrough and noteable black women in film and television. The event which was also aired on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network for the first time on February 21, was empowering and literally set Twitter on fire as women shared their best and most inspiring moments from the event.

Notable black women in film and television at the Black Women in Hollywood event

One of the many of highlight's of the event was the powerful and emotional speeches by recipients like Iman N. Milner, Regina King, Gugu Mwatha-Raw and Danielle Brooks of Orange is the New Black, as well as Oprah's opening tribute to Maya Angelou.


We also walked away with many gems and advice from women like Ava DuVenary, who shared one of the best advice on 'creating opportunities and getting started now'. See some of our favourite speeches below as well as our quotes shared. 

One of our favourite gems shared by Gugu, "our fears can sometimes be our strongest liberators, if we stand up to them."

Another great share by Discovery Award receipent, Iman N. Milner to the women who walked before her, "your mere existence has been welcome reminder of keep fighting."

Let's continue the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #WorthNoting, as we live tweet during the Oscars and share other news worth noting for women.