October 13, 2022 | Read Online

Hey Glow Gang!

It's been a big couple of weeks. There's so many cool & exciting stories about women of colour to share! It took aaaages to pick what stories to spotlight in this week's newsletter - not complaining though, this is a good thing for sure!

More to come next week + we'll share some additional bits over on TikTok & Instagram.

Let's get glowing

-Shilpa

P.S. Are you in London?! Hit reply and let me know if you are. I'm here for the next few months and am keen to arrange some meet ups + support your favourite women of colour founded local businesses/your business!

Share Glowreel

Earn exclusive rewards by referring your friends and family to Glowreel! Click the image below to go to your personalised progress page and to see all the rewards and milestones in more detail.

You currently have 0 referrals, only 3 away from receiving a Beautiful E-book Of Quotes From Trailblazing Women.

Click to Share

Or copy and paste this link to others: https://glowreel.beehiiv.com/subscribe?ref=RYyOzct9M5

The Perfect Colour Match 🎨

Ummm, apparently GIFs are dead now?! We love them too much to give them up though! Sorry Gen Z.

Health and wellbeing

Skin tone softies 🤎 For the first time ever, women of colour who have had a mastectomy (in the UK) will be offered soft prosthetics in a range of skin tones.

The prosthetics, aka ‘softies’, are a lightweight fabric breast shape and worn in a bra. Research shows the trauma of breast surgery can be lessened if the patient has an appropriate softie. We are here for the inclusivity + anything that helps lessen the trauma of breast cancer recovery.

See also: The trailer for Selena’s doco, My Mind and Me, is here. It’ll be released on November 4. Selena shares her struggles with her mental and physical health, and her long road to recovery.

Business

Changing the world, one snack at a time 🍪 Partake Foods just raised $11.5 million (USD) in Series B funding - one of the largest raises by a Black woman for a food and beverage company.

The Black woman founded, and majority women of colour funded, company is on a mission to supply allergy-friendly meals to food-insecure families across the US. Partake Foods or superwoman?! 🦸🏾‍♀️

Extra Nuggets 👀

Amplify Iran 🇮🇷 Schoolgirls and young women continue to fight for their rights in Iran. Spread the word 🗣️
Checkmate ♟️Zimbabwe’s young chess queens are transforming the trajectory of their lives, one move at a time.
Celebrate Black History ✊🏾 Black History Month (UK) is here. Check out the (online and irl) events here.
Reach for the stars ✨ Katya Echazarreta shares her journey to becoming the first Mexican-born woman to travel into outer space.
Double the fun 🥳 The Joy Luck Club is coming back for round 2!

Glowreel Recos

What we’re loving this week:

Make - Cucumber kimchi - recipe c/o Vicky Pham. A delicious snack to spice up your life 🤌🏾

Watch - Truth Be Told. The Apple TV series features Octavia Spencer as the lead, and is all about true crime podcasts + the pursuit of truth and justice 👀

Support BIPOC Women Owned Businesses

Damn Gina Silk Hair Wrap

$65 (AUD) - Worldwide shipping available

Damn Gina Silk Turban - woman of colour business - glowered

Shop Now

Trailblazing Woman

Rebecca Leppard: Giving Women The Upgrade We Deserve!

Image: supplied

Meet Rebecca Leppard, founder of Upgrading Women.

Upgrading Women is a global organisation driving equity in the tech industry.

We sat down with Rebecca to hear about why she started Upgrading Women, how she juggles it all with being a busy mum of 3 and her hot tip for how you can blaze your own trail. Let's go!

Tell me a bit about yourself!

My name is Rebecca, which is highly unusual for an Indonesian girl. I've been a scriptwriter since I was 9 and a public speaker since I was 12. One thing I cannot do is to hand-draw but I am a fabulous designer. Check out my website if you don’t believe me. Haha.

When and why did you decide to set up Upgrading Women?

I arrived in the UK in June 2020 and I only got the right to work in July 2021. Six months later I built Upgrading Women. I figured, why keep searching for something that would be perfect for someone like me if it were not tailored by someone like me. I wanted to build a company that I myself wanted to be in and make it a second home for those who work with me.

Who is Upgrading Women for/who can access your services?

We are based in 4 time zones and serve the global market. I built Upgrading Women for high growth companies to help them retain their female top talents. I encourage companies to invest in their female employees' development. I tell my clients: you have a training budget, spend it on your female and underrepresented employees. That is the way you concretely show them your appreciation and your loyalty to them. And what will you get in return: a cohort of highly engaged, highly productive female talents ready for their next level in your company. You never have to look elsewhere to fill leadership positions.

What do you hope to achieve through Upgrading Women?

No women left behind. I want Tech companies that are male-dominated to be more balanced in the hope that the way we work and the products we create are made with everybody in mind. Not just for the young white men. From the medical to law to architecture, everything has always been built with the least consideration to what happens when the female bodies use them.

What’s been the biggest highlight and challenge of building Upgrading Women?

The challenge is that I am a mother of 3 who only a few months ago managed to wean her baby off. Our childcare cost is higher than our rent and utility bills combined.

The highlight is that I started in February and by August we won an outset grant from Portsmouth City Council, where I am based. It truly cemented my confidence that I am not only day-dreaming, I am validated. It was the second thing that made me jump up and down since the pandemic. First was my visa that allowed me to work in the UK then this.

What are your top tip(s) for BIPOC women who are wanting to blaze their own trail and make a difference in the world?

Access to funds is limited for us WOC and unless you went to Ivy League where your high-net-worth network is built in, you must learn the art to network your way up. That is my growth hack as a WOC and an immigrant too. I try to bring value everywhere I go and people start to notice and appreciate me despite what credentials I don’t have.

Community Shoutout

Natalia Garcia is the founder of Kindling & Sage Magazine.

Kindling & Sage features work from Blak, Women of Colour & Gender Diverse POC in Australia. It's a brilliant publication!

After releasing 3 issues of Kindling & Sage, Natalia needs our help to make issue 4 happens. If you have the means, you can donate here or shop the Kindling & Sage merch sale. Proceeds from merch sales will support the creation of Issue 4 of Kindling & Sage magazine and ensure contributors get paid.

Lioness Thoughts

Know that you can start late, look different, be uncertain and still succeed.

-Misty Copeland

Nominate A Shoutout

Tell us about someone doing cool shit.

It can be you, your friends or family or someone else you know. Whether you’ve just started a book club, are creating artistic makeup looks for fun, or are doing some research and want to hear from women of colour. We want to share thing cool things you’re doing with a community shoutout!

Please send your nominations to hello@glowreel.co or DM us on our socials :)

What did you think of today's email?

😍 Loved it! | 🙂 Liked it | 😐 It was ok | 😕 Below par | 😖 Really bad

This week's email was brought to you by Shilpa Bhim, founder of Glowreel. You can see more of her work at www.shilpabhim.com or follow her on Instagram @shilpa.bhim

Advertise With Glowreel

Socials

If you love what Glowreel represents, please follow us on your favourite social media, and share with your friends and family!

*Means this is a sponsored section.

Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here

PO BOX 6385
South Yarra, VIC 3141, Australia

Publish on beehiiv

The Apple TV series lightweight fabric breast shape The Perfect Colour Match Series B funding Hey Glow Gang personalised progress page Joy Luck Club true crime podcasts The Black woman young chess queens wellbeingSkin tone softies female top talents female employees development first Mexicanborn woman breast cancer recovery Black History Month Trailblazing WomanRebecca Leppard high growth companies BIPOC Women Owned amp exciting stories

Colour matching, but not as you know it.

Hey Glow Gang!

Share Glowreel

The Perfect Colour Match 🎨

Health and wellbeing

Business

Extra Nuggets 👀

Glowreel Recos

What we’re loving this week:

Support BIPOC Women Owned Businesses

Damn Gina Silk Hair Wrap

Trailblazing Woman

Rebecca Leppard: Giving Women The Upgrade We Deserve!

Community Shoutout

Lioness Thoughts

Nominate A Shoutout

What did you think of today's email?

Socials

Key phrases

Older messages

30% of the next gen of leaders are women of colour 👀

Exclusive Perks, Just For You!

We Need Pockets, Please

Why Women Of Colour Can't Quiet Quit

Your Sister, Sister moment - doppelgänger edition.

You Might Also Like

Review: “I Hear You’re Rich”

Victoria Beckham Just Dropped The Dreamiest Mango Collab & We Need Everything

The Best Thing: April 23, 2024

Jennifer Aniston's Muted Nail Color Is Gorgeous For Spring

You Can Borrow Money From Yourself With a 'Passbook Loan'

The 3 Zodiac Signs Most Affected By Today's Full Moon In Scorpio

Are Women’s Bodies Actually Controlled by the Moon?

The brunch recipes Eater staff loves to make at home

Vanessa Hudgens Is “Leaving It To The Wind”

Your Invitation To Innovation: Photoshop Just Dropped New 🔥Generative AI Tools