Teenage girls launch a project to redefine beauty standards and it’s empowering.
Help girls feel comfortable with their natural beauty and create opportunities to see more realistic and diverse representations of women in the media.
The School 21 Sisters have initiated a digital platform - We Recognise which aims to use the power of storytelling to celebrate and encourage natural beauty from diverse cultures; thus reframing the unrealistic standards of beauty represented in the media. We Recognise aims to start conversations in schools, homes and friendship groups on the true value of natural beauty and celebrating the inner beauty each one of us hold.
Programme Type
Social Action Programme
Project
We Recognise
Community Partners
School 21, Makerversity, Livity, Rich Mix
Building a change-making campaign
On a 15 week programme, School 21 Sisters set up a pop-up studio within Makerversity, together they joined Sisterhood on a mission to boost confidence in young girls through creativity. The girls went on a journey of discovering what beauty means to them through research and exploration into the media, creating a manifesto for beauty, getting comfortable in their own skin in front of a camera and taking all of these elements to launch a campaign that left them and other inspired.
The girls co-wrote, created, designed and exhibited design work at the Lethaby Gallery for Central Saint Martins public exhibition ‘Normal to Dissent’ - which asked the girls to design a piece of work exploring solidarity and empowerment.
Power Pose Workshop
A photography workshop with Edith Whitehead a London based photographer who got the girls behind and in front of the camera learning about art direction, photography, consent, comfort and power.
Never Zine Before
Working with the girls to create a zine celebrating natural beauty, culture and broadening the definition of beauty. The zine was created, showcased and disrupted by the girls at their London based event.
Students from School 21 hosted the launch of We Recognise — they won the space through Rich Mix’s ‘Pitch to the mix’ competition.
“In a world where women are so often presented with very narrow definitions of the beauty ‘ideal’, it’s really refreshing to see different voices and cultures represented in such a positive, empowering way.”
— Glamour Magazine
Beyond the Programme
BBC Radio 4 - Documentary ‘The Wrong Job
Emma Kennedy discovers why so many people in Britain hate their jobs and identifies ways to help them find careers that better suit their talents and aspirations.
Press - Glamour Magazine
We Recognise went onto be featured on Glamour Magazine as a project that is redefining beauty standards.
Adidas London - Women’s History Month
We were so honoured to have been nominated by so many people to be part of @adidaslondon campaign for female visibility. We got to share this space with girls who have been part of our programme - here’s to building up the next generation to confidently be themselves, always have the courage to act and the charisma to inspire us all.
When she sees, she succeeds 🏆🌻
#SheBreaksBarriers
#WomensHistoryMonth
Divaina on being a Teen Girl
Divaina got the chance to be on the UIO Podcast, On Being A Teen Girl Now, full of gems about life as a teen today. Great advice from our guests, 16-year-old Leah and 15-year-old Divaina, to remember that communication is critical between parents and teens.