From scholars to changemakers and innovators to leaders, Cantu Beauty and global nonprofit Women Empowering Nations (WEN) have invited 12 young women around the world to participate in the Cantu GLOW Global Fellowship.
The award-winning multicultural hair care brand has been a partner sponsor of WEN’s GLOW Virtual Summit, since 2020, providing scholarships to young women around the globe to continue their education.
“Women of color face disproportionate barriers in the workplace and are heavily impacted by discrimination, and Cantu is actively working to combat this through our community partnerships,” Dametria Kinsley, Cantu’s global vice president of marketing, tells BLACK ENTERPRISE.
The newly launched fellowship demonstrates Cantu’s commitment to “supporting the next generation of female leaders by providing these 12 fellows with resources for professional advancement,” according to a press release obtained by BLACK ENTERPRISE. “This news accompanies Cantu’s additional investments to provide career opportunities to facilitate an upward trajectory for the next generation, particularly Black and brown women.”
“The Global Fellowship is an immersive four-month opportunity that will allow these young women to gain unique experience in four areas within the industry – consumer, concept, commercial, and campaign—while creating a blueprint for leadership development and career readiness for young women of color around the world,” Kinsley continued.
To conclude the fellowship, the women will embark on an all-expense paid trip to Accra, Ghana, in November. This trip will include a capstone presentation, leadership conference, community service projects, and promotional brand experiences.
Each fellow will also receive a $2,000 stipend and gain an opportunity to be brand ambassadors.
The winning fellows of the United States are Kenyona Thomas, marketing and branding coordinator at Encounter Your Potential; Denia Smith, founder of She Shall Speaker podcast; Fatimata Cham, founder of Muslims Matter; Amber Wynne, founder of The Period Project; and Jasmine Bacchus, an incoming juris doctor candidate at Harvard Law School and winner of the inaugural Gucci Changemaker award.
The victorious pair hailing from the United Kingdom is Rachel Appiah, founder of Amanthis Stationery, and Naomi Grant, founder of LAMBB film production company.
Cassandra Verdier, a master student of International Business at ESG Bordeaux, of France will also participate.
Blessing Ahmodu, project manager at Enactus AAUA, was selected from Nigeria as well as Cynthia Akalpokbila , an undergraduate student at Ashesi University of Ghana. From South Africa, Nyasha Chivonivoni, an undergraduate student at University of Cape Town and founder of Chii the Poemprenuer, and Lucinda Monique Abrahams, a law student at the University of South Africa, round out the selections.
Kinsley provided BLACK ENTERPRISE with more information about the Global Fellowship below.
How does the Fellowship promote growth in Black Entrepreneurship?
Through various touchpoints in the program, female executives from diverse backgrounds in entrepreneurship and leadership have lent their years of expertise to lead workshops exploring career development, public speaking, professional branding, and executive leadership for the participants.
The workshops will also explore social change, economic justice, and women’s empowerment to equip the young women with the knowledge and resources needed to lead a multifaceted entrepreneurial journey.
What does the future look like for the Cantu GLOW Global Fellowship?
We hope to continue growing our partnership with WEN and the Global Fellowship! The more multifaceted this fellowship becomes, the more opportunities we create to give back to the people that have given us so much.
The hope is that this will have a ripple effect that changes the narrative for women of color all over the world. I often think of a quote from the President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who once said, “If you educate a man, you educate a family and a village. To educate a woman, you empower a nation.”
