You’re recognized as a leader in 2020 not only for your work to change the face of the beauty industry through UOMA Beauty but also for the Pull Up for Change campaign. Can you tell us what you’ve accomplished and what you’ve learned through this campaign thus far?
“I don’t necessarily think it’s time for me to pat myself on the back. We’re hitting the tip of the iceberg and we have a long way to go. As for what I have learned—I’ve learned we have a lot more allies in the fight than we have given credit to. That’s very important in terms of the plans for the future and mapping how we move forward.”
What’s something you’d like people to know about you or your work that they probably don’t already?
“Everything I do is from love. Someone may see my methods or posts as aggressive, but it’s all from a good place and for a greater good.”
This has been a trying year, to put it plainly. How have you been finding or seeking joy?
“I don’t think I have been seeking joy, I think joy is a state of mind. I try to see things from a positive perspective. Despite it being a crazy year, it’s been a year of change and a year of opportunity—it’s taken 50 years to get another civil rights movement in the forefront—and I can’t be upset about that. The world is now understanding our message, and they are wanting to understand. I see glimmers of hope.”
