January • 2022
globalheroes.com
Celebrity Heroes Call for Diversity and Education, On-Screen and Off
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© REUTERS/PHIL LEWIS/WENN.COM/COVER IMAGES
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odel Winnie Harlow has called on the fashion industry to take “accountability” for change in the world. Winnie Harlow wants people to realize that the struggle for diversity isn’t just a “trend.” The Canadian model, who is of Jamaican ancestry, has been actively supporting the current movement for equality, having partnered with Puma to support the Trayvon Martin Foundation— the organization named after the Black teenager who was fatally shot in the U.S. in 2012. While Winnie is committed to using her influence to bring about change, she thinks the fashion industry could do more to help. “Diversity is an everyday thing,” she told WWD.com, “It’s not a one-off thing or a trend. I’m hopeful that these discussions are currently being held. We just need to keep the dialogue going. “There is a lot of work to be done in terms of representation and diversity within fashion from behind-the-scenes, too, of course, in front of the camera, from the CEOs to the designers, and all the way to entry-level, whether it’s a new model or whoever is being hired. I also think that everyone in the fashion industry needs to take accountability so that real change can happen.”
Winnie revealed she has long dreamed of landing a Puma campaign because they encourage their ambassadors to get behind charitable causes that matter to them. The model said she wanted to partner with the brand to showcase “Black hair in all its glory.” With that same goal in mind, Winnie Harlow has been named the first-ever global ambassador for haircare brand Paul Mitchell. She debuted in the brand’s 2021 campaign, shot by photographer Micaiah Carter, centered around “celebrating the power of self-expression through hair.” “I think it’s important to show Black hair in all its glory because for so long, Black girls weren’t able to get specific hairstyles,” Winnie told People. “At one point in time, there weren’t a lot of hairstylists that knew how to handle or style Black hair. “It’s really important to me to show that, as a Black woman, I can have all the hairstyles that any other girl can have—it just takes someone with the education and knowledge of Black hair to execute it.” The model said her love for haircare started in childhood and recalled sweet memories of watching her mother working in a hair salon.
“I wanted to partner with a haircare brand because hair is so important to me, and the health of hair especially is really important to me,” she explained. “I loved just watching her style other people’s hair and watching them come in and leave with a big smile on their face from their hair transformation.” She also touched upon her own hair regime and shared that she enjoys wearing wigs to protect her natural locks. “My hair journey has been broad and across the spectrum— with extensions, weaves, wigs, and natural hair. Right now, I’m just enjoying protecting my natural hair. My priority has now become taking care of my hair. I just wash my hair, get my hair styled and braided, and then leave it for a month at a time to just let it grow and be healthy,” Winnie shared.
© REUTERS/ ANDREW BOYERS
name, people that are recognized all over the world, need to speak up about things that affect them and affect the world,” Holding said. Holding, regarded as one of cricket’s authoritative commentators and regularly used by broadcasters worldwide, has spoken out extensively on racism since a passionate plea for society to change its attitudes following the murder CRICKET CHAMPION of George Floyd in 2020. MICHAEL HOLDING Holding has published a book WANTS MORE SPORTS called Why we Kneel, How We Rise, STARS TO SPEAK OUT which covers racism in sport and AGAINST RACISM has contributions from several Michael Holding wants more high-profile Black athletes. sportspeople to step forward and “People must recognize that it’s speak out against racism. all folks from different denomiThe star athlete said it was nations and from different sectors important that public figures and different parts of the world used their celebrity and status have done great things,” says to convey important messages, Holding, who made sure to highparticularly antiracism. light the discoveries, innovations, “If people who have a platform and much more that people of and who are able to reach out and color have contributed throughRIZ AHMED CALLS FOR get people to listen and people out history. MORE ON-SCREEN to understand, say nothing, then Holding also said athletes should DIVERSITY who will?” he asked. “There are not confine their opinions to Riz Ahmed has criticized the sportspeople who are well known sporting matters. “shocking” lack of diversity on TV throughout the entire world. If “When they leave the arena, or and has called for better represen- they get up and say something, the basketball courts, they have people around the world will want to go back into society to live a tation of Muslims on screen. to hear what they have to say and The British-Pakistani actor normal life. If they are affected by will want to try to understand what society, they have to speak up and recently opened up about how they have to say. Muslim representation is a blind use their platform.” spot in our culture and called for “And that’s the reason why peobetter representation on-screen. ple with a platform, people with a (Source: Reuters) “It’s not surprising, but it is shocking,” the star said. “It’s a blind spot that’s all over our culture. And it costs lives. Countries get invaded, hate crimes go up, laws get passed. So off the back of that, we’re thinking, ‘What do we need to shift?’ And, actually, it’s about empowering people to tell their own story.”
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