Makeovers & Motivation at Cola-Con

Sometimes when you give, you end up getting back more than you bargained for. Earlier this month I had the pleasure of being a special guest at Cola-Con, a hip hop and comic book convention. The organizers of the event invited me to not only speak on a panel about women in entertainment, but I was also able to do my own modeling workshop. I wanted to bring a bit of my world to Carolina... the glamour and the flashing lights. I wanted people from my home to be able to experience what I do everyday. Being creative brings me so much joy, and I want others to know how that feels. Each one teach one, you know. But I wasn't expecting that I'd get so much in return.

Going into this whole thing, I wasn't sure how many people would attend that were really interested in modeling and how many were just curious as to what we were doing. The workshop turned into more of a makeover session, and it was perfect. There were a couple of career women that needed a release from their regular work week, so we hooked them up. There was superstar singer Brittany Bosco who stopped by for support. I had a cute zookeeper come in for a glam session. Turns out her dad was a photographer so she already knew how to work the camera. Go 'head, girl!

A few days before the event, an old college buddy of mine emailed to ask if his 5-year-old daughter could come to the workshop. He mentioned that she was interested in acting and modeling and was hoping that I could at least meet her. I'm always a little funny about kids in this business, but I thought "why not". As soon as I saw little Gabby, I saw the light in her eyes and knew she needed to be at the workshop. The Paul Mitchell School team sat her down and went to work on her hair. We decided her hair should look fun and textured to go with her spunky personality. I wanted to make sure that Gabby's parents at least got a good headshot for her to start her career. And when she got in front of the camera, it was magic. She's such a little star!

One of my most rewarding moments was helping out a mom of two. She walked through the doors a little unsure about if she should stay or go. She wasn't into modeling, but I knew she was in the right place. The workshop was more of a pampering session for this hardworking mom. The Paul Mitchell School team gave her the royal treatment. She came in as this tired, frumpy person and left a glowing confident woman. Her transformation made me tear up. Now I know what Stacey and Clinton feel like on What Not To Wear.

So many thanks go out to the Paul Mitchell School for sharing their love of artistry with us. They worked wonders and I am so in debt to them. Thanks also to Michael Dantzler of Kayode Photo for all his hard work on the pictures. These people volunteered their time and talent out of the goodness of their hearts. Oh, and Preach Jacobs and the crew that put on Cola-Con, you guys should be honored for what you do for the artistic community in Columbia. Continue to nourish what others often neglect.

This is what happens when cool people come together for the greater good. No attitudes. No egos. Just love. Thank you for this and let's do this again soon.

XOXO


P.S. for more photos, click here.