I cannot believe that I only have 12 MORE DAYS of my college career. 4 years actually flew by and it felt like yesterday that I moved in and met a bunch of new friends and mentors and influencers. If you just started college my biggest piece of advice is to never take for granted the people and the things around you. College is an amazing experience and if it weren't for the people that I met along the way I don't think I would have become the woman that I am today.
I dedicated the month of May to be ENHANCE appreciation month. I believe that it is important to thank and acknowledge the people who have encouraged and inspired not only me but others around them. We forget many times that a simple thank you can make the world of a difference in someones day. I know personally that it can be discouraging when your hard work goes unnoticed so that is why I created the Black Palette.
I chose 16 girls that I have met throughout the course of my college career some of them are new friends and some I have know since day one of stepping on to campus but all in all these 16 women encompass what it means to be a boss in there own way. I asked the women to give a bio about themselves and I asked them to answer the question |
What does ENHANCE mean to you?
I'm ecstatic to introduce the 2016 ENHANCE Black Palette
Karen Spears | @Kareracter
Karen Spears is a designer, lettering artist, creative coach, and founder of Kareracter Creative Studio, which helps people launch their dreams through innovative design and creative coaching services. Hailing from Chicago, Karen has been a businesswoman and entrepreneur since elementary school.
As the Co-Founder and Chief Branding Officer of of Let’s Vibe, Karen works on uniting diverse women who are pursuing their professional purpose and chasing their dreams, through community, empowerment, and shared journeys. She had done work for Melissa Kimble, founder of My Creative Connection, Chasity Cooper of Millennial on a Mission, and Jonathan Jackson, co-founder of Blavity, just to name a few. Her businesses have been featured in the Columbia Missourian, and a wealth of other online publications.
Karen's mantra is to save the world through good design. She's doing just that.
"To me, ENHANCE means BECOMING YOUR BEST SELF. It's not about redesigning your personality, constructing a new self, or building yourself from scratch. It's about fine tuning your flaws, polishing your imperfections, and reaching self-actualization so that you are able to pour your magic into everyone around you. That's what life is about right?"
Audrey Addo| @audreyaddo
My name is Audrey Addo. I was born in central New Jersey and raised in the suburbs of Minneapolis, MN. I am currently studying business with an emphasis in marketing, and hope to one day be the marketing director of a prestigious company. I was born to two native Ghanaians, so I am very prideful of my beautiful country, Ghana, and I love embracing my culture and everything it has to offer. I feel like my personality, goals, and fashion sense all contribute to what ENHANCE means to me. I am a firm believer in life being what you make of it. So, personally, I get the most out of life by making good use of my days, having a sense of fulfilment by working towards my goals, and most importantly, looking good while doing it all.
For me, the word ENHANCE emcompasses everything a person does to become a better THEM, and the act of being confident, spunky, and sophisticated all in one.
Chelsea | @Shades of Chelsea
Through writing and sharing the things I love most, I enjoy spending time encouraging other girls to embrace who they are. I am also a recent college graduate with a focus in Public Relations and Fashion Merchandising and I'm currently working full-time as a Public Affairs professional. Not to mention, I'm obsessed with my Nikon, chai tea lattes and home decor.
When I think of the word "enhance," what comes to mind is build. Build up who you are, build with your peers, and build upon what makes you great. By enhancing, you are simply improving upon what is already there.
Brittany |@brittbrattchitchat
I had the pleasure of meeting Brittany at The MouthingOff Blog's 2nd bloggerversary. It was a day filled with good food and lots of laughter. Many of us had never met and it was interesting to see how we all got along. For me Brittany stood out, she wasn't the most outspoken person but when she spoke her mind she had very valid points. I found out that she recently started her own Youtube channel (BrittBrattChitChat) and is an intern at Kareracter. I could tell by her accomplishments that she is building her brand and that it is going be nothing short of amazing. I truly believe that Brittany encompasses what it means to ENHANCE the individual. She is putting herself out there and taking opportunities that people may look over. I'm so thankful that I met her and I'll be watching how she grows over time. To you Brittany, thank you for be an authentic and genuine BOSS.