The Platform | September 27, 2017

WHAT IS THE PLATFORM? We are switching up the format once again to bring you The Platform. One voice. One stage. One story at a time. Every one has a personal story to tell, or an experience/perspective to share or something inspiring they want others to know that they have learned along their natural hair journey. Each Platform will be tied to a 'curl theme'. There will be 5 ladies given 7 minutes to each share their personal stories on The Platform.

CURL THEME #1: DISCOVERY

Throughout our natural hair journeys we have all discovered something within ourselves - something we didn’t realized before. Discovery can be transformative and it can also provide life lessons. Maybe we discovered who we really are, discovered a new perspective on the world, how we are perceived by the people around us. Maybe discovery through the journey has opened our eyes to see things in a new way and has shaped our experiences. Join us for the first Platform as these women share their personal stories of discovery.

This a FREE event but you must RSVP for entry. There will be light refreshments + give away! Space is limited.

RSVP TO ATTEND

THE TIMELINE:

6:30pm - 7:30pm - Arrival window, check-in, mingle, grab a snack
7:30pm - 8:15pm - The Platform (4-5 ladies taking the stage to share personal stories)
8:15pm - 9:00pm - Curly Q+A/ Open Discussion

THE LOCATION:

M aker City LA @ The Reef (The Gold Room) // Located at 1933 S Broadway #1148, Los Angeles, CA 90007

There is ample metered street parking available after 6pm. Parking in the The Reef lot is available for $5 a car. Please note that validation and hosted parking are NOT AVAILABLE at this time. Carpooling is suggested.

OUR STORYTELLERS:

As a Corporate MBA Financial Analyst and Lifestyle Insta-Blogger, Chavanna Chanel has both business acumen paired with a love for lifestyle & beauty. Her mission is to share her experiences and knowledge to make all aspects of lifestyle & beauty both aspirational and attainable. Chavanna has been natural for over 5 years during which she has big chopped twice. Realizing that beauty can also be a beast, she believes it’s always best to keep a simple regimen and minimal amount of products.

Danielle N. Salmon is a thirty year-young restaurant lover who happily reviews restaurants both locally and internationally. While she has a master’s degree in psychology and has worked for marketing agencies, she wasn’t living out her passion. Spending the majority of her time in restaurants she realized what she wanted to do and as a result she created Follow My Gut, a restaurant discovery website that introduces people to new eateries — as well as some they may have forgotten. Through personal stories alongside vivid photography in each review, Danielle helps people find the best places to eat. Often seen with a growing frohawk and a quirky attitude, Danielle takes her followers into restaurants with her in hopes that they will find favorite eateries along the way. When Danielle isn’t reviewing restaurants she tries to convince herself to go to the gym, but usually opts for ice cream and Sex and the City reruns instead.

Jaqueline Ashley is an educator and nonprofit leadership consultant with a passion for youth development and civic engagement. Her natural hair journey began 5 years ago and since then she has turned her love for natural hair into becoming a natural hair contributor and co-founder of a natural hair meetup group, iSlay Naturals. She uses her platform to educate others on the importance of social change and progression, and inspiring women of color to embrace their natural beauty.

Yvette is an L.A. native; she's an artist, a curly girl advocate, a part-time writer for Mitu and HipLatina, and the Co-founder of Gal.chem.ism, a digital and IRL intersectional platform for WOC. She specializes in consulting, experiential marketing, and tech events for diverse communities. She’s been natural since 2012 and is writing and recording her new experiences with 3A-3C curl care on instagram.

Ericka Taylor is a lover of all things beauty related, her first and primary love however, is the beauty that is naturally curly or textured hair. Over the past 8 years of her personal journey in learning about her own hair texture she also discovered a passion to educate and inspire other women to love, appreciate and care for their own hair. Her love for all things beauty related has motivated her to begin working on personal branding and partner with other groups and organizations who are also geared towards empowering women to love their own "Taylormade beauty".

Last year, Ericka participated in the 2016 Miss Naturalista USA pageant were she won the title, Ms. California Naturalista USA. In 2016, she also co-founded iSlay Naturals, a natural hair meet up group for naturals based in the Inland Empire and surrounding areas. For the past two years has co hosted the natural hair talk panel at the KJLH Women's Health Expo the and she continues to host and produce several other gatherings and events created to educate, inspire and empower women to embrace their natural hair and natural beauty. Most recently, Ericka is working on building her YouTube channel and increasing her audience on her social media platforms in order to add her personal touch to the natural hair community.

Ericka is also a natural hair stylist and does personal consulting.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

Entry: Upon arrival, you will enter into the building on the lobby level. Take the elevators to the 11th floor. Upon exiting the elevators make a left turn and then a right turn down the hall to the GOLD ROOM. There will be directional signs to help guide you.