[EVENT RECAP] #MommyBrainPlaydate

On August 11, we participated in the inaugural #MommyBrainPlaydate powered by MOMMY BRAiN! This event was hosted at the lovely Snooknuk Cafe in Larchmont Village. We did a book reading and talked about the importance of embracing our uniqueness.

Couldn't make it? Don't worry - Dusty Roze produced a recap of the day:

Below are some of our favorite outakes from the day. Pictured below are the women behind the brands (from left to right):

Ravelle Worthington, founder of MOMMY BRAiN. Through her site and live events, you're able to connect with like-minded moms. Peruse her site and you'll find fun places to take your kids and product reviews from trusted sources.

Jennifer Vassel, founder of I Am Unique! We're sure you know her already (wink). But in case you don't, you can visit our About page.

Cheri Jacobs, founder of Snooknuk Cafe. This cafe/play place is any kid's DREAM. It features a magical indoor playground for kids and a performing arts studio with a top notch line up of classes. You can even host birthday parties here - just ask actor Lance Gross and singer Kelly Rowland!

We couldn't get over how cute and yummy the Erin cupcakes were! They were provided by Celebrate by Shawn. Check them out for your next themed kid event - they even have a candy cart you can rent!

#MommyBrainPlaydate was a hit. The kids were engaged during the reading, and later had fun playing and snacking on the cupcakes. One little girl was eager to snag a picture with Erin. Is it just us, or is the resemblance uncanny?!

Make sure you stay close to MOMMY BRAiN, as they'll have other curated #MommyBrainPlaydate events for you and your littles to enjoy.

3 Reasons Why Representation Matters in Children's Literature

With the work we're doing with "I Am Unique!,” we’ve noticed a need in the marketplace to create stories with representative characters that showcase their strengths and struggles. There’s something about being able to see yourself reflected in the content you consume – especially when you’re a child and your mind and worldview are being shaped every second of the day. If our stories are not told, then we assume the experience is not relevant to others and we begin to feel we are alone in the struggle. I’ve come to realize that we are never alone - we just need more representation in children’s literature (and beyond). Here are 3 reasons why.

Reading at Marcus Garvey Elementary

Last week, we had the pleasure of partnering with the National Organization of Jamaican and Supportive Organizations (NAJASO) and read "I Am Unique!" to the students at Marcus Garvey Elementary School in Inglewood, CA. 

After the reading, the teachers let the kids out for recess. A few of the volunteers and Jennifer went out to join them. Some of the girls ran up to Jennifer to share that they, too have birthmarks and showed her where there’s were.

We brought some copies of "I Am Unique!" out and the girls were eager to read the story out loud.

It's so important for young people to see themselves positively represented in the content they consume. We are so grateful to be in a position to serve as an example for younger generations. 

3 Ways to Teach Your Child Self-Love

We met the lovely Ravelle Worthington at Moms in Color earlier this month. She is the founder of Mommy Brain, your go-to place for kid-friendly listings, reviews, and a community of parents. When she asked Jennifer to guest blog on her site, she couldn't resist!

Jennifer shares what inspired her to write "I Am Unique!" and three ways you can encourage your child to love themselves. Click here to read the article!

[PODCAST INTERVIEW] Overcoming Insecurities and Doing What You Love

Our founder sat down with Jacqueline T.D. Huynh of Parent Pump Radio to share:

• What "I Am Unique!" is about and the inspiration behind the story
• Why we need more more conversations about self-love with young girls
• How Jennifer overcame her birthmark insecurity
• The one thing parents can do right now to encourage self-love in their child(ren) 

Listen to the interview below!

Overcoming Insecurities & Doing What You Love

Jacqueline T.D Huynh & Jennifer Vassel

Moms in Color 2018

Not only is March Women's History Month, it was Moms in Color's event launch! Moms in Color is a collective created to celebrate diversity, complexity and intersectional motherhood. Their mission is to inspire, motivate, and spread awareness around the topics that affect moms most. We were honored to be one of the vendors at this event. 

The key takeaway from this event is that representation matters. When we have booths at events, our founder likes to give visitors a brief overview of the mission and message behind "I Am Unique!" When we vendored at this event, a number of women bypassed the intro and went straight to asking how much the book costs.

"I want to buy the book because [Erin] looks just like my daughter" many of the mothers expressed. Some of them even took out their phones to show us how much Erin resembles their daughter.

There's something about seeing yourself positively depicted in the content we consume. A special thanks to the lovely women of MIC who curated such an amazing event!

We're Featured in Black Enterprise!

Our founder sat down with Black Enterprise to share how she turned her insecurity into international impact. Catch the full story here!

5 Questions You Must Ask Yourself to Identify Your Unique Gifts

A few months ago, we partnered with the talented Sharlene-Monique, a U.K.-based singer and songwriter to launch #IAmUniqueToo, a self-love campaign. We asked girls and women around the world one question:

What makes you unique?

You all had some inspiring and thoughtful things to say. We took the submissions and compiled your responses into a 15-minute audio. You can download it here.

When we were in the process of gathering submissions, I asked a couple friends if they’d be interested in participating. The responses were mixed. Some said, “Sure!” without hesitation, while others committed, only to later tell me they couldn’t come up with anything to say.

That got me thinking. How much time do we actually spend learning about ourselves and discovering our unique contributions to this world? We all have something about us that is non-replicable. I realized what I thought was a simple 4-word question actually requires more time to develop. We need to get to know ourselves and because most of us don’t take the time to do so, we take the easier approach and say, “there’s nothing unique about me” or “I don’t know what I’m good at.” What I know for sure is that this question requires TIME exploring and discovering who you are at your core. It wasn’t until my mid-20s that I picked up Rick Warren’s “Purpose Driven Life” and dedicated time to really get to know myself and the reason I was placed on this Earth.  

If someone has asked you what you’re good at, what your passions are, or what your gifts are and you were stumped, I’ve listed some ways to identify what it is about you that makes you unique.

1. What do I love to do? / What are my hobbies?

2. What activities make me lose track of time?

3. What areas of my life, school, work, etc. come easy to me that most people find to be a struggle?

4. How would my closest friends and family members describe me using 5 adjectives (ask them)?

5. What do people compliment me on frequently?

Identifying your unique ability takes time with yourself. What better person to know you than YOU?

It is in your uniqueness that makes you stand out. What are some other ways you could identify your unique gifts? Share them below.

We've Been Featured on Forbes!

Our founder sat down with a Forbes contributor to share how she's building a self-love brand for girls. She talks about the inspiration for building the brand and her plan for expansion. Check out the full article here!

#IAmUniqueToo: Girls and Women Share What Makes Them Unique in Self-Love Campaign

We teamed up with the talented Sharlene-Monique, a U.K.-based singer, songwriter, and blogger to create #IAmUniqueToo - a self-love campaign.

We asked girls and women around the world one question: "What makes you unique?" They had to sum it up in a 30-60 second audio and we compiled your responses.

It was amazing to hear everyone's gifts, talents, and aspirations. We hope this audio inspires you to identify your unique contribution to this world. Enjoy!

#IAmUniqueToo

Jennifer Vassel and Sharlene-Monique

Download

Let's keep the conversation going! We want to hear what makes YOU unique. Post a picture or video on Instagram sharing what makes you unique. Be sure to use the #IAmUniqueToo hashtag so we can see!