What I See Project

A few months ago, I was asked to become part of the What I See Project. Described in their welcome email as a non-profit organisation which aims to unite women from all over the world, how could I possibly resist such an invitation? On 7th August, I headed to a small art gallery in central London for filming and met some fantastic women, and now it’s my turn to spread the word.

What’s it all about?
The project is the brainchild of entrepreneur Edwina Dunn who, despite her success, didn’t feel that she was being heard as much as men in the boardroom. This experience affected her so much that she was moved to establish the What I See Project to celebrate the inspiring women from everyday life whose stories would otherwise go untold. Since launching in February, the project has already seen over 500 contributions from more than 350 women across 11 different countries, and this community continues to grow everyday. Over the course of a five week campaign – from 27th August to 1st October – the What I See Project is showcasing 100 unique female voices as part of an awareness campaign. These ‘communicators’ (including me!) have been sharing their answer to the project’s question, and helping to publicise the What I See Project and its message. A diverse group of writers, editors, bloggers and communicators from fashion, science, business, politics, art, sport, feminism and motherhood are telling their inspiring stories. Here is my video…

In addition to the 100 communicators, ten short documentaries will be released, each one exploring the thoughts and feelings of a woman who has become an outstanding success in their particular profession. A film of these ‘ambassadors’ will then be premiered at the project’s official launch on 1st October at the Science Museum.

The What I See Project is a global online platform that recognises and amplifies women’s voices. Through each person’s unique and honest answer to the universal question “What do you see when you look in the mirror?”, women from all over the world can be empowered by relating to each other’s words. The project aims to provide a safe environment where women can share their struggles, achievements and inner thoughts, and express themselves freely through a website that appreciates them for who they really are. Throughout a year, The What I See Project aims to reach out to as many women as possible, from as diverse a range of locations and walks of life as possible.

Through both ambassadors and communicators, the campaign will highlight real female role models, the everyday heroines whom other women can relate to and admire, and amplify voices that would otherwise go unheard.

Get Involved!
The organisers of the What I See Project are aiming to get as many women involved as possible, so they’d love it if you’d share your own story. As well as becoming part of this fascinating project, anyone who submits a video before the end of the five-week campaign could be in with a chance of attending the launch event at the Science Museum. You can also check out the project’s Facebook page and Twitter feed for updates on the project.

Spend a little bit of time looking through the videos on the site from the diverse and fascinating group of women who have embraced this project and you will discover you are not alone. Although their backgrounds and experiences may be wildly different to theirs, you’ll find you can relate to them far more than you might first think. You’ll find plenty of common ground, and you may even spot someone you know – the next person to have a video published on the site will be none other than Laëtitia Wajnapel of Mademoiselle Robot, who restyled me so expertly back in 2009! I hope to see some of you on 1st October, or perhaps in your own videos on the site soon.

Image via the What I See Project’s Facebook page.