THE EQUALITY AMBASSADOR.
She's using her platform to make real change.
From High-School Musical to the United Nations, actress and activist Monique Coleman has dedicated her life and celebrity to empowering girls and women. Recently named the UN’s newest Girl Up Champion, the GimmeMo talk show host continues to uplift, using her platform to advocate for keeping girls around the world educated, healthy, and safe. Named the first ever United Nations Youth Champion in 2010, Coleman visited 24 countries in just six months, tackling the most pressing issues affecting our at-risk youth.
While you may know her as Taylor McKessie from the hit High School Musical franchise, her true passion lies in fighting for human rights.
More from Monique below.
Name: Monique Coleman
Instagram Handle: @_moniquecoleman
Where do your drive and passion for Girl Up come from?
My passion stems from my deep belief that empowering girls does change the world.
Philanthropy means the "love of humanity." It's so beautiful and simple. What does it mean to you?
To serve without limits.
Much of your work involved traveling. What have you seen on your journeys that inspired you to keep going?
I’m amazed at the resilience of humanity. The strength of a mother to walk for days with her family to escape a war; the dedication of young students who see education as a way to a better future; the pride of a village who receives clean water. I’m also inspired when I see how little it takes sometimes to make an enormous impact.
What have you found to be the most pressing issues facing today's youth?
Self Esteem, Comparison, Feeling like their voices aren’t heard.
Do you think you've found your true calling?
I believe my purpose is to empower, inspire, and motivate people however the form that it takes is ever evolving.
What about your career makes you feel the most complete?
The ability to use my platform to make a difference.
If you had to trade jobs with anyone else in the world, who would it be and why?
The Dalai Lama. I’d love to spend my days engulfed in teaching Peace & Compassion.
At what point in your life did you find the confidence to really take charge and become the woman you are today?
Still working on it :)
What's the best advice you've ever been given? Or your favorite piece of #realtalk?
Nothing is ever “life or death” unless it’s literally “life” or “death”
What song do you sing in the shower when you’ve had a bad day?
I don’t. I cry.
Photo Credit: @davisfactor
Hair & Makeup: @SmashboxCosmetics @TheGlamApp @TheOuai
TO SEE THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE PHILANTHROPY LIST CLICK HERE.
