Today, ahead of International Day of the Girl (October 11), Disney has launched a fantastic new video series offering advice and inspiration toward achieving success for a whole new generation of young leaders from around the globe. The #DreamBigPrincess video series, which is produced and directed by young women from the United Nations Foundation’s Girl Up initiative, shares the amazing stories of 20 trailblazing women representing an impressive array of professions and backgrounds, as told through the lens of talented, creative youth. The message? To show the next generation what is possible when you dream big.
Message received. (I know, I’m not the next generation, but my young sons thought it was really cool.)
THE MILLION DOLLAR DONATION
The good folks at Disney provided mentorship support for the 21 creatives (there is one more participant than video as two sisters worked together on their project) from different corners of the globe, even though the world is round and that saying doesn’t make any sense. Each of the #DreamBigPrincess videos will be shared across Disney’s global media platforms, WHICH ARE MANY, as part of a campaign to unlock up to a $1 million donation to Girl Up, making a tangible difference for girls who face challenges in achieving their dreams.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
For each like or share of a public post hashtagged with #DreamBigPrincess on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, Disney Worldwide Services will donate one dollar (USD) to Girl Up in support of girls’ leadership and empowerment. The charitable initiative kicks off today and runs until November 20, 2018. Fun fact, last year the million dollar goal was reached within a week. Speaking of which:
“Last year’s donation from Disney has already had a huge impact, allowing us to extend our network of Girl Up clubs outside the US by more than 50%, giving more girls the leadership skills they need to advocate for themselves and others. We’re so proud of the series that our young Girl Up leaders have created and hope people around the world will play their part in supporting the rights of girls by liking and sharing them on social media.” – Melissa Kilby, Girl Up Co-Executive Director
THE VIDEOS
The video subjects span a host of professions and feature an accomplished roster of women sharing their tips for success throughout the 20-part series. Here’s a quick look:
BEHIND THE SCENES
From Disney: The aspiring filmmakers embarked on their creative journeys back in July, with ongoing mentorship from Disney, Apple and female-led production company Summerjax ahead of the series debut. Each video was shot on iPhone X and edited using Final Cut Pro X running on MacBook Pro.
The initiative is part of Disney’s ongoing Dream Big, Princess campaign that encourages kids everywhere to dream big by highlighting key story moments and inspiring qualities that each Disney Princess showcases through her adventures, such as Merida’s bravery, Cinderella’s kindness or Tiana’s perseverance. Disney is committed to helping today’s youth create the future they imagine by providing them with inspiration and opportunity through transformative programming, of which this campaign is an example.
CLICK HERE to view the #DreamBigPrincess video series, as well as biographies of each of the aspiring filmmakers and the women they interviewed.
Whit Honea is the co-founder of Dads 4 Change and the Social Media Director of Dad 2.0 Summit. Deemed “the activist dad” by UpWorthy (and one of the “funniest dads on Twitter” by Mashable), he is a regular contributor to The Washington Post, The Modern Dads Podcast and author of The Parents’ Phrase Book—a practical guide to social and emotional learning. Whit’s fiction has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and he is the 2015 winner of the Iris Award for Best Writing.
