When Farida Sharma was first exposed to the shocking reality of modern slavery, she couldn’t get it off her mind for days. She saw an eye-opening movie about women being trafficked. It left her feeling moved, powerless and disgusted all at once.
Sharma manages the popular YouTube page Curly Proverbz, and hopes to use her strong online presence to make a difference and raise awareness. This led Sharma to her collaboration with Free the Slaves and Bead & Reel to promote our upcoming Fair Trade Fashion Show.
“I believe in fairness,” Sharma says. “It’s wonderful to see this event making a difference, raising awareness, and giving people glamorous alternatives to their everyday brands.”
The fashion show will be in Los Angeles July 29. The show works to highlight fair trade products and promote thoughtful consumption. The event will benefit Free the Slaves projects to liberate slaves and change the conditions that allow slavery to persist.
Sharma said that she was attracted to the work being done by Free the Slaves and Bead & Reel and admires our strong voice against slavery. She hopes she can educate her viewers on the importance of buying fair trade and that her reach can make a difference.
Sharma’s YouTube page includes hair, makeup, lifestyle, and fashion tips with an emphasis on natural beauty. After frustrations over the expectations on her to alter her natural hair, Sharma was inspired to create her Curly Proverbz account to give back and educate her audience.
“I wanted to challenge what people believe is beautiful and natural,” Sharma said. “Everyone should be proud to wear their hair anyway they want.”
Sharma, who currently lives in the United Kingdom, says she draws stylistic inspiration for her channel from her multiple ethnic backgrounds including Iranian, Persian, Sierra Leonean, Lebanese, and Nigerian. She says that she loves incorporating jewels, bold colors and prints from Africa into her fashion lookbooks – mixing her culture with her brand.
