Becky Curran Kekula
International Motivational Speaker
Monday night, July 6, 2015, was a definitely night to remember. I was involved with my first production of the annual Little People of America (LPA) Convention Fashion Runway Show. As St. Louis Convention Conference Co-Chair Sandy Taylor suggested, we made sure that this year’s show was structured differently from years past and it worked! However, it took enormous creativity and quick decision-making to plan and execute the show. Thank you to Sandy for all of her efforts to resuscitate the show and for inspiring us. She came up with the hashtag #LPABeauty2015. That hashtag sparked the idea to open up a dialogue about what true beauty is.
Thank you to my dear friend Lauren Humphries for helping us make this vision a reality as my co-host on stage. It wouldn’t have run so smoothly without you. I knew that I was lucky to gain a friend like you, with very similar passions, when I met you back in 2011. It’s an honor to have you by my side, as we join together to create the change we wish to see in the world.
The heart of the show, other than the amazing models and eloquent monologues, was finding out, in advance, what beauty means to each and every participant. We were fortunate to have the LPA Board of Directors participate as well. They are true role models who are improving the future of LPA and the lives of our younger models. Below, you will find a list of the answers we received about beauty. We got to read each answer as the respective participants walked with confidence down the runway.
What does beauty mean to you? “A smile.”
“Beauty is having confidence and knowing that when it comes to your
health, your happiness, and your goals, you’re giving it your best. Confidence comes from working hard and taking risks and collecting all of this invaluable experience that shapes and defines you. Beauty is being true to yourself and your goals and having the motivation to make your dreams reality. Beauty is the models who put their best foot forward and followed their hearts in the LPA fashion show.”
“It means like you’re kind, pretty, and you’re nice.”
“I think that beautiful means to be pretty, kind, and special.”
“When someone says they like your dress and asks where you bought it.”
“What beauty means to me is that people are nice to me. That I’m pretty and a sweet person. Beauty is being kind to my family and friends. In nature, I feel beauty from the sun and sky. I feel beauty from the sunshine and the light of the moon.”
“Beauty is feeling good and healthy within yourself. I feel beautiful when I’m around my boys.”
“Beauty is confidence. Being beautiful is having confidence. Beauty is having a great personality. Being beautiful to me means being comfortable and confident in my own skin. Beauty is helping others and believing in yourself. Beauty is being the very best person you can be.”
#LPABeauty2015 Fashion Runway Show
Photo Credit: Dan Verscha (actionphotoqc.com)
Photo Credit: Dan Verscha (actionphotoqc.com)
Continued on LPA Beauty 2
