V-Day is an amazing organization that raises awareness and takes action to stop violence against women. V-day raises money and consciousness through their inspiring and moving annual events that bring together influential leaders, celebrity activists, and thousands of volunteers and supporters all with a common desire to strengthen anti-violence efforts.

Last month, V-Day held the event of the decade called SUPERLOVE at the Superdome in New Orleans. Inviting the women of New Orleans back to the Superdome, V-Day created an affair to remember with over 30,000 people attending, 125 speakers, 40 celebrities, and 800 volunteers.

SUPERLOVE featured speakers, art, & storytelling for all and makeovers, massage, medical testing and healing circles, & yoga for the women of New Orleans and the Gulf South region.

MAGNET, the agency that represents some of our favorite makeup artists and hairstylists led by agent, Lisa Walker was one of the organizations that donated their time to participate in the event. Lisa and her team of beauty mavericks spent 3 days in the Superdome with the women of New Orleans and came back with amazing stories to share.

I had the chance to sit down with Lisa to hear how Magnet got involved in V-day and how the event changed her perspective. Read on for Lisa’s interview.

Check back to read interviews with our friends and Celebrity Stylemakers…Rachel Goodwin, Kate Lee, and Adir Abergel. And please go to VDAY.org to learn more about this amazing organization and get involved!

 

WLB: Tell us about the VDAY Organization.
LW: VDay is a Global movement and series of consciousness-raising events to end violence against girls and women through public performances, education, networking, the web site is vday.org 

WLB: How did you get involved with VDAY?
LW: Cari Ross a publicist that Magnet works with very closely is on the board and told me about the event, as soon as I heard about it I knew we needed to get involved
 
WLB: I know you were responsible for getting your team from Magnet involved. What was the biggest challenge?
LW: I think the biggest challenge was getting everyone schedules together as the artists have such hectic ones, once we all realized what the event really was and how many women they would be helping they just cleared their time immediately and committed.

WLB: Who from Magnet participated? How long were you there?
LW: We were there 4 days total, we got in Thursday evening, worked Friday and Saturday all day in the dome with the women, and then Saturday evening they helped the celebrities get ready for the "Vagina Monologues" performance, we then left Sunday morning.

We had 3 hairdressers, Adir Abergel, Daniel Howell, Mark Townsend and 5 make up artists Jeanine Lobell, Molly Stern, Lina Hanson, Rachel Goodwin and Kate Lee. Danielle Rust who works in the offices of Magnet was also there as well and nothing, I mean nothing would have run smoothly if it were not for her coordination and patience.

WLB: Having your team of amazingly talented hairstylists and makeup artists do makeovers on the women of New Orleans, in the Superdome, no less….must have been incredibly rewarding. We all know how those simple things can boost our confidence. Tell us what it was like to experience those moments.
LW: These women have been through so much and then they are the ones telling the jokes and making us all laugh. The best part is it was not about the celebrities these artists work on or their accomplishments at all, it was about these artists making them feel beautiful, and these guys did that, they really made them feel good about themselves.

WLB: Was there one story in particular that really stuck with you from the event?
LW: Every story had an impact, every single story has stuck with me, let's just say I have not complained about much since leaving New Orleans. The Superdome was literally their home after Katrina, so for many women this was full circle, they were entering a place that they experienced so much pain in, to be able to send them on their way with a better memory than the last time, that to me is something to be proud of.

WLB: How many women do you think your team had the chance to interact with?
I would say anywhere from 1500 to 2000 women walked through the makeover area and had one or the other done. The sad thing is many women were turned away because there just was not enough time to reach everyone,

 WLB: What was the most rewarding moment of the event?
Well everyone has a completely different perspective and it is hard to imagine one moment, but if I had to choose I would say at one point I stepped back and scanned the room where everyone was being made over, watching the artists working with these women, laughing, enjoying the experience fully and connecting with each and every woman while they worked, made me so proud that Magnet represents artists with such big hearts.

WLB: Will Magnet continue to work with Vday? Any other charities or organizations Magnet is partnering with soon?
WLB: I think the most important thing this event made us realize is that we don't do enough, so yes we would like to do something like this again.