Celebrity Coverage
Kimora Lee Simmons talks about the importance of self-confidence at the 25th Annual Smile Train Gala
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 08: Kimora Lee Simmons, Ming Lee Simmons and Aoki Lee Simmons attend the Smile Train 25th Anniversary Gala at Cipriani forty second Street on May 8, 2024 in New York City. (Photo: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Smile Train)
Kimora Lee Simmons knows the value of self-confidence. The Smile Train ambassador told why, along with ESSENCE, she devotes her time and resources to the organization coping with clefts during the gala celebrating the 25th anniversary of treatment in Cipriani.
Smile Train supports local physicians with educational and material resources so that they can provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children around the world. They take a holistic approach to care, providing patients with post-operative care and, in some cases, supporting them through multiple surgeries. The event helped raise funds for all surgeries, including 3D printed cleft stimulation kits. They help surgeons perform treble procedures, potentially reducing the risk of certain complications. According to the study, black patients have significantly more complications.
Smile Train announced its 2 millionth free surgery at the event. The news was met with thunderous applause from donors who were willing to lighten their pockets for the cause.
Her daughters, Ming Lee and Aoki Lee, presented her with the Smile Train Goodwill Ambassador Award. In her speech, Lee Simmons described seeing a patient blossom and imitating a model’s walk down the runway after surgery. The patient was planning her future after seeing herself in a brand new light.
“I have Stephanie on my phone when I walk the runway,” Lee Simmons said excitedly.
“Smile Train allows these young people, from infants through adulthood, to reclaim the lives they didn’t even know they could,” she continued. “These people have been transformed by these surgeries. I saw it. I was in the field. I was with their families.”
Lee Simons admitted that while inner beauty is most vital, outer appearance has an undeniable impact on an individual’s experience. “Beauty truly starts from the inside. What is external also matters a lot.”
She stated that her work is ultimately more about what patients think about their appearance than what they give the impression of being like. “There are as many different beauties as there are people.”
“All these things are about giving it our all and doing the best we can for ourselves,” she added. Lee Simmons uses his inner confidence to face life’s challenges.
“Throughout my journey, I tried to say, look, no one is going to support you if you don’t have support,” she said.
She wants women to harness the power of self-confidence and independence, whether or not they are in a partnership or not. “As a woman, I have to stand on my own two feet,” she said. “You cannot depend on a person in your whole life. It doesn’t matter.
Key patients can face the kind of bullying Lee Simmons faced while growing up in Missouri.
She admits that “being faced with judgment from people who don’t know you can be quite painful.”
She advises people to “be resilient, be beautiful, and shine in all your glory, even when they feel stepped on, looked down upon, or oppressed.”
In her 2006 book, she shared advice on the way to use self-confidence to enhance your life. She described it as a lesson to her “thirteen-year-old self.”
Lee Simons has long supported organizations that concentrate on improving people’s lives, including Dress For Success, where she helps incarcerated women construct their wardrobes in preparation for returning to work. “It’s very vital to me to find a way to provide back. I’ve been doing it my whole life, even before I had children,” she said
Host Jeanie Mai joked that she would reasonably see smiles transformed by Smile Train than the ones she often sees in Hollywood. “These smiles are a mix of veneers and lip fillers. I’m ready for smiles that can truly light up this world,” she said after reaching the podium in a peach dress. Jordin Sparks then performed an energetic set that included an appropriate cover of Frank Sinatra’s “When You’re Smiling.” The crowd sang along to her hit, and Sparks encouraged guests to go to the chapel and hearken to DJ Jazzy Jeff, who hosted the afterparty.
Mai wasn’t the just one in a completely satisfied mood.
Lee Simmons joked that her unfiltered personality is an ideal fit for fundraising. “I have a big mouth, so all I can do is beg people for money,” she said, flashing her charming smile.
You can learn more about the Smile Train mission Here.
ASKRS> Keke Palmer
Time is now for essentially the most fashionable moments in celebrity between Fashion Week, a season of prizes and magazine covers. Meanwhile, some glances required a full GLAM team once we finished a month and Valentine’s Day, sleeping hair and romantic manicures are still strong.
For example Black flexible headband. With an analogous volume Honey Afro Janet Jackson was entwined with a red gel manicure to enhance the golden accents. Then the model Alva Claire attended Baft in a fragile UPDO, which combined her curved, thin eyebrows and a blue-winged insert.
Makeup Artist Dee Carrion was chargeable for the golden lips and teeth in the quilt. Then Coco Jones’s hair was soaked in water – glass lids and lips added to the appearance. As for TEMS? The shiny French manicure was cherry on its siren and hot chocolate gloss.
And those that participated within the NAACP rewards didn’t come either. Keke Palmer has turn into viral not only due to touching speech of “Artist of the Year”, but additionally due to her to knock out beauty: elegant red hair and gothic makeup makeup.
Sheryl Lee Ralph was on her “suit and draw” that night. Saisha Beecham Saisha Beecham worked on shiny magic, as she put it, “Sixty Fine” within the years. Finally, the hair artist Larry Sims gave the Gabrielle Union museum by some means Bobów. He wrote within the signature “It gives a film star”. And we couldn’t agree more.
If you missed this, take a look at the very best moments of beauty from the week.
“At that time we only had acrylic,” Angie Aguirre says Essence, who puts ESPY-Jones in the primary episode. “We didn’t have a number of things we have today.” Starting the series, in honor of the Black History of the month, Aguirre, nail artist Sha’carri Richardson, resembles a black story for extremely long nails-at the identical time spreading techniques from the past.
From memories of curved acrylics on Flo Jo of the Eighties to the red manicure in Donn Summer, and even the nail of Stiletto from the Nineteen Thirties about Queen Nenzim from the Democratic Republic of Congo, manicure for construction has a wealthy history hidden behind every decorating extension.
Using the attention shadows as a substitute of the airbrush machine (which within the Nineteen Nineties was a big, loud pedal machine), she recreated one of the vital popular styles that has since appeared today as a preferred look.
Often appropriated in popular culture long, loud nails are historically called “ghetto” as an offensive statement after they wear black women. Meanwhile, they are sometimes seen as fashionable after they wear white celebrities.
“We usually set up trends [and] People kick, “says Aguirre within the film while painting about traditional nail art visible within the Nineteen Nineties.” When pop culture gets it, they change what they want to be like that. ” However, “black women wore these nails long before social media.”
Now that the nail industry is to succeed in USD 36.27 billion until 2032Aguirre explains the influence that black women have on beauty and what the longer term of those historical manicures will seem like. “Nail game has become very innovative,” he says, with latest products reminiscent of Gel-X. “[It’s] It is very different from what was during the day. “
Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
On Monday, at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills A Who’s Who of New Stars, Hot Talent and Legends was at hand to honor the best in black talent on the screen for the American Black Film Festival awards. Honores for the Night to Aaron Pierre, who received the Rising Star award (while the crowd sang: “Aaron Pierre, to Mufasaaaa”), Essence Black Women in Hollywood Honree Marla Gibbs, who received the Hollywood Legacy award, Keke Palmer caught the Renaissan prize. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor received the same honor for girls.
Many people got here out to have fun, including presenters Ava DuverNay, Anthony Mackie, Boots Riley, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Regina King. But in Hollywood there have been many stars and massive names, which also got here out with their partners to enjoy the annual event. They began a blue rug with sweet PDA and good vibrations, able to enjoy an important night.
From Larenz Tate and Tomasina’s wife to Dondre Whitfield and Salla Richardson Whitfield, Loretta Devine and husband Glenn Marshall, Lance and Rebecca Gross, and newlyweds Yvette Nicole Brown and Anthony Davis, Love was in the air. (Another essence of black women in Hollywood Honore, Teyana Taylor, was a supporting Aaron Pierre there, and there are rumors that these two enjoy their company, which, for which we’re here.) More couples appeared to this event than since the prize season. Scroll to see and feel all love.
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Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Sophia Rose McDowell
Los Angeles, California – 17 February: Kelvin Harrison Jr. And Sophia Rose McDowell take part in the seventh annual American Festival Black Film Festival in SLS Hotel, the luxury collection hotel, Beverly Hills on February 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo Kayla oaddams/wireimage)
02
Loretta Devine and Glenn Marshall
Los Angeles, California – February 17: Loretta Devine and Glenn Marshall attend the seventh annual awards of the American Black Film Festival in the SLS Hotel, luxury collection hotel, Beverly Hills on February 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo Kayla oaddams/wireimage)
03
Yvette Nicole Brown and Anthony Davis
Los Angeles, California – February 17: Anthony R. Davis and Yvette Nicole Brown participate in the seventh annual American festival Black Film Festival in SLS Hotel, a luxury collection hotel, Beverly Hills on February 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo Kayla oaddams/wireimage)
04
Salli Richardson Whitfield and Dondre Whitfield
Los Angeles, California – February 17: Salla Richardson Whitfield and Dondre Whitfield are collaborating in the seventh annual American Black Film Festival festival in SLS Hotel, a luxury collection hotel, Beverly Hills on February 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo Kayla oaddams/wireimage)
05
Founders of ABFF Jeff Friday and Nicole Friday
Los Angeles, California – February 17: Nicole Friday and Jeff Friday take part in the seventh annual American Black Film Festival festival in the SLS Hotel, a luxury collection hotel, Beverly Hills on February 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo Kayla oaddams/wireimage)
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Lance Gross and Rebecca Gross
Los Angeles, California – February 17: Lance Gross and Rebecca Gross attend the seventh annual Arman Black Film Festival awards in the SLS Hotel, the luxury collection hotel, Beverly Hills on February 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo Kayla oaddams/wireimage)
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Lenengreen dies and Tomasinain Frig
Los Angeles, California – February 17: Larenz Tate and Tomasina Parrott attend the seventh annual awards of the American Black Film Festival in the SLS Hotel, a luxury collection hotel, Beverly Hills on February 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo Kayla oaddams/wireimage)
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Charles D. King and Stacey Walker King, founder and CBO Macro Media Company
Los Angeles, California-17 February: Stacey Walker-King and Charles D. King take part in the seventh annual American Black Film Festival festival in SLS Hotel, a luxury collection hotel, Beverly Hills on February 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo Kayla oaddams/wireimage)
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Michael Jai White and Gillian White
Los Angeles, California – February 17: (LR) Michael Jai White and Gillian White take part in the seventh annual Honorary American Festival Black Film at SLS Hotel, a luxury collection hotel, Beverly Hills on February 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, Kalifornia. (Photo Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
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WME COO Dan Limerick and Dawn Limerick
Los Angeles, California – February 17: (LR) Dawn Limerick and Dan Limerick, COO, WME take part in the seventh annual Honorary Film Film Film Film Film Film at SLS Hotel, Hotel Luxury Collection, Beverly Hills February 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
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Chris Spencer and Vanessa Spencer
Vanessa Spencer, Chris Spencer during the seventh annual American Black Film Festival festival, which took place at the SLS Hotel on February 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo of Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
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Teyana Taylor and Aaron Pierre
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