Last night in New York, I had the honor of attending Estée Lauder’s first-ever Emerging Leaders Fund Beautiful Forces Grants celebration, and let me tell you—it was a night to remember. Set against the backdrop of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, this intimate event was all about shining a light on some truly inspiring women from around the globe. As someone who’s always been fascinated by the intersection of beauty, leadership, and social change, being there felt like witnessing history in the making.
Walking into the venue, there was this buzz in the air. The room was filled with influential women, global leaders, and changemakers, all gathered to celebrate the incredible work being done by this year’s four grant recipients. These women weren’t just leaders—they were forces of nature, each making waves in their communities with big, bold ideas.
The evening kicked off with a heartfelt speech from Stéphane de La Faverie, Founder of the Estée Lauder Emerging Leaders Fund and Executive Group President at Estée Lauder Companies. “With the launch of the Beautiful Forces grants, we are doubling down on our commitment to change the face of leadership by investing in the next generation,” he said. You could feel the energy in the room shift—this wasn’t just corporate talk; this was a genuine commitment to empowering women.
What struck me most were the stories behind the four women honored. Amina Mohamed from Canada started an organization called Cameras for Girls to tackle gender disparities in media. Her vision? To equip young women in Africa with cameras and the skills they need to break into media careers. Thanks to the Beautiful Forces grant, her organization will soon be expanding with a train-the-trainer program, and you could see how much this support meant to her.
Then there was Consuelo Hermosilla González from Chile, whose organization, Fundación Antonia, fights to eliminate intimate partner violence. Listening to her talk about the lives she’s impacted—providing survivors with free care and support—was powerful. This grant will allow her to expand workshops and training programs, helping even more people.
Olasumbo Adeleke from Nigeria is changing lives with Gender Power Africa, where she’s improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, especially women, through economic empowerment. Her dream is to build a climate-smart shea nut processing facility that will create jobs and training opportunities for women in rural communities. With this grant, her dream is becoming a reality.
And finally, there was Renata Koch Alvarenga from Brazil, founder of EmpoderaClima, a youth-led organization tackling the impact of climate change on women. Her passion was contagious as she spoke about her plans to use the grant to hold workshops on disaster preparedness and create an interactive platform with resources for climate education.
The night wrapped up with a beautiful moment from Alyse Nelson, CEO of Vital Voices, Estée Lauder’s nonprofit partner. She emphasized how much these grants mean for the future of women’s leadership, saying, “Their vision for change is ambitious, and we’re thrilled to support them on the next step of their journey.”
After the speeches, we all got to mingle over cocktails and delicious bites. Chatting with these incredible women felt both humbling and inspiring. They’re not just leading—they’re rewriting the rules of leadership altogether.
Leaving the event, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of optimism. These women are proof that leadership looks different now, and it’s better for it. What Estée Lauder is doing with their Emerging Leaders Fund is more than just corporate responsibility—it’s about fueling real change and giving women around the world the chance to rise. Keep an eye on these trailblazers—they’re just getting started, and they’re going to change the world.
