A Letter From Melissa

Like so many of you around the world, I have spent the last days trying to make sense of what’s unfolded, and wanting whatever action we take to be meaningful and lasting.  

Community and open, free-spirited dialogue are at the heart of my brand, and rooted in my own heart, too. As a society, we have been much too slow to acknowledge instances of injustice, and going forward, I want to ensure that we are proactively addressing racism, bigotry and violence, now and always.

I am committed to supporting the work of the Black Lives Matter movement; we must act to end perpetuated racial bias now. In addition, I believe that we must make a long-term investment in education for young people in order to make lasting change. We are not born racist, but in this moment we are beginning to understand that we must take an actively anti-racist stand in order to fight inequality and injustice. We are also not born with the same academic opportunities, and sometimes the colour of your skin is the deciding factor. I believe that by helping to create equal opportunities and instilling an eagerness to learn from, respect, and appreciate others, we can make a difference.

Here is what we will do:

1. We will make a £5,000 donation to Black Lives Matter. Diversity and inclusivity are integral to nurturing different perspectives and cultivating new ideas. We plan to further this belief by not only diversifying the models we shoot, but by actively working with an inclusive group of creatives, be they photographers, influencers, stylists or set designers of colour. 

2. We will make an additional £5,000 donation to Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, which supports young people from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds to develop pathways into sustainable education and employment. Not everyone is born with the same opportunities to learn, and I hope that through our small contribution towards young people’s education, we can help to narrow the gap.

3. As a team, we will engage in regular community service projects, first by volunteering for the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust. We will continue to share updates on our progress with you.

We are committed to continuing to listen and learn, changing the way we are programmed to think, and, most importantly, taking action as a team. We have an obligation to you, our community, and the wider world, to use our platform and our voice for good and for change. Together we have the power to be the rising tide that lifts all ships.