Dream Big Pricess is an amazingly cool project from Disney, realized with amazingly cool technology from Apple:
Ahead of International Day of the Girl (October 11), Disney today launched a new global video series offering advice and inspiration on achieving success for the next generation of young leaders around the globe. The #DreamBigPrincess video series, produced and directed by young women from the United Nations Foundation's Girl Up initiative, shares the stories of 20 trailblazing women across technology, entertainment, medicine, law, sports, arts, science, fashion and politics to show the next generation what's possible if you dream big.
"Dreaming big is one of the most important things any of us can do – to keep aiming higher," says Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilm, who was interviewed for the series by Maud Webster, age 16, from the UK. "The #DreamBigPrincess series is giving a voice to a group of talented young women, helping them tell stories that kids can learn from, whatever their ambition."
Disney provided mentorship support for the 21 Girl Up leaders from different corners of the globe as they captured the stories of a diverse group of role models in digital shorts. Each video will be shared across Disney's global media platforms as part of a campaign to unlock up to a $1 million donation to Girl Up, an initiative of the UN Foundation to support girls' leadership.
"We have the responsibility to hand that baton of self-belief and positivity to the next generation," says Jo Malone CBE, Entrepreneur and Founder of Jo Loves, who was interviewed by Bethel Kyeza, age 16. "Storytelling can help us believe that no matter who we are or where we come from, we have every right to write the story of our own life and fulfill it."
"There's a line in Mary Poppins where she says anything is possible, even the impossible. I think that really symbolizes what dreaming big is all about, the idea if you want something big enough that the universe is going to conspire to give it to you," says Emily Blunt, Golden Globe Award-winning actress who was interviewed by Marisa Torre, age 17.
Spanning a host of professions, an accomplished roster of women share their tips for success in the 20-part series:
- Asmaa Boujibar - Research scientist and the first Moroccan woman in history to join NASA Johnson Space Center.
- Ashima Narain - Photographer, filmmaker and former photo editor for National Geographic Traveler India.
- Blanca Treviño - President and CEO of Softtek, the leading IT services company in Latin America, champion for entrepreneurialism, IT and the role of women in business.
- Emily Blunt - Golden Globe Award-winning actress and star of upcoming Disney movies Mary Poppins Returns and Jungle Cruise.
- Celina Caesar-Chavannes - Canadian member of Parliament who served as Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister of Canada.
- Jennifer Lee - Chief creative officer at Walt Disney Animation Studios, writer and co-director of Disney's Frozen for which she won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
- Jo Malone CBE - Founder and creative director of Jo Loves, responsible for creating some of the world's most-loved fragrances, awarded a CBE in the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honors List for her services to the British Economy and the GREAT Britain campaign.
- Karen Jonz - Brazilian skateboarder, designer and musician who won the 2008 X Games women's vertical and the World Cup Skateboarding Championship four times, first Brazilian to win the title of World Champion.
- Karen Walker - Designer with a global, multimillion-dollar eponymous fashion label, awarded the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to fashion design in 2014.
- Kathleen Kennedy - Film producer and president of Lucasfilm, has produced more than 60 films, including three of the highest-grossing movies in motion picture history.
- Leia Mi - Art director for Shanghai Disneyland who creates concept designs and provides art direction for Shanghai Disney Resort, was a creative designer at Walt Disney Imagineering.
- Maria Teresa Ruiz - Chilean astronomer, the first woman to study astronomy at the University of Chile, the first female scientist to receive a PhD in astrophysics from Princeton University and the first woman to receive Chile's National Prize for Exact Sciences.
- Martina Stoessel - Actress and singer who played the leading role on the internationally successful Disney Channel telenovela Violetta, first Argentine singer to reach one million views on YouTube in less than 24 hours for her single "Te Quiero Mas."
- Monica Lopez Hidalgo – Accomplished professor and researcher of neuroscience, one of the winners of the L'Oréal Unesco Conacyt AMC 2017 Scholarships for Women in Science for her research on the deterioration of cognitive functions related to age.
- Dr. Ndifanji Namacha - Medical doctor and assistant lecturer of public health, Malaria No More UK youth ambassador, delivered a keynote speech at the 2018 Malaria Summit in London.
- Paola Carosella – Award-winning chef and restaurateur, opened her first restaurant in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2001, has appeared as a judge on MasterChef Brazil since 2014.
- Robin Roberts – Award-winning broadcaster and co-anchor of ABC's Good Morning America.
- Susan Prescott - Vice president of product marketing at Apple with more than 25 years of experience in the computing industry.
- Virginie Delalande – Founder of Handicapower, first deaf person to become a lawyer in France.
- Victoria Arlen – Accomplished motivational speaker, actress, model and swimmer, won three Silver medals and a Gold medal from the London 2012 Paralympic Games, joined ESPN as one of the company's youngest on-air talents.
Susan Prescott might sound familiar — she's been on stage at a few of Apple's more recent events.
The aspiring filmmakers embarked on their creative journeys back in July, with ongoing mentorship from Disney, Apple and female-led production company Summerjax ahead of the series debut. Each video was shot on iPhone X and edited using Final Cut Pro X running on MacBook Pro.
We live in a time where the technology needed to share our voices has never been more accessible and yet, for many, it's still not accessible enough. To have the opportunity to see your future reflected in the faces and achievements of terrifically talented women in the present, and to have the tools made available to start working towards achievements of your own...
That really is a modern day mythical journey.
Kudos, Disney and Apple. More like this please.
