ACTRESS LISA ANN WALTER TO HOST
With “Dance Your Ass Off” contestants Shayla Hudson Williams, Sophia “Pinky” Magana-Perez and Mara Hall set to perform
Hollywood, CA October 9, 2009 — Hollywood NOW, the local Chapter of the 43-year-old national organization, which works to bring women and men into full equality, welcomes the community to the Fourth Annual Love Your Body Day celebration Friday, October 23rd – Sunday, October 25th. This three-day event is co-sponsored by the city of West Hollywood and is produced by Chenese Lewis.
Friday October 23rd at 6 pm – Love Your Body Day Launch Party:
This event will kick off the weekend festivities with a celebration at the O Bar Restaurant and Lounge in West Hollywood (8279 Santa Monica Blvd). All community members are welcome to attend.
Saturday, October 24 from 12 noon – 4 p.m. – The Love Your Body Community Celebration:
Love Your Body Day will be hosted by actress Lisa Ann Walter, the creator, on-air judge and Executive Producer of Oxygen’s hit dance/weight loss competition series “Dance Your Ass Off.” Lisa Ann can be seen next co-starring in the movie “Killers” with Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl. She is best-know for her performances as Chessy in the “The Parent Trap” with Natasha Richardson and Lindsay Lohan, in “Shall We Dance” with Jennifer Lopez and Richard Gere, and in “Bruce Almighty” with Jim Carrey and Jennifer Aniston.
“It is such a joy to know events like this are happening in Hollywood,” says Hollywood NOW’s Love Your Body Day host Lisa Ann Walter. “Because the entertainment industry is often implicated as the culprit for unreasonable and unattainable standards of beauty, it is important for the Hollywood community to encourage and celebrate a healthy body image for women, and I am excited to be part of the celebration.” Love Your Body Chairperson Chenese Lewis, has dedicated her efforts on both the local and national levels to advocating a healthy body image for women, and celebrating women of all shapes & sizes. To learn more about her work with Hollywood NOW’s Love Your Body activism, go to www.LoveYourBodyDay.com
The celebration will welcome singers, actors, dancers and spoken word artists to the community event. The pinnacle of the festivities – the “Real Women” Fashion Show – will begin at 3 pm. Models of all shapes and sizes will be flaunting the styles of various plus-size designers and retailers. The location is the West Hollywood Park Auditorium is located at 647 N. San Vicente in West Hollywood. All ages are welcome and admission is free.
PLUS Model Magazine will be launching its first plus-size model search at the event. Attendees will have the opportunity to talk with representatives from the magazine and five finalists will compete to win the ultimate prize: a one year exclusive contract with Brand Model & Talent Agency, an advertising campaign with Hips & Curves, and the cover and editorial of PLUS Model Magazine. The winner will be announced on the magazine’s pod cast, PLUS Model Radio.
Saturday, October 24 at 8pm – Comedy Show at The World Famous Comedy Store
A hysterical all-female line-up of comics will hit the stage in celebration of Love Your Body Day. The show is open to all members of the community (21 years and older) and admission is $10. The Comedy Store is located at 8433 Sunset in West Hollywood.
Sunday, October 25 at 11:00am – Body Image Panel Discussion
Moderated by Love Your Body Chairperson and event creator, Chenese Lewis- panelist include: Miss America 2008 Kristen Haglund, Global Ambassador for the Dove Self-Esteem Fund Jess Weiner, supermodel Tomiko Frasier, New York Times best selling author Nancy Redd, plus size actress Lindsay Hollister, and 2009 Love Your Body Day host Lisa Ann Walter. The discussion topic will be maintaining a Positive Body Image in “Hollywood” and Defying Unrealistic Expectations. Panelist will share their personal and professional experiences with eating disorders, body image issues, and size discrimination. Admission is $10 and tickets are available for purchase in advance through the website. The location is the Pacific Design Center Conference Center located at 8687 Melrose Blvd. in West Hollywood at 11am with a reception immediately following.
Love Your Body Day attendees are expected to be highly diverse, wildly talented, and incredibly beautiful. Men will be welcomed with love and respect, though the focus of the celebration will be the beauty – inside and out – of real women.
About NOW:
The National Organization for Women (NOW) is the largest organization of feminist activists in the United States. NOW has 500,000 contributing members and 550 chapters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Since its founding in 1966, NOW’s goal has been to take action to bring about equality for all women. NOW works to eliminate discrimination and harassment in the workplace, schools, the justice system, and all other sectors of society; secure abortion, birth control and reproductive rights for all women; end all forms of violence against women; eradicate racism, sexism and homophobia; and promote equality and justice in our society.
The Hollywood Chapter of NOW has brought a new face to feminism and tackled contemporary issues facing all women, including healthy body image, safety, and peace. “There’s a lot of confusion surrounding the idea of feminism today,” says Chapter President, 27-year-old Lindsey Horvath. “Hollywood NOW works to identify and address the concerns relevant to women today. Chenese’s leadership for Love Your Body Day is just one way we show how feminist activism brings women together to create the world we all envision for ourselves, the world we know is possible for women.”
For more information visit:
www.loveyourbodyday.com
www.hollywood-now.org
www.plusmodelmag.com
www.cheneselewis.com
