Uplifted and inspired is how hundreds of women felt after attending the first-ever Shine Away event held on Saturday, October 21, at Rolling Greens in Downtown Los Angeles.
Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, a part of Candle Media, partnered with AT&T as its sponsor for what will be a yearly gathering. Though in its infancy, more than 800 attended. The greatest gift you can give anyone is a voice and agency over their lives, and that’s what this event was about.
In her opening remarks, Witherspoon explained what inspired her to start Hello Sunshine in 2016. “I was hearing fascinating perspectives of women’s experiences in my everyday life that I was not seeing reflected in television, film, or advertising. I realized that to fix the problem, I had to be part of the solution,” she said to a cheering crowd. “I’m here to tell you that nothing is possible without the support of people who believe in the same dream. Simply put, we are all better together.”
The day began with comedy from Fortune Feimster and concluded with a performance by singer Dove Cameron. Sandwiched in between was an incredible lineup of panels. Speakers included The Home Edit’s Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin and actresses Jennifer Garner, Mindy Kaling and Tracee Ellis Ross.
Also speaking were some of Witherspoon’s Book Club authors. Curtis Sittenfeld (”Romantic Comedy”), Kristin Hannah (”Firefly Lane”), Cheryl Strayed (Hello Sunshine’s recently Emmy-nominated “Tiny Beautiful Things”), Laura Dave (”The Last Thing He Told Me”), and Jasmine Guillory (”The Proposal”) each discussed their writing process and what motivates them.
Since its inception, the Witherspoon-founded media company has been steadfast in its mission to put women at the center of every story it tells. With Shine Away, the idea was to connect female storytellers in real life.
The concept of connection made AT&T the perfect sponsor. “When you look at what Hello Sunshine has been able to build, the relationships they’ve created between storytellers and fans to create a powerful community of women, connection is at the core,” said AT&T Chief Marketing & Growth Officer Kellyn Smith Kenny. “This event was so inspiring and truly showcased that when women have the opportunity to connect, we have the power to change everything.”
Smith Kenny reflected on first hearing the idea for Shine Away. She and her team immediately knew it was an opportunity for a collaboration beyond just a sponsorship. “AT&T and Hello Sunshine were driven by the same goal. We wanted to create an inspiring experience for women to connect, learn, celebrate, and share their achievements. We believe the connections and conversations that start at Shine Away will reach well beyond this event.”
Experiencing it firsthand, I have to agree. As I walked around and talked to many attendees, I learned that everyone came for a reason. Several of the women told me that they’re in the process of reinventing themselves; they want to change their lives, they said. Joanne Molinaro, The Korean Vegan, was a great inspiration. She spoke about leaving her 17-year career as a trial lawyer to start anew.
Whether in their twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, or beyond, every woman told me they were starting a new life chapter. Each had a specific career goal and a dream. Corporate executives discussed leaving their jobs to write a memoir or become a screenwriter. They found strength in numbers and inspiration from one another. They knew that they had come to the right place.
Witherspoon’s company – well-known for its female-centric storytelling and Reese’s Book Club Picks (many are adapted for TV and film) – has morphed into a movement.
When Witherspoon loves a book, she blasts it out to millions of her followers, turning her favorites into bestsellers. Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere, Tiny Beautiful Things, and Daisy Jones & The Six are just a few. Other fan-favorite series, The Morning Show and Surface, though not culled from her book club, have also become massive hits for Hello Sunshine.
Witherspoon surprised attendees by announcing her November pick. Her 89th book club pick is by Cesca Major, who had just arrived from London. Major took the stage to talk about her novel, “Maybe Next Time,” about an overly stressed woman who gets a do-over of a gutwrenching day. Can she keep her family and work life from imploding as she attempts to spare her husband from an unfortunate fate? There were hints that fans can look forward to this one hitting the big or small screen.
Hello Sunshine CEO Sarah Harden explained how important it was to provide this experience for the fans. “Our vision for Shine Away was to create a forum where the Hello Sunshine community can learn, recharge, and connect. As our partner in bringing this experience to life, AT&T powered new connections for women and helped to enrich their lives. AT&T has supported us and our community in a variety of ways, aligning with our mission to authentically and impactfully change the narrative for women.”
One moment stands out in my mind when I reflect on the day. The audience was rapt when Dear Sugar herself was asked about starting over in life and following one’s dreams after a setback. Strayed, famous for her memoir Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things, a book of letters from her advice column, paused briefly before a captivated audience. She then imparted the following wisdom: “What I promise you is that if you don’t do it, you’re going to feel like a failure and feel that regret.”
As she spoke, you could hear a pin drop. Strayed’s words, as always, sit with me. Seeing what future books, series, and films come from the first Shine Away event will be fascinating.
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