Beauty Brand Olay Pledges $100K To Uplift And Support Women Of Color In STEAM

Olay Body is committing $100,000 in scholarship grants to The Fearless Artist (TFA) to provide mission-driven artists with access to coaching, community, and art buyers committed to social change.

The fashion and beauty brand said in a release that the commitment is part of Olay’s ongoing commitment to increase the representation of women of color in Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math (STEAM).

The grant money will support 100 scholarship recipients who represent the next generation of artists who will learn firsthand from Kiki Somerville, creator of The Fearless Artist Method, a proprietary curriculum of world-class training that takes emerging creatives through the necessary steps to build a successful career in the arts.

The collaboration is the beauty brand’s latest endeavor to elevate women of color in art and science and their stories. Earlier this year, Olay Body launched the Fearless Artist Series collection of body washes to increase the representation and visibility of products designed for women of color.

“Olay Body is committed to ensuring women see themselves represented through our brand,” Freddy Bharucha, Proctor & Gamble’s vice president of North America personal care. told Businesswire “By partnering with TFA and offering these scholarships, we can help make a tangible impact in the lives of the very women our new Fearless Artist Collection of body washes represents.”

Olay also teamed with female artist Avery Williamson who designed the bottles’ artwork and a diverse team of women to develop the formulas. The body wash and designs are the first in a series spotlighting female artists of color who are fearless in the pursuit of their artistic dreams.

“Overall, I think art is so crucial to our lives and to our wellbeing,” said Williamson. “For me, art is about putting joy into the world. The abstract design of the Olay Fearless Artist Series is meant to represent moments when you’re blooming, growing, and expanding. The dots, dashes, lines, and circles all capture the emotions of everyday life.”

TFA has been empowering mission-driven artists since 2004, providing access to coaching and the art community. TFA’s popup events have also served as a platform for emerging and undiscovered artists and galleries.