Challenging expectations means there is no standard in beauty. Join us in celebrating members of the South Asian LGBTQ+ community and giving back to their favorite charities.

#OWNYOURGLOW x Pride

We here at AAVRANI are aware of the platform that we've been given, all thanks to the unwavering support of our community. For this, we are so grateful. Our team feels an innate responsibility to use this provided platform to acknowledge and amplify the voices of the traditionally silenced, and to nurture a space where our community can interact with us and each other – without judgment and with the utmost respect and compassion. We have the power and voice to affect change – to use that power to shine the spotlight on and celebrate the diverse voices within our AAVRANI family.

AAVRANI, stemming from the word “rani” which means queen in Hindi, is centered around empowerment. #OWNYOURGLOW is the embodiment of that sentiment in action - taking ownership of and celebrating your individual beauty. As we celebrate traditions, we cherish our innate connection with the South Asian community. As we enter Pride month, there is no better time to focus on the South Asian LGBTQ+ community.

What we’re doing:

We’re honoring Pride month with the highlight of our #OWNYOURGLOW initiative. As a part of this initiative, we’ll be spotlighting the underrepresented from all walks of life, starting this month with the AAPI/South Asian LGBTQ+ community. The goal: To celebrate and share the stories of those that have inspired us to take ownership and celebrate individual beauty.

The facts:

Statistics, charts and the like never paint a full picture of any experience. They do, however, provide color and undeniable truths that help. Let us break it down for you:

Source: Bouton, L., Choi, S.K., Mallory, C., Wilson, B.D.M., (2021). AAPI LGBT Adults In The US: LGBT Well-Being at the Intersection of Race. The Williams Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.

What's next:

Who is telling the story is arguably as important as the story being told. As such, you’ll be hearing directly from the storytellers of this initiative. They’ll be discussing their unique journeys of navigating the intersectionality of their South Asian identity and being a member of the LGBTQ+ community. You’ll be able to explore each story through our email newsletter, text messages, on social media, and more thoroughly here, on our blog.

In partnership with each Pride storyteller, we’ll be donating funds to charities that are near and dear to their hearts in an effort to build a more equitable world for the queer community. Below are our storytellers and the charities we’re supporting:

#OWNYOURGLOW x Amit & Aditya:

• Names: Amit Shah (he/him) & Aditya Madiraju (he/him)
• Social handles: @amit_aatma & @adityamadiraju
• Bios: Amit is a creative director and entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to South Asian performing arts and education. His company, AATMA Performing Arts, is globally recognized and has tremendous accolades with the press and media. Aditya is a finance professional and makeup/skincare creator with a massively dedicated social media following.
• Donating to: The Trevor Project
• Read their spotlight here

#OWNYOURGLOW x Andy:

• Name: Andy Lalwani (he/him)
• Social handle: @andylalwani
• Bio: Andy oversees communication strategies, campaigns and partnerships at What's Trending to elevate the publisher's presence while also serving as a voice for the LGBTQ+ community. Under his leadership, What’s Trending has launched new verticals and shows, including Culture Q, the world’s first weekly queer-centric news series, on Revry TV. Other notable work includes hosting on MTV News, Gayety, and Noovie.
• Donating to: The Trevor Project
• Read their spotlight here

This initiative isn’t just a flash-in-the pan that will come and go as Pride month does. It’s a living, breathing entity – subject to evolve. That being said, we encourage you to give us your thoughts, express your feelings, ask questions, and everything in between by emailing us at hello@aavrani.com or DMing us on Instagram @AAVRANI.