Here at Youth To The People, we talk a lot about what it means to Dream Beyond™—pushing past our current reality to create a better future, one where no one gets left behind and no one is held back. But this concept didn’t start with us. As YTTP co-founders (and cousins!) Greg Gonzalez and Joe Cloyes tell it, Dream Beyond™ is rooted in the experience of their grandmother, Eva Friederichs, a pioneer in American aesthetics. Not only did Grandma Eva work with the State of California to design a curriculum dedicated to aesthetics, she built her own skincare company from the ground up—and lifted up other women along the way.
“When her company originally launched, it was called Images of Success, because it was about making a really good skincare brand and the products truly worked,” says Joe Cloyes, “but it was also about her teaching women to have their own careers.” Some of those women were Eva’s own daughters.
As we gear up for a general election in which record-breaking numbers of women are running for office, the YTTP fam is feeling particularly inspired to Dream Beyond™. In season 00 episode 03 of To The People Podcast, you’ll meet two friends of YTTP who are working to build up women and femmes, increase our representation, and ensure our equitable futures.
As the founder of GenZ Girl Gang, Deja Foxx is redefining sisterhood by utilizing social media as a tool for building community. At 19, she was the Influencer + Surrogate Strategist (and the youngest staffer!) on Senator Kamala Harris’s campaign for President.
You’ll also meet Erin Loos Cutraro, the founder of She Should Run, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages and mentors women to consider a run for public office. Part of Erin’s work involves understanding the barriers that women face—both externally and internally—and encouraging us to see public office as having real potential. Because when girls and women are represented—whether as business owners, elected leaders, or in any capacity we dream of—it shows us that we can follow our dreams, too. And when we’re lifting up those around us, we can only win.
New episodes drop Sundays. Find To The People Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts + more.
Edited by Manna Zel
Produced by Manna Zel + Alyssa Shapiro
Theme music by YTTP co-founder Greg Gonzalez + Hannah Fernando
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