THAT’S ALL. WELL, EARLIER THIS MONTH, DOZENS OF WOMEN GATHERED TO CELEBRATE SISTERHOOD IN WELLNESS. THIS IS A LOOK AT SIP AND SPEAKS SOCIAL MASQUERADE GALA. WELL, THE FOUNDER OF THE ORGANIZATION, ASHLEY STOKES, IS JOINING US NOW. ASHLEY, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. THANKS SO MUCH. I’M EXCITED SO TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT SIP AND SPEAK SOCIAL IS. WELL, SIP AND SPEAK SOCIAL IS A HEALING COMMUNITY FOR BLACK AND BROWN WOMEN WHERE WE COME TOGETHER AND TALK EVERYTHING. WELLNESS, WHETHER IT’S MENTAL, WELLNESS, SPIRITUAL WELLNESS, JUST GATHERING TOGETHER, CREATING SISTERHOOD AMONGST ONE ANOTHER. THAT’S WONDERFUL. TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE INSPIRATION WAS BEHIND CREATING THIS. WELL, I GREW UP IN FOSTER CARE HERE IN MILWAUKEE. I’M ORIGINALLY FROM CHICAGO, SO I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO TELL MY STORY PERSONALLY, WHERE I COME FROM AND THE THINGS THAT I’VE GONE THROUGH. I THINK IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT MY BACKGROUND IN, SAY, LIKE, HEY, I KNOW THAT THERE’S OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT’S LIKE ME AND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT ON A PLATFORM WHERE I HAVE SISTERS WHO CAN RELATE. IT’S HUGE. AND I THINK IT’S VERY IMPACTFUL. I LOVE THAT. AND WE WERE SEEING SOME PICTURES RIGHT NOW AND BEHIND US OF THE MASQUERADE GALA. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO CREATE A ORGANIZATION AND A SYSTEM WHERE WOMEN CAME TOGETHER AND UNMASKED THEMSELVES. AND IT’S BEAUTIFUL AS YOU ARE ON THE OUTSIDE. AND WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE AND WHAT DO YOU LOOK LIKE ON THE INSIDE? SO BEING ABLE TO CREATE THAT PLATFORM AND HAVING THEM KIND OF RIP THAT MASK OFF, RIP THAT BAND-AID OFF WAS LIKE REALLY IMPORTANT. AND I THINK THAT WE WE KIND OF DID THE THING. I LOVE IT. AND WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE FOR YOU TO REALLY SEE THIS JOURNEY THROUGHOUT THE LAST TWO YEARS? YES. WELL, IT’S BEEN A ROLLER COASTER. I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, BUILDING AN ORGANIZATION IRON THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH MY PEERS IS, YOU KNOW, GIVENCHY AND BUTTERFLY AND EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN A PART OF THIS ENTIRE THING. I REALLY REALIZED THAT, LIKE, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE THIS, WE HAVE TO KEEP GOING. WE HAVE TO BUILD THIS PLATFORM TO A GREATER LEVEL BECAUSE IT’S OUTSIDE OF US IN THE LIVES THAT IT IMPACTS. I KNOW THAT IT’S IT’S REALLY GOOD FOR THE GIRLS. THAT’S WONDERFUL. SUCH A GREAT OUTLET TO HAVE IN A COMMUNITY TO BE A PART OF. TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT’S NEXT. WOO WELL, I PLAN TO TAKE THIS ON FILM ON THE ROAD. SO SIP AND SPEAK. SOCIAL IS ON TOUR OFFICIALLY. CHARLOTTE IS THE FIRST STOP AND I’M EXCITED TO BUILD FROM THERE. I’M CREATING A GROUP OF WOMEN WHO COULD HELP IMPACT THIS ENTIRE THING. WE COULD TAKE THIS GLOBAL IF WE NEED TO. WOW. AMAZING. SO YOU’RE GOING ON THE ROAD. YES. AND HOW MANY STOPS DO YOU HAVE? IS IT KIND OF ALL ACROSS STATE? WELL, RIGHT NOW WE’RE FOCUSING ON CHARLOTTE AND BUILDING A PLATFORM THERE. BUT BUT AS WE TAKE THIS JOURNEY ON THE ROAD, I KNOW THAT IT’S GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW. AND I’M JUST READY FOR THE RIDE. AMAZING. THAT’S GREAT. AND SUCH AN AMAZING ORGANIZATION TO HAVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. SHINING A LIGHT ON SUCH A GREAT ORGANIZATION. NOW, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE OR SIGN UP, WE DO HAVE A LINK RIGHT NOW ON HSN.CO