Since 2009, Kickstarter has been providing a way for creative visionaries and small business owners to grow and publicize their ideas, offering a medium for interested people to donate money and spread the word about their project’s via social media. Take a look at our list of five awesome Kickstarter projects led by women, and find out valuable information on how you can get involved in supporting a campaign — or even Kickstarting a project of your own!
Gracie Gear: Original athletic apparel for women, designed by women
An avid runner and former Univeristy of Louisiana, Monroe track star, Lauren “Gracie” Updyke found herself constantly frustrated with her inability to carry her belongings without them impeding on her run and getting in the way. That is until she created the PowerPouch™, of course — an innovative addition to the sports bra that provides women runners a way to carry and transport their belongings through a front pocket, without interruption or discomfort. Gracie Gear gives both novice and veteran marathon runners the ability to store keys, gel packs, iPods and cell phones in a way that has never been done before, and at only $31 for bras and $39 for long tanks through Kickstarter, the gear is an affordable apparel option for all female athletes. Score more information on Gracie Gear products and the team’s inspirational backstory at their Kickstarter page here.
UP|rise by Rabble Dance Collective
Through combining amazing acrobatic talent and a powerful creative vision, the all-female Rabble Dance Collective cultivated UP|rise, a theatrical production centered around community-building and sustainability, pulls inspiration from a diverse and expansive repertoire of dance and theater styles. By creating an aesthetically-pleasing and entertaining performances about powerful social issues, the girls of Rabble hope to bring awareness to the importance of community and its effect on the environment. And the best part of the UP|rise project? Proceeds of the show will go towards supporting Sprout City Farms, a non-profit in Denver that focuses on providing fresh, local produce to schools throughout the surrounding area. To learn more about Rabble Dance Collective and how you can support UP|rise, make sure to take a look their Kickstarter or Facebook page.
The Empowerment Project: Extraordinary Women Doing Extraordinary Things
When best friends Dana Cook and Sarah Moshman realized their mutual appreciation for filmmaking back in 2007, it wasn’t long before their production company, Heartfelt Productions, came into being. And when the girls decided to put their production abilities and resources toward empowering women, it wasn’t long before the twp cultivated The Empowerment Project: Extraordinary Women Doing Extraordinary Things. Through expanisve research, a powerful vision and the help of Kickstarter, the women plan to travel the country and interview female industry leaders and women who have thrived in male-dominated fields. In their first interview with Jill Soloway, the writer and director of Afternoon Delight, the cinematic pioneer offers powerful advice for emerging women leaders; “Don’t worry about how you look, don’t worry about what people think of what you’re doing, just do it. Keep believing in yourself.” And if you know anything about our founders here at Her Campus, you know that it takes a lot of girl power to get an idea off the ground. Check out The Empowerment Project’s Kickstarter page or their website to learn how you can get involved.
A Photographic Memory
After the death of her mother, Shelia Turner-Seed, in 1979, Rachel Seed was left with only limited information on her creative work and personality. It wasn’t until recently that Rachel decided to dig back in time and track down transcripts from her mothers interviews with famous photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Cornell Capa. Through learning more about the past projects and true genius of her mother’s life and work, the vision behind A Photographic Memory was born — a film Rachel hopes to produce about the life and passions of her late parent. The project has already been funded ¾ of the way through generous contributions from major creative organizations, and Rachel hopes that the funding and support raised through Kickstarter will give A Photographic Memory the money it needs for completion. An emotional and engaging story of a one-of-a-kind woman, make sure to check out the project’s Kickstarter page to learn how you can donate.
Canopy New York: Sun Protective Fashion, made in America
With the recent emergence and increase of melanoma cases and other forms of skin cancer in the United States, Erica Birmingham and her business partners saw a need in the fashion marketplace for Sun-protective apparel. Enter Canopy New York: a line of fashionable clothing that also acts as a fabulous and discrete shield for the skin against harmful UV rays. Created using American-made textiles, Canopy has pioneered a way for women to significantly reduce their risk of being exposed to the damaging effects of the Sun through stylish, urban-inspired looks geared toward today’s modern woman. With hopes of expanding the line to include scarves, leggings and more dress styles, these women are looking for help in order to grow and publicize the Canopy brand. To find more information on Canopy New York’s products and how you can donate to them, check out their Kickstarter page.