A Letter to Oprah

image of Oprah via oprah.com

Tara Gentile from Scoutie Girl wrote a wonderful and inspiring letter to Oprah Winfrey.  My one-year-old daughter Monet was sitting in bed with my husband and I, and as I read this letter aloud to him, inspiration in my voice, my daughter Monet started clapping.  I too am giving Tara Gentile a standing ovation, because not only is she trying to make change for me, a maker and designer in the indie biz, but she is also making change for my daughter.  I think Monet knew this when she started clapping, that the words I was reading meant change for her and the day she too is an artist in our society.  And yet, also change for me, her mommy, and her daddy.  Two people, who in order to live happy lives, don't just love to, but sincerely NEED to, create and work with their hands.  Won't you please read this letter, and take to heart Tara Gentile's words...

Dear Oprah,

Your business empire has excited and empowered women for many years. We appreciate your humble beginnings and your never-say-die attitude in making your way to the top. Whether harnessing your television audience, your crazy good business sense, or wide-reaching network, your big ideas and passion for change are a big inspiration to me and my community.

My community, you ask? That’s the very purpose of this letter!

My community is the creative thinkers, makers, and designers of the indie craft & design movement. And Oprah, we’re ready for you.

It’s time the lid is lifted off this goldmine of passionate, empowered, and assertive women (and dudes). It’s time that the world knows that China isn’t the only place that things are made. It’s time that consumers begin a love affair with the things they buy and not the quantity of stuff they buy.

And the makers & designers of the indie biz movement make great stuff. They produce beautiful products with engaging stories – original designs with innovative ideas – clever stuff with thoughtful details. You can shop in a variety of online venues – including my favorites Etsy and Supermarket – where you can buy directly from the maker. Many artists also run their own stores. Others sell at craft markets or in independent galleries & boutiques.

Although these women are working hard at promoting their wares & services, they are facing an uphill battle against big box stores, mass production, instant gratification, and a society that values quantity over quality. Oprah, these women need your help. They need your inspiration, your thumbs up, and your ability to shift the tide of American consumerism.

Your suggestion, word, or endorsement would do nothing less than change the lives of hundreds – thousands – of creative women (and dudes) who are seeking a more meaningful way of doing business, making a profit, and creating social change. It’s change we can believe in – the kind of change that lifts people up spiritually & financially and the kind of change that makes the world a more beautiful place.

We would be happy to open our community to you – and anyone who is interested in becoming more mindful of the things they consume and the way they spend their money. We want to share our stories & our passion with the world. We want to find a place in modern society for handcrafted, thoughtfully designed wares.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

A fan,
Tara Gentile
Scoutie Girl
owner, Scout Creative Media, llc
tara_gentile on Skype

Thank you Tara, for believing in us creators and makers of beautiful things. Thank you for inspiring us and giving us a push when we start to get discouraged. Thank you also for helping us to become wiser consumers, people who consume less but also consume more wisely. You are a genuine inspiration to me, just like Oprah is to so many. 

Won't you join our revolution and help fight our battle against "big box stores, mass production, instant gratification, and a society that values quantity over quality"!?