Official Bold Babe Winners Announced

It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for… okay… so maybe you’re not nearly as excited as we are. But, we are REALLY excited to tell you some news…

You may have seen our Official Bold Babes Contest in the making for about 45 days. But WE have been working on it for months! We’ve been deciding and clamoring and debating and thinking. Then implementing and advertising and hoping and wishing! Then discussing and deciding. And, we are so thankful to have made a decision for you!

Firstly, we’d like to thank every single contestant who joined us for the Official Bold Babe contest including:

@wanderlust_yogiyuli (Yulissa Munoz)

@candi_m_and_ms (Candice Christian)

@loveannkathleen (Ann Kathleen)

@washingtonmelissa (Melissa Washington)

@officialmallorie (Mallorie)

@magstarlove (Magstar)

@lolaruby22_ (Lola)

@janetconroyquirk (Janet Conroy Quirk)

@b.simonis (Brittany Simonis)

@curvyashes (CurvyAshes)

@sweet.sexy.diane (Diane Smith)

@jill092075 (Jill)

@theBopoNanny (Brittany Gullion)

@Curvygymrat (Irena)

@angelynn89 (Angela)

@thatlakengirl_ (Laken)

@kristiestumpfrork (Kristie Stumpf Rork)

@courtneyal87 (Courtney)

@heather.feather.23 (Heather Waters)

We wish we could select ALL of these super cool women to join our incredible Bold Family! But, alas, it is a contest. We’ve learned that we don’t like saying “no” to people! This contest was incredibly difficult for us. But, here are your brand new Official Bold Babes (photos are having trouble loading on our site. We’re researching why and will be getting new servers in June):

Melissa Washington

Janet Conroy-Quirk

Why Melissa and Janet? Well, the answers are both simple and complicated. They are amazing! But, so was everyone who participated!

Melissa is such an incredibly strong diverse and powerful aspiring model and super awesome influencer. Her photos are so artsy, so unique, and so beautiful. Melissa is also a photographer. Go figure! Of course she comes up with such cool photos.

Melissa Washington promised us that she will be active as an Official Bold Babe and is excited to get started! She wanted to remind everyone reading “Don’t just seize the day, seize your Life!” Well we are certain she is living her life to its fullest!

Janet is a New York City actress, advocate, and sometimes model. She also blogs for Bold Magazine and is starting her own podcast! She spends her spare time working with non-profits like “Realize Your Beauty,” which we love! Janet has been very active in the plus community and discussing difficulties in finding roles for plus women.

“I consider being a Bold Babe to be  a title that lets others know I’m here for them-that I see them, I celebrate them, and I support them. It means so much to me to be making a difference, challenging mindsets, and feeling beautiful, inside and out. I’m proud to be big, beautiful and BOLD.” – Janet Conroy-Quirk

The committee of people who helped select the Official Bold Babes were led by Emily Kay and included Aby Deal, Mel Mayhem and Alyssa Roensch. CEO Christopher Salute did not vote, but did help facilitate guidelines and conversation about what it means to be an “Official Bold Babe.” Categories like Diversity, Profession, Content Delivery, Conscientiousness, and Social Media Presence were all weighed (among others) to select winners, which was VERY difficult.

“Selecting our new Bold Babes is a task I approached with a lot of love. I weighed all of the guidelines that we had set forth for the contest. Did everyone complete the requirements? Did they truly embody what we want to see in a Bold Babe? For me personally, I value authenticity and seeing someone who represents the women that we don’t see every day in the media. Someone that everyone can look up to! I am so excited for our winners and can’t wait to see everything that they will accomplish!” – Emily Kay, Director of Administration and Events, Official Bold Babe, Bold Magazine

So, what’s next for the “Official Bold Babes?” Now that Melissa and Janet have joined, CEO Christopher Salute has asked to step away from the day-to-day operations of the “Babes.”

“It doesn’t make sense for a man to decide what the women who represent Bold should be doing.” – Christopher Salute

Salute has asked all of the “Official Bold Babes” to continue the committee style discussion to figure out:

• Should their name continue to be “Bold Babes” (this was not decided by Salute, but of course has a very 1950s connotation given the male-owned organization)
• Should they continue to represent Bold at events and on Social Media or do something more?
• Etc.

All of the Official Bold Babes are welcome to use Bold as a platform for blogging, podcasting, discussing events, etc. And, it’s been a success so far! But, we’re excited to see what the committee comes up with regard to the roles they want to take on in Bold! So far, it’s been a blast! They receive free admittance to events, some swag where appropriate, and in turn have helped build our amazing site and publication!

Stay tuned for more on this incredible group of bosses as they mold what it means to BE BOLD!