As if we needed additional reasons to love Salma Hayek more, she gives powerful and endearing words of advice for young girls everywhere.
The 49-year-old actress, director and producer was recently honored at Variety's Power of Women luncheon for her work with Chime for Change, a global campaign to raise funds and awareness for girls and women around the world.
"I think the most important thing to tell for the new generations is to have the courage to be unique, to be curious about who they are, instead of trying to blend in," she said. "The most important thing to say to the girls is to not try to be like the other girls."
Hayek continued to talk about how women can use their voice to change the world, if only women could find their own voice. She stated that women have been too busy "trying to operate within systems that were designed by men."
In her speech, Hayek also covered the accomplishments of Chime for Change in taking action to promote education, health and justice for girls and women worldwide. In two years, the charity had helped 400,000 women and 3 million families and communities.
Women only receive 10 percent of the world's income, even though they comprise 50 percent of the total population and 66 percent of the world's work power, explained Hayek. However, she is convinced that this generation is sure to experience a transformation, as women have risen to become an economical power and can no longer be ignored for this.
And so the takeaway point that she gives to girls like her 8-year-old daughter, Valentina, is to stand out and not blend in.
Hayek gave birth to Valentina not long after her 41st birthday. Following Valentina's birth, Hayek decided to stop working and focus "completely on [Valentina]," she said.
Hayek received her breakthrough role when she played the iconic Mexican painter Frida, in the 2002 film. She went on to star in movies such as "Desperado," "Dogma" and "Wild Wild West." She was a recipient of Time magazine 25 Most Influential Hispanics in 2005. She married French businessman François-Henri Pinault, father to Valentine, in 2009.
Photo: Gage Skidmore | Flickr
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