The Unhushed Charity Foundation was founded by Best-Selling author, actress, and Producer Denisha Raychelle Hardeman. After experiencing a personal journey in college with domestic violence, sexual assault, depression, Denisha decided to move to Los Angeles to follow her dreams as an actress after an encouraging encounter with Samuel L. Jackson on the set of, “Django Unchained.” After moving in August 2012, Denisha quickly caught the eyes of Hollywood with her writing and acting skills. It was here she pursued doing her movie about her personal struggles with a film entitled, “8 Lanes.” With little success to gain enough funds to do the feature film full out, Denisha decided to publish a book based on the script of the same name. Within 6 months on Amazon, “8 Lanes” became a best seller. After speaking at many schools and being honored, she decided to start her charity “UnHushed.”
UnHushed was created to provide a platform and artistic healing for those that have been through domestic violence, sexual assault and depression. Denisha and the UnHushed Team created the B.O.S.S (BEAUTY OF SURVIVAL STORIES) Fashion Show. The show starts out with survivors coming out in regular clothes to be introduced to the audience. They are then sent backstage to get makeovers. While the survivors are getting their makeovers, local designers have models strut the runway in their best clothes. There are also music performances, poetry and dance performances. Afterwards, a recorded video of the survivors is played for the audience and the survivors finally walk out in their makeovers, fiercely taking control over the audience, the runway and their lives. The survivors are then given the opportunity to share their stories and Denisha and the Unhushed team gift the survivors with donations.
The first B.O.S.S Charity Fashion Show took place in Houston, Texas. Denisha created the show in 3 weeks after the devastating hurricane, Hurricane Harvey, hit Houston with a blow. The show ended up selling out with 200 people in attendance, 5 designers, 50 models and 3 survivors. With the popularity of the first show, the second B.O.S.S fashion show created the theme “UnMasked.” It took place on December 1st. It featured over 100 models, 10 designers, 3 performances including an aerialist, and 15 survivors. Over 600 people were in attendance at the second sold out show. The Show caught the attention of the Powerhouse Production company, “Blonde Mamba,” and they are helping UnHushed create a documentary on the entire process of the fashion show and Denisha’s life of “8 Lanes.”
The show is now coming to Los Angeles where Denisha plans to have more survivors and more people speaking their truth to the world. The cameras will be rolling and continue to roll as Unhushed and Blonde Mamba make their way to D.C and to the ultimate show of them all, New York Fashion Week.
Denisha created this show to give survivors the confidence and relief of finally telling their truths without judgement. She hopes to continue to make the show bigger and spread the word that survivors can finally be “Unhushed.”
