Sadly, the trailblazing plus dimension podcast The Chenese Lewis Present has ended. After a year-long hiatus, this system’s host, multimedia maven and body-positivity activist Chenese Lewis, made the announcement earlier this month.
“The choice to finish The Chenese Lewis Present was not made frivolously. This journey has been one of the vital rewarding experiences of my profession,” the Louisiana native expressed in a press launch to The Curvy Fashionista. “I’m deeply grateful to everybody who listened, shared, and supported this platform through the years. The tales advised on this present haven’t solely impressed others however have additionally formed me personally and professionally.”
The Chenese Lewis Present first blared by the digital scene in 2008, flaunting its title as a premier podcast devoted to the full-figured group. The critically-acclaimed manufacturing garnered world recognition for its game-changing advocacy and consciousness of points inside the plus dimension trade.
From her influential visitors to groundbreaking subjects, the pioneering persona shifted the narrative, setting the desk for much-needed dialogue in areas the place larger people usually felt that they had no match. At a time when candid, thought-provoking conversations weren’t forefronted sufficient, Lewis overtly led an uber-successful motion that singlehandedly helped form most of the discussions surrounding “fats” tradition as we speak.
The Chenese Lewis Present Left a Mark That May By no means Be Undone
By highlighting the significance of embracing self-image, Lewis inspired listeners by no means to let the width of their frames cease them from displaying up in rooms they’d been afraid to stroll by… and personal it. The Baton Rouge magnificence’s unapologetic method gathered a large viewers, on and off the air. Almost 20 years later, Lewis’ plain mild continues attracting the group–be it by the speaker of a microphone or on the pulse of society’s fatphobic agenda.
Episode after episode, she delivered unparalleled content material that went far past the clicking of a button or pull of a plug. Nonetheless, though Lewis could also be calling it quits on her broadcast, she assured longtime followers, “Whereas this chapter is closing, my dedication to the plus dimension group stays as sturdy as ever.”
When you didn’t know, Lewis has been a drive to be reckoned with by her fearless push for larger-body illustration and inclusion for (nearly) 25 years now. Deemed ‘One of many Authentic Plus Measurement Influencers’ by Forbes, this triple risk was topped the inaugural ‘Miss Plus America’ in 2003. From there, she modeled for Torrid, served because the Coast-to-Coast Spokesperson for Ashley Stewart, and controversially posed nude alongside America’s Subsequent High Mannequin’s Cycle 10 winner Whitney Thompson for the NOH8 marketing campaign. However… her stride to changing into one of the vital revered within the sport didn’t cease there.
With a spot on BET’s iconic prank sequence Hell Date, quite a few model collaborations, knowledgeable appearances, and philanthropic work, the tremendous entertainer/entrepreneur’s influence (actually) earned her the accolades to point out for it. It’s due to ladies like Lewis that ladies like us are audacious sufficient to showcase the arrogance and esteem we’ve spent the vast majority of our lives constructing.
“Growing my confidence and vanity has been a journey deeply rooted within the optimistic reinforcement and steerage I acquired from my household, notably my mom,” the Full Figured Trade Awards Icon Award recipient advised Daring Journey Journal in a 2024 sit-down. “By turning my journey right into a platform for empowerment, I’ve made confidence and optimistic physique picture my private model. I attempt to encourage others to see their price and potential, no matter societal requirements.”
Thanks for 15 years of greatness, The Chenese Lewis Present.
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