🌟 Meet Sumer Strawbree, our YOUNGEST guest ever! This powerhouse entrepreneur, author, digital artist, and paid speaker is changing lives through the power of positive affirmations and self-love.

In this uplifting and inspiring episode of the HumanizeHer Podcast, Sumer Strawbree (along with a special appearance by her father and manager and our first male ally on the show - what better start than a father , who goes by Mastermind Statements). Sumer shares her journey from suffering severe low self-esteem as a bullied child to building a thriving brand centered around empowerment, self-love, and positive affirmations.

Sumer Strawbree launched her own publishing company and began her journey as an author and illustrator at just 12 years old. Now the creator of four affirmation coloring books and a national keynote speaker for girls' empowerment, Sumer has appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show and ABC News Live. She has independently sold more than 10,000 copies of her books worldwide - featuring positive images that empower black and brown girls to feel confident and beautiful. She is also a digital artist, showcasing her work in galleries - and we have her work in our podcast studio! Behind the résumé is a girl who was once bullied for her teeth and her hands - who stopped smiling, until her father taught her to rebuild her confidence one affirmation at a time. Today, she hands other girls that same superpower.

Key Highlights:

• Turning Trauma into Triumph: Sumer reveals the origin story behind her mission; after accidentally knocking out her front teeth on a basketball hoop at her dad's tech space, she developed a crooked tooth and became the target of intense school bullying and later cyberbullying.

• Power of Daily Affirmations: Encouraged by her father in fifth grade, Sumer adopted a daily routine of reciting positive affirmations ("I am black, brown, and beautiful," "I am a winner," "I am fearless") to reprogram her subconscious mind and rebuild her self-esteem.

• Empowering Books & Inclusivity: Sumer discusses authoring four successful coloring and affirmation books, including her hit debut Black, Brown, and Beautiful (translated into multiple languages) and My Career Glow Up, which showcases young girls in diverse fields like software engineering and athletics.

• Finding Representation in Art: As a self-taught digital artist, Sumer shares a poignant moment from her early days: realizing that online drawing tutorials only featured lighter-skinned girls with straight hair. Encouraged by her dad, she shifted her focus to creating artwork representing Black and brown girls, which has now been showcased in galleries.

• I Am Confident University & Community Work: Sumer breaks down her affirmation and vision board workshops designed to help people of all ages identify limiting beliefs, take actionable steps toward their goals, and find self-love.

• A Model for Fatherhood and Allyship: In a heartwarming segment, Sumer’s father joins the couch as the podcast's first male ally. He shares his approach to intentional parenting, drawing a "strategic business plan" for his daughter's growth, and instilling entrepreneurial confidence in her from a young age.

"You don't really feel a negative way about yourself until someone says something...it’s my job to keep moving forward and help others build their confidence, too." - Sumer Strawbree

This episode is a masterclass in resilience, youth leadership, and the power of positive parenting - offering deep value for parents, young entrepreneurs, and anyone working to overcome self-doubt. For the parents listening, Sumer’s story is a powerful wake-up call. We’ll dive into how her father recognized the silent signs of bullying and giving parents the tools to better understand what their own kids might be going through, and how to intervene.

Special Shoutouts in this Episode:

Miss T

Sarah Jakes Roberts

Sumer’s Father (Mastermind Statements), and her Pops/Grandfather ❣️

You can book Sumer as a speaker or purchase Sumer’s books to support her mission here:

https://sumerstrawbree.com/collections/coloring-books

Listen in and join the conversation with host, Erica Lockheimer and co-host, Elizabeth Wendorf-Bloesser.

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Timestamps:

00:00 — Introduction of Sumer Strawbree, our youngest guest ever

01:41 — Sumer's origin story: bullying in 4th grade and losing her smile

05:24 — How Sumer's dad noticed she stopped showing her teeth and first recognized the bullying

08:02 — Warning signs for parents + how bullying gets normalized in school

10:28 — Cyberbullying in middle school: Snapchat rumors, jealousy over her books

13:16 — The power of positive affirmations - Sumer's daily formula for rebuilding self-confidence

13:21 — Black, Brown & Beautiful, Glow Up, My Career Glow Up, I'm An Olympian - 10,000+ girls inspired worldwide

17:54 — Sumer's digital art process (self-taught) - and why she didn't draw girls who looked like her at first

20:13 — I Am Confident University: affirmation & vision board workshops for all ages

20:35 — Sumer's vision board from age 7 - she manifested becoming an author AND just signed with a talent agency

26:18 — The emotional moment a woman at ComicCon showed Summer her scars - why this work matters

27:25 — Hosts share their own personal bullying stories

36:00 — Giving back: advisory boards, $500 grants, hospital book donations, anti-bullying support group launch

40:36 — The business side: paid speaking, Woman Evolve (Sarah Jakes Roberts), hosting workshops for 150+ girls

44:25 — Pay it forward: the dance teacher who changed everything - one message that sparked Sumer's career at 12

47:14 — Dad joins the show (first male ally on HumanizeHer!) - his philosophy on fatherhood from day one

49:44 — Dad's blueprint: how his own father's influence + a subconscious mindset shaped the way he raised Sumer

56:51 — The misstep dad admits to and his advice to parents to teach kids to recognize bullying before it happens

1:00:11 — Closing reflections on parenting, privilege, and setting kids up for life