Our Founder
DEIDA MASSEY
Founder and Executive Director
Deida Massey is a native of Chicago, Illinois raised in the Roseland community. Deida realized helping our youth was her calling due to inner-city violence that she was subjected to at an early age. Having lost her father tragically to gun violence when she was five years old, she struggled in her teen years. “I reluctantly admit that I was a handful as a teenager. I was always in trouble and struggled in relationships with boys. I was searching but wasn’t quite sure what I was searching for – it wasn’t until years later, as an adult, that I understood God is all I needed and didn’t need to find validation in the eyes and arms of others.” In addition, when a cousin she grew up closely with was shot in the face due to gang activity, Deida decided to turn her outlook on life and her future around to make better choices.
Prior to pursuing her dream of being an A-list Hollywood Makeup Artist in the beauty, fashion, music and entertainment industry, Deida obtained a Master’s of Jurisprudence from Loyola School of Law in Child and Family Law. While in school, Deida worked as a paralegal for the Cook County Public Guardian’s Office in Chicago, Illinois. During the day she advocated for abused and neglected children. Deida was instrumental in helping teens emancipate from the system by supporting them with services surrounding independent living and social and emotional life skills.
However, Deida’s love for makeup led her to moonlight as a makeup artist at night and on the weekends on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. In fact, it didn’t take her long to trade in her cushy, nine-to-five job for a more creative and rewarding career in makeup artistry. She took a courageous leap of faith, left the Windy City and moved to Los Angeles, CA in 2002. In 2004, Deida’s vision to create Reel Beauty manifested while living in LA. She then decided to bridge the gap between her love and passion for makeup artistry and helping youth fulfill their potential.
In 2005, Deida returned to her roots in Chicago to implement Reel Beauty’s curriculum within the inner city. Today Deida Massey is the Founder and Executive Director of Reel Beauty, Inc – a 501 (c)(3) organization that assists at-risk urban girls. “We teach them to value themselves and empower them with self-worth, self-esteem and self-confidence so they will be productive citizens within their environment by offering a 14-week workshop with activities to help young women resolve the problems they struggle with daily.”
Deida realized how detrimental the messages in today’s music, culture and media were. “I wanted to do something to combat all the negativity.” Reel Beauty not only made inner-city girls feel beautiful and more self-assured, but also equipped them with tools to help them succeed in life. To date, along with a dedicated team of consultants, board members, RBI alumni and volunteers, Reel Beauty, Inc. has mentored upwards of 1000 girls. Their outreach in the community has impacted the lives of young girls throughout the City of Chicago. As a result, they have landed partnerships with: Chicago Public Schools, Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Indiana, University of Chicago’s Project Exploration, The Nellie Prather Foundation, Roosevelt University Gear-Up Program, Brand Jordan, The Colorox Foundation, The K.L.E.O. Center, Clear Channel Communications and Louis Vuitton.
In June 2011, Reel Beauty launched their international program in Mwanza, Tanzania. “This initiative is a dream come true for Reel Beauty. We are impacting young girls’ lives.
According to Deida, Reel Beauty is my way of giving back. So compassionate and self-less Deida says, “I am committed to Reel Beauty, Inc. because it is my ministry- it is my assignment. It is not something I do for publicity or because it sounds good; I do it because I realize “you must be the change you wish to see in the world”. “Therefore, that change starts with me.”
Click below to view Founder’s new book ‘Face Values – The Foundation of Beauty’.