Meet Nina

I’m a makeup artist and a few months ago I was hired to work on a shoot with a crew that I hadn’t worked with before. This isn’t anything new to me. With my job, I am constantly being thrown into unfamiliar situations with all walks of life. We work hard and have fun on set and then we say goodbye. But this shoot was different. I met a girl named Nina Brav.

Over the course of two days, I learned a lot about Nina, the 22 year-old photographer from Hilo, Hawaii. She loves to surf and listen to good music. She adores bright colors and sundresses. She smiles. A lot. She is open hearted and full of brilliant ideas. But I didn’t realize just how open hearted and brilliant until I asked her about the tattoo on her arm that simply says “REVO”.

“What is the meaning behind that?”
Nina responded, “It’s short for revolution.”

I questioned her further about it, and the more she explained it, the more I was equal parts blown away, impressed, and inspired. I knew Nina was a photographer, but I had no clue that she had founded an organization called REVO. I hadn’t heard of it, but I wanted to know as much as I could… how is it that this busy, young photographer, almost ten years my junior, had created an entire organization devoted to helping others?

It all started a couple of years ago when Nina found out that her friend, Kristie, was supporting an orphanage in Malawi with her own paycheck. Inspired to help her, Nina organized an art show to raise funds for them. It was at that art show that Nina was approached by two people from Tennessee and Louisiana. They wanted to know what they could do in their hometowns to help the causes that were important to them. And in that moment, the idea for REVO was born. Everyone is a revolutionary. Everyone is able to make a difference. Choose a cause that you are passionate about and start your very own revolution.

Since that first art show, REVO has spread to fifteen states and five countries. It won the MySpace Impact Awards in 2008. Over one hundred thousand dollars has been raised in two years for causes including the Grace of God Orphanage, Blood Water Mission, Invisible Children, Not For Sale Campaign, Mocha Club and Stop the Traffik.

It’s been a few short months since I met Nina Brav, and I am happy to say we have become fast friends. We hang out at local cafes, go to shows, eat frozen yogurt, talk about important life stuff and the not-so-important stuff too… you know, normal things that friends do. And I guess that is what I find most inspiring about Nina – the fact that she is someone who is not so different from me, and yet, she is making such a difference.

-Francesca

Francesca will be blogging about many of the people involved with REVO from here on out. We hope this helps you get to know us a little bit better.