Our Story
It started with a small spark… and then it grew
THE STORY: How Magic Messes was Made by Someone Who Needed It
Charlotte was raised by a single mother, Susan McClelland. Susan, as an award-winning journalist, worked alongside subjects escaping warzones, persecution and overcoming some of the greatest tyranny one can imagine. With Susan writing these novels from home, Charlotte grew up around stories of hope, fights for freedom and not being a bystander in the face of injustice.
When Charlotte was just 8-years-old and in Grade 3, she formed a close friendship with a girl who shared her interests in Taylor Swift, interior decoration, and acting. Having special needs, this girl was the target of bullying, gossip, and exclusion. As Charlotte stood by her friend, she, too, became the subject of bullying from those once considered her friends. Charlotte couldn't comprehend how children in a beautiful neighbourhood in Toronto, Canada, given incredible opportunities and privilege, could be so cruel. Contrasted with the compassion shown by her mother's subjects amid their relentless trauma, Charlotte was saddened by the lack of humanity she saw in her classmates.
As a professional actress, Charlotte began creating YouTube videos from the comfort of her own bedroom. Her videos took a lighthearted and comedic approach, shedding light on various topics like schoolyard cliques, different types of bullies, bystanders, and even subtle forms of bullying and cyberbullying. Through her portrayals of various characters, Charlotte struck a chord with other children, providing them with both laughter and valuable insights into the complexities of elementary school social dynamics. Most importantly, these videos allowed children to look critically at their own experiences, identify whether they have contributed to causing pain for others, and find solidarity when they have been the victims of bullying.
At 12-years-old, Charlotte received a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Education to develop these videos professionally. This was the birth of Magic Messes.
THE STORY: Magic Messes' Development
After having filmed these comedic and educational YouTube videos professionally with a film crew, Charlotte was accepted to the Me to We Incubation Hub, a program helping young people expand their social enterprises. Magic Messes, formerly called 'Girl Dayz', was then developed into a social platform, website and community targeting elementary school-aged children.
This platform focused on providing resources to build self-esteem and overcome bullying, consisting of, in short, outreach programs at schools, video content, public speaking, a 'Truth or Dare' app, and a self-esteem-building toy (Peace Pets) pitched to Mastermind Toys.
Through 'Girl Dayz’ (Magic Messes) Charlotte became an ambassador for the Telus #endbullying campaign and the National Center for the Prevention of Community Violence. She won the Telus 2019 We Rise Up Award, the 2019 Unilever BrightFuture Award, the Louise Russo Award for Citizenship, the Ministry of Education Speak Up Grant, and the Rising Youth Grant.
From 2018 to today, the Magic Messes website has over 30,000 website views and has received testimonials and art submissions from hundreds of children. While having a large impact in Canada, Magic Messes is still at the beginning.
Now, What’s Your Story?
