CYRENE TANKARD OF "THICKER THAN WATER" RESPONDS TO SOCIAL MEDIA ATTACK WITH GIRL EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM

buzzz worthy. . .

BRAVO REALITY STAR CYRENE  TANKARD OF "THICKER THAN WATER" RESPONDS TO SOCIAL MEDIA ATTACK WITH GIRL EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM Youngest Tankard Daughter To Host Online Conversation With Girls 13-16 and 17-20; Launches Crowd Funding Campaign To Host "A Day Without Boys" Nashville, May 15, 2014 - Girls are under attack on social media, a fact Cyrene Tankard of Bravo's breakout hit "Thicker Than Water" knows from firsthand experience. Her response: create a safe place for teen and young adult girls to gather online and hold open, honest discussions about life issues, "Love You More". Then seek to unite girls to spend one- day without boys! "Love You More is a private membership club organized to empower all youth but aimed at girls," says Tankard.  "I want to create a safe haven for my peers, somewhere for them to come and talk and discuss how they feel. Somewhere where they can really get in and talk about the real stuff they go through on the daily and not feel judged or condemned and get some answers while being able to vent." As a part of her launch, Cyrene seeks to host girl only days in select markets nationally.  "A Day Without Boys" is part workshop and part empowerment program that aims to inspire women to support one-another by spending a day with other women.   "A Day Without Boys is not just a day where we say 'eew cooties let's avoid the cooties,' it is so much deeper. This will be the day where girls and woman can experience a pure breakthrough with the activities and discussions they'll engage in; it allows us women to be completely honest with each other without fear of what the opposite sex thinks.  We can just peal back the layers and be real with each other and to learn to love ourselves more." The irony of Cyrene's "A Day Without Boys" is that she wants males to assist by contributing to her crowd-funding campaign. "My hope is that males will get involved and support us too by realizing that the campaign is actually helping to better the women around them and that is something worthy of an investment, says Cyrene." "If you love the woman in your life then send her on a girls day and help her learn to love herself more, which in the end will help her to Love You More."  To the viewing public Cyrene is the virginal, carefree, slightly spoiled, daughter of Ben and Jewel Tankard on Bravo's "Thicker Than Water".  In addition to being a stellar student, church youth leader and overall confident kid the depiction is true.  However, during season one, Cyrene prepared to accompany her parents to an award show.  As was their practice during the season of their show, and at the request of the network, the family took photos and sent them to Bravo's social media team for posting.  One photo of Cyrene caused a bit of controversy and resulted in a shockingly negative response on social media: ****WARNING OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE FOLLOWS****   "Yea she been ready to f*#k and that purity ring dont mean s%$t...." "Exactly is that purity ring still on in this pic...you know that's a lie" "Cyrene want some Di@k" "Please that kid been there and done that..." ****TWEETS RECEIVED FOLLOWING BRAVO POST*** "I was somewhere between hurt and offended," says Cyrene.  "I had heard people talk about social media attacks but I guess on some level assumed they deserved it.  For a minute I wondered if I deserved it; if maybe I brought this on myself by choosing the wrong photos." After talking to her family and gaining their full support, Cyrene turned to her publicist Darren Dickerson to discuss a response and found a kindred spirit in Dickerson who immediately began helping Cyrene craft a campaign. "I understood what Cyrene experienced and how similar things happen daily to youth online or in other social settings," said Dickerson.  "We decided to start a conversation with youth about real life issues they face to provide the type of honest feedback Cyrene received."  Together Cyrene and Dickerson created a private club, "Love You More", that is at its core an ongoing dialogue with youth about life.  Via online chats, blogs and social media posts, Cyrene meets with members and engages in a conversation designed to help members better cope with the pressures of being a teen in 2014 and beyond.

Love You More "Love You More" is a private membership club organized to empower youth with three goals: I.   To engage in honest dialogue with youth about their life experiences II.  To inspire youth to love themselves first III. To support, uplift, and educate other youth to make smart choices "Love You More" seeks to instill vital problem solving skills that will sustain members throughout their teen and young adult years, better preparing them for adult life. "Love You More" starts as a digital conversation about real life issues and the negative messages sent directly and indirectly to girls; we candidly and aggressively discuss: how to avoid exhibiting negative behaviors to fit popular - more socially accepted - roles how to deal with pressure from peers and parents the angry, mean-spirited attacks suffered by girls on social media boys, men, and our overly sexualized world sex, drugs, and pop culture 4/4 UPDATE:  In the latest  episode of "Thicker Than Water" Cyrene clashes with the family during a break from Howard University, especially her mother, Jewel. Last season Cyrene was depicted as the most level-headed of the Tankard children. She returns home rebellious and disrespectful.  During her first year in college she was hospitalized 3 times, once for alcohol poisoning. Jewel and the family rally around her with support and she completely ignored them. Even though everyone is handling Cyrene with kid gloves she feels attacked and challenges everything Jewel says.  Later she tells Ben that she was upset because the whole family was present. It's clear that Cyrene feels smothered, wants her independence and to be treated as and adult, yet her response to the gentle love and support her family has bestowed upon her is surprisingly childish. Sadly the whole nation is watching as Tankard, a minister of the Gospel and Jewel both try to turn their daughter's heart back toward the Godly foundation from which she has strayed.