Over 100 million people worldwide have a mark, scar or condition which affects their facial appearance. This includes those that have suffered a burn injury. For many, having a facial difference means living in oppression dealing with negative stigmas, and a lack of strong representation in the media or online. During Face Equality Week, we honor, and spread awareness for facial inequalities as we work together to educate the world about the misconceptions and superstitions surrounding those with these differences.In this episode, we talk with Lise Deguire and Niki Averton, representatives and advocates in our community who are working to help raise awareness and combat the negative stigma that surrounds those with facial differences. Lise and Niki talk about their personal passions for the project, and their work with Face Equality International, and advocate to inspire others to help drive positive change for face equality.About Face Equality InternationalFace Equality International is an alliance of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), charities, and support groups which are working at national, regional, or international levels to promote the campaign for ‘face equality’. Learn more at https://faceequalityinternational.org. About Lise DeguireDr. Lise Deguire is a clinical psychologist, author, and burn survivor. After being severely burned as a four-year-old, she spent much of her childhood in the hospital, undergoing countless surgical procedures. Dr. Deguire is the author of her multiple award-winning book, Flashback Girl: Lessons on Resilience from a Burn Survivor.Dr. Deguire attended Tufts University, graduating summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Widener University and is in solo practice in New Jersey. Dr. Deguire has appeared on NPR, NBC, ABC, FOX, and Sirius XM. She is a national keynote speaker and has presented for Phoenix World Burn Congress, and the American Burn Association, amongst many others. She writes for Psychology Today and has been featured in Huffington Post, Thrive Global, and many other publications. Dr. Deguire blogs regularly about psychological resilience. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, and her website, LiseDeguire.comAbout Niki AvertonNiki Averton is a writer, editor, and lifelong member of the burn community. She earned an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, where her thesis examined the representation of scarred characters in speculative young adult literature. Her short fiction has appeared in Voyage YA Journal. Prior to becoming a full-time writer and freelance editor, she was a program manager at Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors. Niki lives in Michigan with her wife and a small army of furry pals.About TelgianAs a global leader, Telgian is saving lives through innovative fire prevention and life safety solutions. Together, Telgian and Phoenix Society unite to increase and raise awareness for fire prevention efforts.Resources from the ShowVisible Difference and Disfigurement in the ArtsTips for Writing About Characters with Burn ScarsRefinery29 Article About AI Making Life Difficult for Burn SurvivorsLise Deguire’s WebsiteNiki Averton’s InstagramLise’s Article About Burn Scars at the BeachDr. Clifford Workman’s Study About Facial DifferencesAbout the Movie ‘Bend It Like Beckham'Beauty Influencer Tonya Meisenbach’s PodcastPhoenix World Burn Congress