2023 was a year of back-breaking physical obstacles and setbacks, but Chenese stayed resilient in the face of adversity and kept pushing forward to create a successful year.
The Full Figured Industry Awards held in New York, honored Chenese with the 2023 Icon Award for being a trailblazer in the industry and her significant contributions to the plus-size community over the past two decades. She was also awarded by The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. Metropolitan Baton Rouge Chapter with the 2023 Powerhouse Award for going above and beyond to support the mission of advocacy on behalf of Black women and girls.
Along with other influential people in Louisiana, Chenese was spotlighted on the January cover of The Drum Newspaper. The issue featured community victories from leaders across the state who shared their best moments, recalled their valiant work, and let their successes be known. Chenese also graced the cover of the August issue of Queen Size Magazine, the cover story entitled “The Icon” featured Chenese’s impact and journey as one of the original plus-size influencers.
Chenese completed her first year as President of Friends of the Capitol Park Museum. She appeared on WAFB Channel 9 to promote their annual Spanish Town Mardi Gras Parade Party fundraiser. She also served on the committee for the inaugural World AIDS Day Red Gala at Capitol Park Museum. The Red Gala brought attention to the work being done to address the needs of people living with HIV, particularly in Baton Rouge, where the rate of new HIV diagnoses is among the highest in the country.
With a diverse audience, Chenese spoke at events spanning from politics to pageantry. She served as a graduation speaker for the Leaders of Color Louisiana Graduation. The organization supports Black and Latino leaders who otherwise wouldn’t have the tools and resources to run for public office. She was the emcee for The Royal Experience, an annual community recognition and scholarship awards fundraiser brunch, which awarded over $5,000 in scholarships to Black women. In addition, she was a guest speaker for the Louisiana Plus America Pageant Bootcamp, Chenese was the first to hold the state title 21 years ago. She also had the opportunity to guest co-host on the inaugural episode of Let’s Talk On Camera Conversations podcast with iDalis De Leon, former MTV VJ, 90s Icon, and Latina powerhouse.
In 2023 Chenese collaborated with Rene Tyler Plus Sizes for red carpet looks and received influencer packages from Lane Bryant. For the holidays, she hosted a $500 Lane Bryant gift card giveaway on Instagram. Chenese also joined Cameo as talent, an app that allows fans to request personalized video messages from celebrities, athletes, musicians, and influencers.
The Chenese Lewis Show celebrated its 15th anniversary, remaining the most influential podcast for the plus size industry. To add to the celebration, it was nominated for 2023 Podcast of the Year by The Full Figured Industry Awards. A few of the notable guests include Molly Hopkins from TLC’s hit show 90 Day Fiancé and her latest show, 90 Day: The Last Resort, and Zach Miko the first plus size male model signed by IMG Models.
Exciting things are scheduled for 2024, make sure you follow Chenese on all social media platforms and visit www.CheneseLewis.com often to stay up to date!