Hara Allison

Publisher
Designer
Photographer
Podcast Host

Hara Allison is the founder of Beneath Your Beautiful magazine and podcast as well as an award-winning graphic designer at STUDIO H creative and an award-winning photographer at Hara Allison Photography.

In addition to volunteering with Soulumination, an organization that gifts photography sessions and keepsakes to families facing life-threatening conditions, Hara also served on the board of the National Association of Women Business Owners and most recently was a Spokane Women of Achievement nominee for the Arts and a finalist for The Women Changing the World Awards in three categories including Journalism and Media, Micro Business and People’s Choice in Health & Wellbeing.

Over the years, Hara has volunteered her design services for many nonprofits including Beyond Pink, Cancer Can’t, Childhood Cancer Coalition (formerly ACCOIN), Meals on Wheels, Project Beauty Share, SCAARS (Stop Child Abuse – Advocates for Reform and Safety), United Way and countless others.

Hara believes that no matter what we look like, or what challenges life presents us, we are inherently worthy and most of all, worthy of our own love. Beauty is in all of us.

Beneath Your Beautiful magazine is born from a desire to show that beauty is everywhere: from heart-warming to heart wrenching. The title refers to the lightness in our soul, as well as the darkness. It represents all that we’ve wrestled with as well as our triumphs.

Hara’s parents divorced when she was one year old. Single with six kids, her mom struggled financially as the kids struggled emotionally. Her childhood was a chaotic mix of drugs, police interactions, powdered milk and reduced-cost school lunches.

At seven, Hara was sexually abused. Because nothing was said or done to protect her, she let it define her worth and carried so much shame. With a child's perspective, she believed it was her fault. 

Hara’s mom passed away from cancer when Hara was just 18. For six brutal months she watched her mom slowly deteriorate and then was thrust into adulthood.

Hara lost her dad twice: once to the fog of Alzheimer’s and later when his body succumbed to the disease. She lost a brother to a drug overdose and another to cancer.

When her daughters were only 2 and 6, Hara found herself a divorced, single momm barely making it on one salary. She filed for bankruptcy, twice, and almost lost her home to foreclosure, while surviving on a diet of Top Ramen because that was all she could afford.

Through all of this, Hara battled her weight and self worth.

After years of work, however, she found her way to self love. Instead of pointlessly wishing that she was different, she began truly loving herself, as is, honoring her strengths with tremendous appreciation for all she has.

It is from here “Beneath Your Beautiful” was born. It’s from here Hara honors that she’s more than her struggles or appearance.  

Hara is proof that what’s beneath your beautiful is where we can all find hope and that beauty is always there to be found when you seek it.

PHOTOGRAPHY: hara.photography
DESIGN: studioh-creative.com