Thanksgiving 2012

Colloquially, a cook who prepares a delicious meal is said to have “put their foot” in it- and that is exactly what Friend of HerShe and community Chef Cynthia De Leon did in preparing the bountiful spread enjoyed at the annual HerShe Thanksgiving Dinner on 11/17/12! The atmosphere was warm and jovial as our HerShe girls helped to prepare a fresh and delicious salad and set the table in preparation for the family-style buffet.

The HerShe family then gathered around a table adorned with festive autumn-themed decor and enthusiastically filled their plates with all of the traditional Thanksgiving fixings, including turkey, yams, string beans, mashed potatoes and cobbler. As they dined, laughed and enjoyed each other’s company, the time came for each attendee to share with the group those things for which they are most grateful. This beautiful and poignant portion of the evening brought about expressions of gratitude for the sisterhood and support within HerShe, for good health and life itself, for challenges overcome and for HerShe founder Kenadie’s vision that provided for the possibility of such a gathering. Reflecting on our blessings even as they coexist with personal trials was such an enriching, intimate and humbling experience.

The HerShe Group is extremely thankful for the support of the community and people like YOU that are invested in the success of our amazing girls.

Let’s continue the circle of sharing. What are you thankful for this year? How do you maintain an attitude of gratitude throughout the year? Leave a comment below! HerShe hopes you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

LMU Day (sponsored by Sigma Gamma Rho)

On Saturday November 3rd, 2012, the Hershe girls were treated to a day full of educational intrigue at Loyola Marymount University sponsored by Sigma Gamma Rho sorority.  A significant portion of the day was spent in LMU's Von Der Ahe building, where the girls participated in activities to hone their communication skills and learned how to increase productivity through prioritization of goals.  The day's workshops were facilitated by a group of dynamic and well-informed women, including HerShe Board Members Cynthia Oredugba and Dr. Roberta Falke, who engaged the girls in a discussion about healthy relationships and Board Member Annie Stein, who conducted a writing workshop. The morning workshops were led by HerShe Facilitators Kendal Troutman who provided invaluable information about life skills and Jennifer Symington who addressed personal presentation through public speaking. 

The girls then made their way to the campus cafeteria for lunch and got a sampling of the abundant offerings that often lead to the "Freshman 15"!  They were then treated to a tour of LMU's scenic campus tour and took in many of its most impressive sites, including the new library that sits on a bluff overlooking Marina del Rey.   Hershe believes that exposing the girls to university life makes their desire to attend college more tangible and will hopefully fuel their determination to succeed. 

Help inspire our HerShe girls! Do you remember gearing up for the annual football game against your rivals? Did you pledge a fraternity or sorority? Are you still best friends with your freshman-year roommate? Represent your alma mater in the comments below and tell us about your most memorable college experience! Or tell us about your dream school and why you want to attend! 

On Friday, February 23-26, HerShe Group had its annual Ski Trip at Mammoth. For a lot of our HerShe girls, this trip was their first experience with winter sports and snow.

Our first day at Mammoth was filled with wonderful snow activities (like snowshoeing) by the completely frozen Lake Mary and a Gondola ride through snow-capped mountains while sipping hot chocolate. The night ended with a beautiful three hour-worship service hosted by The Station Camp.

The next day was completely devoted to skiing and snowboarding at Mammoth Mountain. Being beginners, the girls learned how to properly put on skis/snowboards and how to stop and start their boards correctly. By the end of the day, most girls progressed from skiing/snowboarding down smaller bunny hills to larger snow mounds.

The night ended with a delicious Winter Wonderland Luau dinner. The Station Camp successfully brought the warm tropical feel of Hawaii to wintery Mammoth! Before retiring for the night, the girls were treated to a delicious hot chocolate bar and a Karaoke session.

We had so much fun at Mammoth that it was very difficult to say goodbye to our wonderful hosts at the Station Camp. Special thanks to our HerShe mentor, Ta’mur Rasul, for driving us all the way to Mammoth and back. The trip wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for Ta'mur Rasul.

6th Annual Cinderella Ball featuring Meagan Good

On January 15th, 2012, seven HerShe Debutantes, Meagan, Precious, Angelica, Ashley, Audriahna, Elizabeth, and Felicia, celebrated their very special night with loved ones and long time supporters at the beautiful Olympic Collection.

The night commenced with an art auctionhosted by Kenadie Cobbin Richardson, HerShe Founder and CEO, and HerShe board member, Juanita Palacios-Sims. The art was created by our very own HerShe girls under the tutelage of the very talented Michael Massenburg.

The auction quickly gave way to an inspirational dance of Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song,” choreographed by HerShe Debutante Program
Manager, Kendal Robinson and performed by our HerShe Girls.

From “Love that Girl,” the Disney Show “Shake it up!” and the DC Comics DVD “Justice League: Doom,” Phil Morris presided over the entire evening as the host for our 6th Annual Cinderella
Ball.

Our HerShe girls’ second expression of artistic elegance was a theatrical presentation written and produced by the wonderful Kenneth Brown and directed by the industrious ladies of Onlave
Signature Productions, Alana, Lauren and Ontwanet. The theatrical presentation
was a tribute to female pioneers and trailblazers who have shaped our world and was
performed by HerShe ladies in waiting, Ebony and Kristine and HerShe debutante,
Ashley.

One of the hottest young female singing groups out there, Lil Miz, who have also opened for Lil Kim, followed the theatrical presentation with a very high energy performance.

A reading of our HerShe girls’ poetry and prose, which was collected and developed for two beautiful years by HerShe writing coach, Annie Stein, was performed by the talented Meagan Good (from the films "Stomp The Yard" "Waist Deep” and "Jumping The Broom") Kendyl Joi, Phyllis Bailey Brooks (From CBS’ Comfort Creatures) and by our Cinderella Ball Production Director, Iona Morris (From TV Show “Moesha”). A Featured singer with Macy Gray, Fantasia’s background singer and the lead singer of the group The Endangered, Miss Maiya Sykes immediately sang the moving song “Beauty from Ashes” after the reading.

The prose and poetry read by our talented celebrity supporters can now be found in our first
published book entitled “Beauty from Ashes: Volume 1.”

Before our beautifully talented Debutantes and escorts were presented by Debutante Program Manager, Kendal Robinson and our Host, Phil Morris, our ladies in waiting were presented by HerShe Program Director, Indiana Garcia and HerShe Graduation Coach, Phaebra Croft.
After being presented to their HerShe family and long time supporters, our HerShe debutantesand escorts moved many Ball attendees to tears through their choreographed dance of CeCe Winans “Always Sisters” and Mary J. Blidge’s “Living Proof.”

After acknowledging and thanking thevolunteers, staff and donors that made the 6th annual Cinderella Ball a reality, the elegant and magical night ended with a celebratory desert
reception!

Special Thanks to the following people for making the 6th Annual Cinderella Ball not only possible, but also a success!

HerShe Caregivers

HerShe Mentors:
Aasia Kinney
Amy Gumbs
Amy Meyers
Candice Swinson
Kari Archie
Kimberly Vandriver
LaQueena Litzey
Lauren Duda
Melena Taylor
Schanda Stroud
Shinina Butler
Staci Smith
Ta’mur Rashul
Tammy Burrell Henderson
Tonya Gorham
Yahvoh Totimeh
Yung Phan
Zenja Dunn
Twinkie Byrd

HerShe Staff:
Kendal Robinson
Nina Bryson
Phaebra Croft
Desma Simon
Indiana Garcia
Darice Goodwin

Escorts:
Shaunkese Hamer
Douglas Sallie
Jae Hughes
Darnell Cates
Isiah Johnson
Drew Phillips
Malik Gillum

Production Director:
Iona Morris

DJ & Sound:
Edward Lair
Alana Smith

Presenters/Performers:
Phil Morris
Maiya Sykes
Meagan Good
Kendyl Joi
Lil Miz

Volunteers:
Phyllis Bailey Brooks
Courtney Wayne Linsey
Elayn Taylor
Patrice Marshall
Maria Rice
Maurissa Sanders
Juanita Palacios-Sims
Jasmine Stovall
Porchia Burnett
Delores Bonner
Patrice Williams
The Ladies of Sigma Gamma Roe

Segment Producers:
Renda Pettis
Kenneth Brown
Ladies of Onlave: Ontwanet, Alana and Lauren
Michael Massenburg

General Support:
Christian Epps
Angstrom lighting
Blair Brooks
Christina Bentley
Yvonne Guillen
Perfect Success Event
Management
Scarlett Flowers Design

Photographer:
Leah Lerner
Erik V. Simpson Photography

Make-Up:
Merc Arcenaux
Denise Ruiz
Belinda Simpson
Jasmine Stovall
Angela Young-Brinn

Wardrobe:
Wendell Carmichael
(Wynningz by Wyndell)
Chuck Brown
Georgine Clayton
Rent‐A‐Tux


DCFS:
Annie Fultz
Stacie Ottley

Maurissa Sanders Mitchem

HerShe Board of Directors:
Duffy Humbert
Kenadie Cobbin Richardson
Annie Stein
Barbara Savage
Cynthia Oredugba
Delaina Thomas
Jalenda Motley
Joyce Guinyard
Juanita Palacios-Sims
Mary Anderson
Pamela Bright-Moon
Roberta Falke
Michelle Barton Brown

Donors:
HerShe Fundraising
Committee
Bob Poe Charitable
Foundation
Jamila Hunter
Simon Strauss Foundation
Benenson Family
Foundation
Capital Group Companies
Charitable Foundation

Table Sponsors:
Annie Stein
Duffy Humbert
Delaina Thomas
Jamila Hunter
Kenadie and Gentry
Richardson
Pamela Bright Moon
Roberta Falke
Yasmin Delahoussaye

Additional Cinderella Sponsor:
Bebe
Westchester Christian Church

Hair:
Spa 313
Keokia Childress
Sharon Mackey

Westchester ChristianChurch:

Sharon Mackey
Barbara Ford
Pastor Crissina

One-on-One HerShe Mentoring

Thirteen unmatched HerShe girls were paired up with mentors.

On Match Day, the girls and their soon to be mentors were busy with a ton of get-to-know-you games and activities provided by our wonderful Mentor Program Manager, Nina Bryson. During the same time, already matched HerShe girls went over their goals for the upcoming year with their mentors. Maurissa Sanders Mitchem, our HerShe PEP (post-emancipation program) Manager, led this discussion and offered many words of wisdom to the matched girls and mentors.

After lunch, which was generously donated by the wonderful Michelle Barton-Brown, unmatched girls were individually called up and told by Nina Bryson who their new mentors were. The girls responded in a multitude of ways (shrieks of pleasure, smiles, hugs, etc), but all in all everyone was most definitely happy with their match.

HerShe girl, Alisa W. stated “I had fun. I enjoyed myself. I really wanted Kari and I got her!” and HerShe girl, Molly D. stated “I liked it because I got who I really wanted. I screamed when I heard Yung’s name,” when asked what they felt about Mentor Match Day.

Good luck to all of our Mentor/Mentee pairs as they start off a new year together! And always remember that being a good Mentee/Mentor means spending lots of time together!

Saturday, August 27^th, 2011 was a very busy day for HerShe since we not only had our Mentor/Mentee Match Day, but we also had our first annual Back to School Shopping event for the girls.

Our Fundraising committee outdid themselves with this event by securing donated clothes, bags, shoes and school supplies from a number of sources, namely Ed Hardy, GAP and Hollister. The HerShe girls were given HerShe bucks, the amount depended on their merit. Some girls were given up to nineteen HerShe bucks due to their punctuality, being a part of the Cahuenga Library Community Service day, etc, which meant they most certainly went on a shopping spree since all items at our Back to School Shopping event were priced at one dollar.

Before the girls were allowed to shop, members of the Fundraising Committee gave the girls a styling 101 presentation. They emphasized the importance of not allowing one’s clothes be the source for why one feels beautiful because true beauty comes from within.

By the end of the event, over a hundred items were sold and each girl had giant bags of clothes/school supplies to take home.When asked what they felt about our first annual HerShe Back to School Shopping event, the HerShe girls stated:

“I like how they gave us a whole speech and real tips on how they think about fashion before letting us shop. They stressed that beauty comes from within and they made sure we knew this before they let us shop.” (Elizabeth H.)

“It was new. They had different brands, dresses, shorts, skirts and pants. They connected with us by helping us shop and constantly asking us if we needed help.” (Ms. M)

“It was great! I got some uniform pants and the best thing about it was that it was free!” (Dyahnne S.)

“It was great! Everybody went away with something, which is what’s important.” (Meagan W)

“There were so many options. All the girls were excited and it was tons of fun.” (Ebony CW)

Special thanks to the fundraising committee for making this event possible! And Good luck on your first day of school, HerShe girls!

HerShe's Community Service Day - 8/6/11

On Saturday, August 6, 2011, the HerShe Group had its first community service day of the Zeta program year at the Cahuenga Branch Library in Hollywood.

Every month, individuals from the Los Angeles community gather together at the library and have a mini-cleanup/gardening session. Andrew Carnegie built the library in 1916, making it the oldest library in the state of California.

HerShe girls were fortunate enough to help with the cleanup. Elson Trinidad, a member of the CahuenGardeners, which is the organization responsible for setting up the monthly cleanups, put the girls straight to work immediately after they arrived at the library.

The HerShe girls helped pick up trash, weed, water plants and sweep the front and backside of the library. By the end of the session, the library looked great and we went home rejuvenated with the spirit of giving.

Thank you, CahuenGardeners for inviting us to this mini-cleanup! We look forward to working with you again!

Also, a special thanks to Indiana Garcia for finding this opportunity to give back to Mother Earth!!