Saturday, April 1, 2023
7:00 pm
Creative Suitland Art Center
4719 Silver Hill Road
Suitland, MD 20746
Founded 2015
Sharon Y. Anderson, Founder
Board of Directors
Mar’Tina Van Buren, President
Keaonia Shaw Jamison., Secretary
Dick Richards, Treasurer
Ronda Harvey, Chaplain
Trish Ennis
Ladel Lewis, Ph.D
…Making a Statement through empowering lifestyle choices.
Welcome to the DREAMS Gala Reception & Fashion Show.
As founder of Girl Speak Inc., I am so pleased that you could join us and would like to personally thank you for supporting our fundraising event. Your continued financial gifts make it possible for us to serve the community
Girl Speak Inc. marks another year and is still committed to building the self-esteem of girls. We are blessed and appreciative to have expanded our mission to include the Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) as a Community Partner with Suitland HS This collaboration has enabled us to address a variety of student-related issues (i.e., hygiene, teen violence, etc.) and host specialty activities and events such as our FollowMyLead- #A BossAttitudeLeadership Conference open to the student body, and conducting the How’sYour S.E.L.F.I.E. Game? Program for 60 to 100 students. Confident young ladies make confident decisions.
Tonight’ s theme is all about DREAMS and is a showcase of young ladies and women building and fulfilling dreams using their gifts, talents, and skills. Girl Speak strives to inspire our young ladies to not only dream but achieve them too. Our special guest, Gabby Loftin, is a nine-year-old author and fashion designer who is growing and living her dream. Our models for this evening’s fashion show are or have been participants in a Girl Speak program and are wearing the designs Gabby created. Girls with dreams become women with vision.
Girl Speak isn’t your typical nonprofit, it was specifically created with young ladies from all backgrounds in mind. So please share our information with a young lady who may benefit from participating in one of our programs
Please enjoy tonight’ s fundraising event. Stop by our office to see where some of our “confidence building” happens. Also check out and bid on our silent auction items - it’s all for a great cause building up our young ladies. Again, thank you for supporting our mission. We hope to give our young ladies a voice and transform their world.
And may all your dreams come true
Sharon Y. Anderson Founder
Thank you for attending. Your support is critical to our efforts in the community. Girl Speak develops girls and young women utilizing traditional and non-traditional activities designated activities to promote dialogue and learning in a fun and safe environment. We are a 501 c(3) non-profit organization designed to unite, educate, empower, and celebrate young ladies with and without disabilities through uniquely cultivated training, maximization of one’s potential, enrichment of various skills and transformation of the mind which will create a legacy, and a higher quality of life for themselves, their communities and worldwide. Girl Speak envisions limitless young women, equipped with the essential tools necessary to remove self, as well as generational-imposed boundaries while developing character, confidence, and selfesteem.
At-risk girls and young ladies between the ages of 11-24 in need of spiritual development, self-esteem, social and life skills building in Prince George’s County and the surrounding Washington D.C. metropolitan areas.
• One Day Conferences
• Community Building
• Self Esteem Workshops
• Career Building and Career Mentoring
• Etiquette and Social Graces
• Body Image
• Physical and Mental Health Awareness
Girl Speak’s signature initiative, How’s Your S.E.L.F.I.E. Game is an interactive six-week mini life skills program for young ladies. S.E.L.F.I.E. is the acronym for the themes that are addressed in the curriculum: Self-esteem, rules of Engagement (Conflict Resolution), Leadership, Financial Literacy, Innovative Thinking and Employment Readiness. The program encompasses traditional and non-traditional planned activities including SMEs and successful women to serve as facilitators and presenters – helping our participants recognize and understand how they can use these skills effectively.
Debra Mims is from Detroit, Michigan and has lived in the Washington D.C. area since 1995. She has been an actress for over Thirty years and an arts producer for PBS for thirteen years. Debra was trained as an actress, dancer and arts lover and earned a BFA in acting from Marygrove College in Detroit. She has performed with the Children’s Theater in Madison, Wisconsin and with the DetroitWindsor Dance Company. She began performing with Young Audiences of Maryland (Arts for Learning, MD) in 2000.
Previous performance venues have included: Publik Playhouse in Cheverly, MD Decatur House, Sewall Belmont House, and Reginald Lewis Museum in Baltimore, MD. The Walters Art Museum, Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, and the Smithsonian Anacostia Museum.
Debra Mims has been awarded the Individual Artist Awards for Outstanding Solo Performance from the State of Maryland in 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2016. Debra says: “My art, Storytelling, utilizes the solo performance experience to speak to issues of history, and emotional memory to construct narratives that give a voice to the past, and that is relevant and resonant to our 21st century experience. As appropriate, I combine song, dance, and music to compliment the dramatic storytelling giving the audience a multi-faceted experience.” Debra says, “Storytelling is My Art, and my Joy.”
Shine The Light of Truth: Ida B. Wells is Debra Mims’ seventh solo performance show that she’s written and performed. A ten-minute version of this program was commissioned by the National Archives in celebration of Ida. B. Wells’ contribution to Women’s Suffrage in 2020. The program was subsequently developed to its present form in 2021. Ms. Mims hopes that the performance and conversations will facilitate knowledge, empathy, and healing.
Gabrielle
Loftin is a creative, fashion designer, author, actress, athlete, humanitarian, and 4.0 principal honor student. DC’ s youngest fashion designer and author at 9 years old, Gabby is creative beyond her years. She sews, makes patterns, is a creator of animated shorts, a digital artist, an artist, a rug maker, an author, an athlete, and scholar. She painted her first picture at 18 months.
At the age of two, Gabby began making her own lip gloss and fingernail polish to make her own money to buy gum because mom told her no. She would ask mom ’ s friends and her family to buy what she made. Before she knew it, she made enough money to buy the gum she wanted.
At three years old, Gabby started sewing. She fell in love with it; since then, she has been featured around the country and internationally. At five, she became the youngest to ever be featured during NYFW, LAFW, DCFW, and Paris Fashion Week. She has been invited to be featured in Dubai, London, Hawaii, and Milan fashion weeks. She has been featured on Fox 5, Channel 7’ s The Good Morning Washington Show, H St festival, and numerous publications and fashion weeks. Gabby has even had the opportunity to make clothes for celebrities, such as Ashley Darby from Housewives of Potomac and teen supermodel, Eris Aubrie.
Gabby uses her sewing and creativity to give back to her community, the homeless and writes stories to inspire other kids to be creative. During the pandemic, she used her sewing to make masks for the parents at Friendship Woodridge that were essentially workers, for cancer patients at Howard University Hospital, and hospital patients in Harlem NY
Currently she is:
• preparing to release her next book in her 9-book series, Abby YoYo.
• She will be in the play, The Giz on April 28th at the Lincoln Theatre
• She is making five 8th grade prom dresses and three high school prom dresses.
• She is continually volunteering and doing community work with DC’s 5th district police.
• She is collecting school supplies for her annual back to school giveaway.
• playing AAU basketball
• planning out her Gather with Gabby nights, where people can form different themed activities like game night, talent showcase, paint nights, and learn to make and sew different things.
• just released her new ready to wear collection.
Gabby has been creating for others since she was 2 and was first featured at 5 years old. She would love to share her year 10 with you.
Hor’dourves
MusicbyAinae
Silent Auction
ProceedswillbenefitGirlSpeak’s2023-24programmingwithSuitlandHS
Opening Remarks
KeaoniaShawJamison
Prayer of Blessings
PastorCarlaWhite LifeCityChurchInternational
Call to Action
DickRichards
Recognition of Guest Dignitaries and Sponsors Awards
MarTinaVanBuren
PARTNER INITIATIVE AWARD: Suitland Civic Association
PIONEER RECOGNITION AWARD: Creative Suitland
LONG TERM SERVICE AWARD: Flint City Council Member, Dr. Ladel Lewis
COLLABORATION INITIATIVE AWARD: Jacob’s Ladder Youth Foundation
Musical Interlude
Special Guest
GabrielleLoftin
(Author & Fashion Designer, Gabby’s World Designs)
Models
Chantel Gladden Micah Majors
Zharya Hall Syira Rose
Eden Jackson Madison Snow
London Jamison Jian Turner
Demi Majors Khadijah Vickers
Designs by Gabby’sWorldDesign
Silent Auction Results
SakeenahGallardo
Closing Remarks
SharonY. Anderson,Founder
Music
DJPrincessChristona
My dream is to be an automotive engineer. I want to have a certification in cosmetology, a business degree, and a degree in engineering.
Fun Facts: I am a twin. I am a praise dancer and singer. I love cooking and interior design
My dream is to become a successful entrepreneur and cosmetologist. In addition, to becoming a 911 operator.
Fun Facts: I am a proud operator of an in-home braiding business, DolledbyYaYa. I can sing and dance and have won a couple of spelling bees. Big sister to 2 lil sisters.
My dream is to own my own dance company and be a phlebotomist. I want want to expand my talent and make a career out of it
Fun Facts: I’m very consistent and strict when it comes to the things I love to do. .
Glenn Dale Elementary School
My dream is to become an actress and singer one day.
Fun Facts: Love to bake, draw & color, listening to music, and spending time with my family.
Imagine Foundations at Morningside Public Charter School
My dream is to become a college graduate and be rich.
Fun Facts: I love to create art through drawing, painting, taking pictures, and designs through creating new styles of clothing, hair artistry, nail art and eyelashes. I express myself through art.
Imagine Foundations at Morningside Public Charter School
My dream is to become a college graduate and be successful in my career
Fun Facts: I love to dance, cook, bake, and run track. I am a young entrepreneur and love to make my customers happy! .
Thomas
Stone High SchoolMy dream is to be a photographer.
Fun Facts: I love to dance, write, learn new languages. I love cheerleading, baking, taking pictures, listening to music, and supporting others.
Gwynn
Park Middle SchoolMy dream is to be a chef and a billionaire.
Fun Facts: I like snakes.
Al
Amanah AcademyMy dream is to become a fashion model and hairstylist. I would also like to start an organization called Hair for Needs specializing in hair pieces for girls with ailments that cause hair damage and hair loss.
Fun Facts: I love to dance, do karaoke, and take vacations with my family.
My dream of becoming rich or having a nice life with two or more kids.
Fun Facts: I have two doves.
Downtown Locker Room (DTLR)
GirlLIVE!!!Sponsorship
Prince George’s County Council Member Krystal Oriadha District 7
GirlDO!!!Sponsorship
Fulfilling the Promise Prince George’s CountyCounty Executive Angela Alsobrooks
The Home Team Realty Group
GirlBE!!!Sponsorship
Creative Suitland Art Center
Big Annie’s Soul Food Catering
The Cheesecake Factory
Final Touch Hair Salon
Gabby’s World Designs
The Geller Law Group
Jem Jolease Jewelry
Kettering Family Barbershop
Love Your Space
Root Branch Media Group
Sole to Soul Journeys
Christopher Van Buren
Gabrielle Loftin
Debra Mims
Ainae
DJ Princess Christiona
Creative Suitland Art Center
Catering: Table 23 Co.
Desserts: Treats by Micah
Bar Services: ALD Event Solutions
Balloon Décor: Dwayne Sippio Jr.
Photographer: DC Nite Life
Dustin Evans
Arlette Hill
Kirstan Crawley
Sakeenah Gallardo
Sara Gooden
Christine McCrae
Skylar Rae
Cynthia White
Gloria Wilson
A special Thank You to everyone for your generosity, time, and effort to make a measurable difference and investment in Girl Speak Inc. as well as in the future of the young ladies we serve Your support helps to make what we strive to accomplish easier, and we are forever grateful.