Her Eyes Matter: Mother-Daugther Picnic

Her Eyes Matter is an event powered by Black Businesswomen Rock, a community committed to increasing the network and net worth of black businesswomen around the world. We spent a sunny afternoon on a mother-daughter picnic at Liberty Park in Cerritos, CA.

Attendees participated in hula hoop and double dutch contents, mother-daughter time, and a reading from Jennifer.

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The girls were attentive and participated in the Q&A discussion afterward. It was nice to build community and absorb some of that good ol' vitamin D.

Read Aloud at Compton's CDF Freedom School

Read Lead is an educational initiative that provides literacy and leadership opportunities for youth and young adults in Los Angeles County. They are also the official site sponsor of the national Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools program. The CDF Freedom Schools® program seeks to empower children to make a difference in their communities, families, and most importantly - themselves.

By providing summer and after-school reading enrichment for children who might otherwise not have access to books, the CDF Freedom Schools program plays a much needed role in helping to curb summer learning loss and close achievement gaps.

One of Read Lead's programs is Read Aloud, where guests from the community are invited to come and read to the students. When Jennifer was invited to read I Am Unique! at Compton's Freedom School, she couldn't resist. 

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The kids were lively and full of energy! 

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Even Compton's mayor, Aja Brown was in attendance. We had a chance to chat with one of the CDF Freedom School site coordinators, Tatiana McGlorthan. She helped to coordinate a 6-week literacy program, which focused on higher learning, critical thinking skills, and culturally relevant literature. When asked why representation matters in the school system and beyond, here's what she had to say: 

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We fully support Read and the CDF Freedom School's partnership. To learn more about Read Lead and the other amazing programs they offer, visit their site here.

Beauty, Brains, & Bling 2016

Beauty, Brains, and Bling (BBB) is a quarterly, hands-on session for girls ages 7-11 years old to connect in an interactive, intimate, and inspiring setting. This quarterly event is powered by The Persona Program, which seeks to empower girls by building confidence, developing character, and promoting proper conduct. 

This installment of BBB was all about confidence, self-love, and self-discovery. Jennifer was invited to share personal journey and read I Am Unique!  to the girls.

After the reading, Jennifer led the group in an activity. Each girl received a handout which asked them to identify something they loved about themselves and why. 

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Want a copy of this coloring and activity sheet? Get it here.

Jennifer Vassel Visits Hidden Trails Elementary

Jennifer went to her old stomping grounds, Hidden Trails Elementary, and read I Am Unique! during their assembly. The kids were excited to have someone from their school come back and share what they've been up to since promotion. Jennifer read the story and left the students with this final message:

Throwback to last week when @jenniferdvassel gave the students an inspiring message. Email us if you want Jennifer to come to your school and share the message of self-love!

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After the assembly, Jennifer attended the book fair where she met and talked to some of the students.

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Want Jennifer to come to your school and share the power of self-love and honoring your gifts? Contact us!

SuperMOMs Unite

Special events producer Dunnie Onasanya–Hasan created the Super Moms Unite event series and served as the panel discussion moderator. As a new mother and event producer, she has a vision to create a family-friendly experience that will engage, uplift, and empower mothers in the Los Angeles, CA area.

Jennifer was a vendor at this event. Mothers like comedienne Angelina Spicer stopped by to learn more about I Am Unique! Her daughter and other little girls enjoyed taking pictures with Erin.