Take Action Project, Final Post

When our class was first introduced to this project I had no clue what I was going to do, but when we were handed a sheet that had multiple choices of organizations for us to choose from there was only one that really drew my attention: My Dreams do Come True. This organization seemed perfect for me to get involved in because it targeted girls around my age and I felt like if I were participating I would really be making a difference. 

The organization provides girls with dress who otherwise  can’t afford one, additionally it provides them with all the necessities that go along with getting ready for prom. From there, Katie, Chi Chi, and I all decided to work together to come put with a dress drive to collect dresses, shoes, and accessories to donate to My Dreams do Come True. We began by emailing Walethia and letting her know of our plans and making flyers and announcements to get the word out around UM- Flint. We then spent almost five hours collecting dresses in the UCEN, however, we did not get the turn out of people that we had hoped for. After our tabling sessions were through, we spoke with Walethia again and made a time to bring the dresses we had, and speak with her face-to-face. As I entered the store, I was stunned to see the quality and amount of dresses she had already set up. Some of the dresses still had the tags on them! I was taken back to the time when I was shopping for my prom dress, and it was amazing to think about the girls who come in and get the same experience when they might have not been able to go otherwise.

Walethia Aquil is the founder of this organization, and this is her fourth year helping girls get ready for their senior prom. Her purpose of starting this program is to help the girls avoid the peer pressure of having a dress for prom when money may be tight in their lives. She does not require proof of family income when the girls come in, she only requires that if the girl is a senior she brings a piece of school records with her to validate that she is on track to graduate on time because she promotes the value of education.

The reason behind Walethia’s idea of starting the dress shop is to make up for her terrible senior prom experience, she wants to make sure that no girls ever feels the way she did. With the demanding pressure of prom nowadays, she hopes that with her dress shop she will make a difference in the lives of the girls who come to her. Walethia is now providing dresses to girls all over Genesee County, and her shop is expanding rapidly. She uses social media, news castings, and word of mouth to spread the news of her store. At first she focused solely on prom dresses, but now she has opened her shop up for Homecoming and Sadie's! When Katie and I spoke with Walethia it was easy to see the excitement, joy, and passion within her eyes when she was talking about the background of her shop. She noted that her favorite part of My Dreams do Come True is seeing the girls find their perfect prom dress, watching their faces light up, and seeing the confidence and beauty it brings them. Although she also said that it gets overwhelming and frustrating when girls will call her last minute, she still tries to provide every girl the equal chance to get the experience she believes they deserve.

It was amazing to be a part of this shop, and I’m extremely happy that I chose this organization to work with. Meeting Walethia and being able to contribute to her shop felt good, and I will definitely be spreading the word and donating more dresses whenever I am able to, to continue on with this project. This project really put into perspective that girls all over the world, and even our neighbors, need help, and helping them can be as simple as giving away a dress you once used. It showed me how I can make a difference in my own community, and additionally how I can spread the word to help the organization grow. I found that Walethia’s one rule of proof that the girls are on track to graduate is essential because it keeps the factor of education within the organization, which was a main focus of our class this semester. Overall, it was rewarding to be able to be apart of My Dreams do Come True, and I’m so happy I made an impact in my community.