DASHING EMANCIPATION

I am so excited to finally share with you all what my Saturday in Maryland last weekend included! My very good friend, Brianna, approached me at the end of last year about having an event that ties together her two passions: fashion and social justice. Of course fashion is one of my biggest passions as well, and I was eager to learn more about how she wanted to incorporate the two. I had the honor of partnering with her in planning Dashing Emancipation. We desired to create a fashion show and art exhibit in order to make a difference. After moving to New York City in February, contributing my time to getting the word out and all the other million things that needed to be done was a little difficult. I am very grateful for the hard work Brianna put forth and for being the mastermind behind this whole event. 

Through Dashing Emancipation, we raised awareness and support for the global issue of human sex trafficking. We specifically supported Love146, an organization fighting for this very cause, by donating all proceeds to them. Watch this video to learn more about the organization. Many people are so unaware of how big this issue is, and I definitely was before Brianna got me involved. It's not only happening in countries outside of the United States, but also right here in our country. Our goal was to open the eyes of the public, just like mine were, to learn about human trafficking. We were extremely grateful for those who came to support Dashing Emancipation. After the costs of the event, Brianna and I have given $600 to Love146! 

Thank you to: Jennifer of Venus on the Half Shell for donating some great vintage pieces for the show, our friends who modeled on the runway, Baltimore Coffee and Tea in Frederick for donating their delicious coffee, Julie of Design Diva for making the rec center look amazing, the Frederick News Post for writing this article, and to everyone else who made our event possible. 

We look forward to repeating the success of Dashing Emancipation in 2013! 

Check out the below photos c/o Daryl Balram and even more here.