Macy’s Aventura is hosting 21 members of the Youth of Valor Empowerment program in an exclusive back-to-school event Aug. 12 that includes an exciting backstage meeting with actress and singer Serayah McNeill – best known for her role as Tiana Brown on the hit TV show, “Empire.”
Y.O.V.E. is part of a unique community-based movement focused on assisting underprivileged teenage girls in the City of North Miami.
By partnering with the Y.O.V.E., Macy’s is also treating the group of girls, which includes 15 program graduates, to a private in-store shopping experience with Macy’s My Stylists personal shoppers to select their new post-grad attire, all courtesy of Macy’s.
“This is truly a success story for our youth program girls,” says Lady Alourdes Pierre, CEO and Founder of Ladies of Valor Empowerment, of which Y.O.V.E. is a sister program.
“We are so delighted to welcome Macy’s to our ‘Empowerment Movement’, where we are literally transforming lives, one woman and one teenage girl at a time,” she said.
Following the Y.O.V.E. shopping experience, Serayah will perform for the general public between 2 and 4 p.m. As the face of Material Girl, the fierce and fashionable junior’s clothing brand, Serayah will then be available for a meet-and-greet and photos with the first 250 guests to make a Material Girl purchase at the Aventura store. The event is free and open to the public.
According to Lady Alourdes Pierre, Y.O.V.E. is the only movement of its kind in the city where professionals, civic leaders, and other giving community members, like Macy’s, come together to mentor, guide, and provide a hand up for high-risk teenage girls.
“It is so exciting to be partnering with Macy’s in this back-to-school program because it will literally equip the Y.O.VE. girls with greater confidence whereby they may achieve self-sufficiency through employment, continuing education, and leadership roles in our community,” says Lady Alourdes Pierre.
This year alone, 15 young women graduated from the two-year program, several of whom are now preparing to either head off to college, enlist with the military, and/or enter training as first responders.
“As a Miami Dade College alumni, I am so very proud that the majority of the 2018 Y.O.V.E. grads are on their way to MDC this fall, after successfully attending our two-year leadership development program.
“This is what the Y.O.V.E. Program is all about – equipping, coaching, and developing the next generation of women leaders for tomorrow,” Lady Alourdes Pierre added. Starting this fall, L.O.V.E. also plans to launch a new location focused on providing guidance in job-readiness skills and professional attire for employment interviews and placement.
The Y.O.V.E. teens’ private experience takes place at 1 p.m. The free public event takes place 2-4 p.m. in the Macy’s Juniors Department at Aventura Mall, 19535 Biscayne Blvd, Aventura, FL 33180. For information, visit macys.com/aventura-fl.
Youth of Valor Empowerment (Y.O.V.E.), Step It Up, is a Leadership Development/After School Program of the Ladies of Valor Empowerment (L.O.V.E.), a 501 c3, non-profit organization, in Miami-Dade County, Haitian American community. The mission is to mentor, develop and equip underprivileged high-school girls to lead themselves with confidence and integrity to become college bound, career focused as well as to develop their potential to join the next generation of women leaders.
Y.O.V.E. is located at 1175 NE 125th Street, Suite 413, North Miami FL 33161. For information, call 786-615-2234, email lourdes830@comcast.net, or visit www.yove.org.
