The program is a multi-faceted nationwide women’s confidence-building curriculum designed to give women the tools and information they need to build their confidence, achieve their dreams and enrich their communities. The program is the first national confidence-building initiative in the YWCA’s nearly 150-year history aimed at women over the age of 18.
The PROJECT CONFIDENCE Outreach Program launch event previewed the national “confidence curriculum” that will be the focus of monthly workshops for women who enroll in the free program. The workshops will take place between July 2007 and February 2008 and will concentrate on building and sustaining confidence in areas from style and health to career and personal finance. Women who attend the event will have the opportunity to register to participate in the monthly workshops.
The event also honored outstanding Women of Confidence and celebrated the impact of confident women in the community. The women honored were Wendy Gladney Brooks, founder and president, Personal Services Plus and Cecilia Cuevas, financial advisor for Merrill Lynch. Besides being a proud sponsor of the PROJECT CONFIDENCE Outreach Program kick-off event, Councilman Bernard Parks also presented a proclamation commending YWCA/GLA and CURVATION® for their positive impact on women’s professional and personal lives.
Queen Latifah, the CURVATION® brand spokesperson and creative adviser said, “Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have strong women around me — like my mother and grandmother — who encouraged me to believe in myself and let me know that I had the ability to achieve whatever I set my mind to. But I know that not everyone has that support. That’s why the CURVATION® brand, the YWCA and I wanted to address this issue by encouraging women to stand up for themselves and know that any goal is within reach if they believe in themselves. The PROJECT CONFIDENCE Outreach Program is the perfect way to share this message and hopefully, influence the lives of countless women.”
In addition to the local PROJECT CONFIDENCE Outreach Program taking place at the YWCA of Greater Los Angeles, the national program will host monthly workshops in five other markets for nine consecutive months. Participating markets include the YWCA of Brooklyn, NY; Chicago, IL; Houston, TX; Marietta (Atlanta), GA and Malden (Boston), MA. The PROJECT CONFIDENCE Outreach Program curriculum will also be available on the YWCA Intranet for other associations to download and implement in their own communities.
“Confidence is key to both personal and professional success, yet programming on this topic geared towards women has been greatly lacking,” said Lorraine Cole, CEO of YWCA USA. “The PROJECT CONFIDENCE Outreach Program is truly a monumental program because it was designed to not only celebrate the lasting and tremendous impact confident women can make in their communities, but to give women the tools they need to live more fulfilling lives. We are thrilled to partner with the CURVATION® brand, an organization that shares our vision and is committed to the betterment of all women.”
CURVATION® - a brand that has always stood for promoting confidence - is a line of intimates and apparel designed for curvaceous women and inspired by Queen Latifah, the brand’s spokesperson and creative adviser since its inception in 2003.
About YWCA Greater Los Angeles:
The mission of YWCA Greater Los Angeles (YWCA/GLA) is to create opportunities for women’s growth, leadership and power in order to attain a common vision: peace justice, freedom and dignity for all people. We work to empower women and girls and to eliminate racism in greater Los Angeles. For more information on YWCA/GLA, please visit www.ywcagla.org.
