The Smahrt Girl Foundation and Sister 2 Sistah organization are excited to participate in the 10,000 Girls Campaign and will send 25 young ladies from Houston to New York City to participate in a cultural exchange in May 2016. They will witness the groundbreaking new play “ECLIPSED,” a Broadway production written, directed and performed entirely by women and featuring Lupita Nyong’o the 2014 Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actress and Screen Actors Guild Award Winner for her breakout role in 12 Years a Slave. The trip to New York is sponsored by Eudora Healthcare Consulting and IFWAA.
“As one of the investors in the play, I’m excited to offer this amazing opportunity to our future female leaders in Houston,” said Kenny Ozoude. “We can only imagine the looks on their faces when they meet the cast and see their amazing performances.”
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“Theatre has the power to unleash dreams, ignite conversations, and inspire change. We want to share that empowering gift with young women that would otherwise not be able to see a Broadway play,” said Smahrt Girl Foundation President Pamela Ellis.” The rich story in ECLIPSED of hope, strength, resilience and activism is a message worth sharing!”
“Sister 2 Sistah is an organization that mentors college girls fighting to overcome obstacles. Rebecca Briscoe and I strive to help our girls reach the dreams others previously told them were out of reach. Now, we have the opportunity to dream a little bit bigger. Our beautiful black and brown girls are going to Broadway,” said Nakia Cooper, co-founder, Sister 2 Sistah. “We are grateful beyond measure for the opportunity and our bags are already packed for the Big Apple!”
“As women of influence it is imperative to see the next generation flourish. In order to do so we must encourage, inspire, and empower. Nakia and I have made that commitment for all college women of color to have a "testimony of triumph,” said Rebecca Briscoe.
The young ladies will spend time with girls from the NYC area and receive free tickets to see ECLIPSED on Broadway and study guide materials to learn more about the themes of ECLIPSED. The limited engagement is set in Liberia during the final days of its civil war. The play focuses on four women who find hope and empowerment in the most dire circumstances. Held captive by the brutal leader of a rebel faction, these women each make difficult choices to sustain their humanity.
The Smahrt Girl Foundation is raising additional funds for the trip to cover expenses. If you would like to contribute, please send an email to info@smahrtgirl.org. All donations are tax deductible.