The Dare Dreamer Movement by Julene Fleurmond

Here are some updates from my other inspiration sites:

One of my first blogs that I started back in 2007 was called GEM and was hosted on Blogger. It started with a poem I wrote called Little Brown Girl, inspired by girls I’ve witnessed in the inner-city who seem to be losing hope because they don’t know hope exists.

From seeing girls getting pregnant to dropping out of school, my heart breaks to see any child, whatever the background, fail to realize their purpose and worth. We see how women are objectified in the media and the way positive role models for African American girls are so few on TV. It’s up to us – mothers, sisters, aunts and mentors – to instill confidence in the next generation.

Overtime I started other blogs on my own domain and discontinued the GEM blog, but I recently was inspired to revisit it…

A few months back via the Internet I met an inspiring woman named Kara Norman who co-founded a wonderful organization for girls called GEMS and Jewels Empowerment Group with Adriane Simmons. Kara and I connected and she took the time to encourage me – she is truly a kind-hearted person who is being the change she dreams of seeing in the world.

Learning about the work the GEMS and Jewels Group does to motivate girls, from organizing etiquette classes to college preparation field trips, really made me begin thinking about how I could also mentor girls in my community. Remembering my own childhood and teen years as shy, unconfident girl, her group would have nurtured me so much to grow as it is doing for so many girls today. If every girl had dedicated mentors like Kara and Adriane I’m sure there would be more strong, confident women in the world.

The GEMS and Jewels recently had their Kick-Off Celebration for the year and below is a booklet I had the pleasure to create for them and a poem I’ve written dedicated to their vision and girls:

Dreams of Gems and Jewels

Your eyes glint
With passion for life,
Your dreams sparkle
So very bright.
You have purpose,
Worth, power and gifts
So walk and dream
With confidence…

You are one very special girl,
Who has the power to change the world.
You’re precious, unique, talented,
Intelligent too,
One day your dreams
Can come true!
This is why we celebrate you
Because you are truly
A Gem and Jewel!

More Information About the GEMS and Jewels Empowerment Group for Girls:

Website: http://www.gemsandjewelsgirl.com

Mission: The mission of the G.E.M.S. and Jewels program is to promote self-esteem, self-awareness, self worth and respect within the lives of young girls and teens. Through enrichment workshops/activities, cultural awareness, community service projects, mentorship, leadership/educational programs and social activities G.E.M.S. and Jewels will accomplish these goals and create confident young women who will make a difference in our world!

On my site Dream in Soul I had the honor to interview Dianna Hobbs, who is a writer, journalist, speaker, entrepreneur and now recording artist. She shared her heart and journey of pursuing her buried passion and gives advice to others who may need direction in bringing their God-given dreams into fruition. I am so very inspired by her wisdom and the many facets of her ministry, especially her publication for women, EEW Magazine and her new music. I had her first single “Do What He Said” on repeat recently while working on a project I had been struggling with. You will definitely be inspired by her words of encouragement:

When you have a divine urging inside of your heart it can be hard to ignore it, but can sometimes become difficult to press forward to what God has called you to do. Purpose often doesn’t come without its detours especially when obstacles and disappointments blur the vision God placed in our heart.

Dianna Hobbs can attest to facing obstacles when pursuing music, her buried passion. As the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of EEW Magazine, the premiere Christian publication for African American women, she has paved a path of influence in media throughout the years, along with pouring out daily encouragement on her blog.

Behind the scenes though she felt God drawing her to begin her music ministry. It was only recently that she got the courage to do what He said, and thankfully she did. Now Dianna is inspiring many hearts through her music, which blends CCM, pop, R&B, and sometimes, soft rock along with encouraging messages. In this interview Dianna talks about her journey and gives advice to others who may need direction in bringing their God-given dreams into fruition…

Nicole C. Mullen is one of my favorite artists; I love her music – the style, the grace and the “funkability” of genres she mixes together to create songs that worship the King.

I also love that Nicole C. Mullen is passionate about mentoring young people and encouraging them to grow and develop their talents. Years ago she founded the Baby Girl’s Club to mentor young women, and also Team NCM, a group of pre-teens and teens who travel around with her and minister through the arts. I think it is amazing that she is using her ministry to reach the next generation. Check out the video below:

Today I came across this video of a photo shoot she did recently for her upcoming album (yay, I am excited!).The song she sings in the video is beautiful, I’m already singing it in my head :). Hopefully I can make it to one of her events next year, maybe at a Women of Faith conference.

Nicole also recently did a down-to-earth live chat where she talks about her upcoming album, finding your purpose, beginning in music ministry and lots more:

“We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color…”
“It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” – Maya Angelou

One of the topics concerning youth I find myself often researching and learning about is identity, especially how young people view themselves and others. One area in particular is relating to race and ethnic background – how do young people see themselves and others? In my college “Women & Minorities in the Media” course I did a final paper on African American girls and how the media and role models in their lives affect the way they grow up and pursue careers.

Are we as adults and educators teaching children to see beyond color? Will the environment’s we live in and experiences we have had always have an effect on our world paradigm? Below are a few pieces and resources on this subject:

Colour Me – The Feature Film

Colour Me is a feature-length documentary film from Red Piano Productions following motivational speaker Anthony McLean and five youth on their journey to discover what it means “to be black”. McLean himself is biracial and talks about the struggles he felt growing up trying to find where he “fit in.” Watch this development reel from the documentary:

“A Girl Like Me” A Short Documentary Film by Kiri Davis

A few years back (then 17-year-old) Harlem student Kiri Davis recreated the famous doll experiment of the 1940’s by psychologist Dr. Kenneth Clark. Children were presented with dolls of different races to see how they responded to them. Kiri received recognition from various outlets for the film and was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, bringing the subject to the forefront to be discussed – have perceptions changed? Click here to learn more about Kiri Davis on her website.

CNN Report: Black or White: Kids on Race (May 2010 – Click here for the full report)

CNN commissioned a study on children’s racial beliefs, attitudes and preferences that shows black and white children are biased toward lighter skin. The test aimed to re-create the landmark Doll Test from 1940s. The two girls at the end of the video have so much wisdom and see the reality that “you don’t judge someone by the way they look but by the way they act.” Though it was sad to see when some didn’t realize their worth, it’s refreshing to see that some really “get it”.