By Tihut Tamrat, Contributing Writer
On Saturday, March 23rd, DETOUR Empowers celebrated nine F.A.N.CY. girls that graduated and accomplished what the program set out to do: give girls of color tools to become successful in life. The awards luncheon, The 6th Annual F.A.N.C.Y. Awards, celebrated all the accomplishments the girls have achieved while also uplifting their stories on their path to higher education. This was done beautifully through the inclusion of pre-recorded videos of goals the F.A.N.C.Y. girls set out at the beginning of the program.
The theme, “She Believed She Could, So She Did!”, was present all throughout the event from the uniquely stylized awards given to the girls all the way to the stylish dresses worn. The event included introductions of the nine F.A.N.C.Y. Girls being celebrated, a hearty welcome from the County Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe and City of Lemon Grove Mayor Racquel Vasquez, spoken word performances, dance performances, awardee presentations, and the F.A.N.C.Y. Fashion Show hosted by TrendiReds; not to mention the wonderful food served.
DETOUR F.A.N.C.Y Expo & Leadership Academy stands for “Focused And Naturally Confident Youth”, something DETOUR does through curriculum and mentorship to young women and girls focused on building confidence, healthy relationships, and leadership skills. The academy also offers girls a paid internship program that provides work-readiness training, leadership development, and opportunities to explore career pathways to prepare girls for success in the real world.
Founder and Executive Director of DETOUR Empowers, Tinesia Conwright, states that the vision of the F.A.N.C.Y. Teen Girls Expo & Academy, “is rooted in the belief that every young girl deserves equal access to education and employment opportunities, regardless of their background.” She continues, “The F.A.N.C.Y. Teen Girls Awards Scholarship Luncheon serves as a testament to the dedication of our mentors, the resilience of our mentees, and the unwavering support from our partners and supporters.”
The community partners, sponsors, DETOUR Staff, DETOUR Board, volunteers, and interns all made this event a success for the community. They not only nurtured academic excellence but also instilled confidence, leadership skills, and a sense of purpose in the nine girls being celebrated, serving as a beacon of inspiration for others to follow. As their mission states, DETOUR’s efforts last Saturday, and everyday, are what allow “Little Girls With Dreams To Become Women With Vision!”
