The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

For the third year in a row, Katherine Coakley is seeking to uplift Bahamian girls and teach them how to take charge of their lives with her annual “Girl Bosses” event.

The focus will be on pertinent issues like physical and emotional abuse suffered by girls and women, as well as nutrition and fitness.

Under the umbrella of her faith-based organisation Purpose Made Me Do It, the event will take place this coming Sunday, from 11am to 4pm, at the Edmund Spencer Moxey Youth and Community Centre, Big Pond Park.

The aim of the day is to plant seeds of empowerment, transformation and identity in young girls aged 13 to 16, while also equipping them to become intentional about their education, their bodies, health, goals, relationships and overall well-being.

Guest speakers for this year’s event, which is being held under the theme “Soar”, will include counsellor Cherrylee Pinder, who will be sharing her story of recovering from trauma and shedding light on abuse directed at young women; fitness trainer Dekel “Bow Flex Barbie” Nesbit, who will share her nutrition and fitness knowledge; beauty consultant Sudia Munroe, who will discuss hygiene and personal care, and Raquel Pinder, CEO of Beauty Beyond Feelings, who will serve as host.

“Each of these women are beautiful inside and out, and they demonstrate the balance between grace and grit. We believe to truly empower you must build from the inside out, and decided to collaborate with speakers who would do just that: teach our attendees to care for their bodies, but also for their souls and spirits,” said Ms Coakley.

“The girls will have a chance to engage with these young, female entrepreneurs, and hopefully glean both knowledge and inspiration from their journeys and the fruits of their dedication and hard work They will be challenged by energetic, dynamic speakers to consider passion and purpose, and to begin developing useful skills like personal grooming, etiquette, identity, self-esteem, leadership and entrepreneurship. We are anticipating a day that is not only memorable and catalytic in the lives of the girls, but one that is also fun and exciting. We want the younger generation of girls and women to know that they have been created for and with unique purposes, and that they are not too young to begin discovering their identity and inner greatness.”

In addition to the brief talks, the girls will be able to have a few fun photos taken by a professional photographer, fill their custom bags with trinkets, and participate in group activities coordinated by skilled volunteers.

“Ben & Jerry’s will be joining us for the second year with free ice cream, as well as our other food and gift vendors like Jimmy’s Takeaway and Zara’s Treats,” said Ms Coakley.

She also thanked companies like Universal Beauty Supplies, Coca Cola, Meridian Law Chambers, Fusion Superplex, D Newton Photography Tropical Squeeze, Amani Hair, and The Copier Limited for their support of “Girl Bosses”.

“I believe the more organisations that choose to focus on empowerment events geared toward young women, the better. Women play a very significant role in all categories of influence worldwide. Whether it is in the family structure, educational institutions or government. Creating spaces that speak to young women’s physical, emotional and spiritual development benefits every sector, simply because a well-groomed woman has the power to multiply,” said Ms Coakley.

“It is not our aim to compete or contend with any other organisation, but rather offer intrinsically unique perspectives, expressions and interactions that result from each of our one-of-a-kind stories. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate and fellowship with event holders and organisations that share our values and vision for empowered Bahamian youths.”

For additional information, e-mail the team at purposemademedoit@gmail.com.