Monday, May 09, 2005
Graduation and the Finale Event
How many people does it take to bring 12 Afghan entrepreneurs to the US for three weeks of training? 60 Bpeace volunteeers;10 Women for Afghan Women volunteers; a score of US State Department people in DC, Kabul and Islamabad; more than 20 faculty from FIT; the Council of Fashion Designers of America; 6 fashion designers and their staffs; more than 40 corporations providing in-kind support including Kenneth Cole Productions, Parmilat and Whole Foods; nearly 350 donors; more than a dozen retailers including dressbarn, ABC Carpet and Home and Target. It's no wonder that when asked "who here has helped bring these terrific Afghan women to New York," every single hand in the house was raised at the Style Road Trip Finale event.
Nearly 200 supporters and friends came to celebrate their three C's: Courage, creativity and capitalism.
Afghan food, a shopping bazaar with the products brought in specially for the event by the Afghan ladies, a silent auction, and a preview of the Style Road Trip Quilt (see below) was followed by welcomes by Gwendy (Bpeace Afghan Team Co-Chair), Toni (Bpeace Chair), Manizha (WAW Executive Director), Lea Perez, US State Department Director of the Office of Citizen Exchanges, valedictorian speeches by Laila, Suria and Rangina, and presentation of diplomas by Joan Volpe, of FIT's School of Professional Studies.
