by Jocelyn Gavin Lane//
As I waited for the results of yet another breast biopsy, this time I promised God that if I were cancer-free I would live out my dreams and give back to the community. In 2013, Pink Lotus was born!
The Pink Lotus Project is a not-for-profit organization focused on empowering women and girls across the Gulf Coast. Pink Lotus has several initiatives that assist hundreds of women and girls each year. “Cha Cha for the Ta Ta’s Breast Cancer Awareness Line Dance A Thon” has raised more than $5,000 in the last two years for the Memorial Hospital Breast Imaging Fund. This fund allows women who cannot afford the necessary diagnostic exams such as mammograms and ultrasounds to receive the services they need.
“Fierce & Fearless – A Vision Board Experience” is a small intimate event that is sponsored to give women the opportunity to discover their vision and learn the skills necessary to stay focused on their goals and to realize their potential to succeed.
“Power In Pumps” is a new series of women’s empowerment soirees. This event will put like-minded women in the room with subject-matter experts to help fuel their personal and professional goals.
Our girl’s initiatives are life-changing for participants. “Project Prom” has assisted hundreds of girls across the Gulf Coast so they could attend prom by providing them with a free dress! The participants must attend empowerment and educational workshops prior to shopping for a dress.
Pink Lotus also supports Girl Power, an afterschool program at North Gulfport 7th and 8th grade. Pink Lotus provides educational workshops to the participants twice a month.
We are also proud to announce the launching of The Pink Lotus Leadership Academy. The mission of the academy is to provide leadership skills to girls entering 9th grade. The academy will follow the cohort of girls throughout their high school matriculation and follow a curriculum that will employ them to be outstanding leaders in their schools and communities. Each girl is paired with a mentor to help them succeed. All of the participants will have the opportunity to graduate from the program with a scholarship to a college or university. We are very excited about this initiative and what it will do for girls along the Gulf Coast.
I am very excited about what Pink Lotus has done for the community and even more excited about what we have planned in the future. Women and girls are the world’s most underutilized resource. We are dynamic especially in numbers. My goal is for each woman and girl to realize their potential and follow their dreams.
Jocelyn Gavin Lane is the CEO/founder of The Pink Lotus Project. Follow The Pink Lotus Project on Facebook. Reach Lane at jocelynlane@me.com.