Imani Corporation celebrated their 12th year of helping adolescent
girls to maximize their potential with their Annual Fashion Show Gala
Fundraiser. Maximize 2005 took place on
Sunday October 2, 2005 from
2pm – 5pm at the W Hotel in
Westwood
,
California
.
This year’s event honored Mara Brock Akil, Creator and Executive Producer
of UPN’s Girlfriends, as an African American Woman who has MAXIMIZED her
potential. A native of
Los
Angeles
, Brock Akil began her career in the entertainment industry at the
age of 24 when she was hired to write on Fox's critically - acclaimed "South
Central."
Her resume from there reads like a who’s who of Black Television as she rose to MAXIMIZE her
potential and now works on her own television show. She is an excellent example
for young African American women to emulate and thus Mara Brock Akil was a
great choice to receive the honors at this year’s event.
The fundraising event has been designed to raise monies needed to expand the
corporation’s Imani Phi Christ program. Imani Phi Christ
gives youth the skills needed to help them avoid consequences connected to poor
academic performance, negative personal relations, school retention and
juvenile delinquency, violence, substance abuse and teen pregnancy.
The overall goal is to help young African American teenage girls to increase
their self esteem and motivation and to provide them with a nurturing and
understanding environment in which to educate them on accepting the
responsibilities and duties of adulthood and MAXIMIZE their potential. Imani
Phi Christ program currently has Chapters at
First
AME
Church
and
Paradise
Baptist
Church
in
South Los Angeles, and Our Redeemer AME Church in
Irvine,
California.
This year’s event was co-hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross (Girlfriends) and
Terrell and Victoria P. Tilford (Soul Food and Guiding Light).
The talent of three African American clothing designers, Montrese Chandler,
RyanKenny and Baby Phat, showcased their deisgns in a poolside fashion
show.
Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were served as guests mingled and enjoy an
up-close preview of the latest fashion designs as well as networked with movers
and shakers.
Maximize 2005 is sponsored by W Hotel, Black Enterprise, Remy Martin, The Elden
and Rosemary Campbell Foundation, Magic Johnson Foundation, and Moulin Rouge.
To learn more about the Imani Organization visit www.imani.org.
