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Soiree
On Video: Shanti Bhavan Students Read Letters Written at Our Soiree
Ale Foresto, Rachel Mount, Arianna Davis, helping to make the cards on the 2nd floor of Pop Burger, at the Nov. 1 She's the First Soiree
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Shanti Bhavan volunteer Summer (who plays the cello in Broadway orchestras!), traveled from New York City to India, where she visited the girls at our wonderful partner school! She met up with our guest blogger, Natasha Khanna, and delivered the cards that guests of the She’s the First Soiree had made for the girls. If you didn’t hear the big announcement last month, the Soiree sponsored a girl at Shanti Bhavan — and we will be matched up with her shortly!
The cards were tacked to a bulletin board and the girls read them all. The reactions are captured on video below. Isn’t it magical how video brings us full-circle, helping us truly know the girls we support, who live at least a 14-hour flight away? In the video, the girls point out favorite notes, one written by Gennifer Delman (She’s the First*{Hofstra} founder/president) and another that simply says a common catch phrase around the She’s the First team: “You rock!”
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Sparkling at the She's the First Soiree
Thanks to our brilliant emcee Sammy Davis for creating this sparkling video reel of the She’s the First Soiree! Watch to capture the style & substance of the evening, held one week ago today in New York City…and to find out who won Sammy’s vintage sequined top in the raffle supporting Shanti Bhavan girls in India!
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The Complete She's the First Soiree Photo Gallery!
Photographers Kate Lord and Marc Hall (with assistance from Leah Konen and Elyssa Marcus) published their photos from the She’s the First Soiree to Flickr. Do you see yourself? Check ‘em out!
It's Not a Party Without Hats!
She's the First photographer Kate Lord with volunteer (and guest blogger!) Leah Konen, who ran our photo booth!
[Editor's Note: This is a guest post from She's the First Soiree volunteer Leah Konen, an associate editor at elledecor.com. She was the first in her family to become a journalist. She also ran the first photo booth at a She's the First event -- and it won't be the last!]
She's the First photographer Kate Lord with volunteer (and guest blogger!) Leah Konen, who ran our photo booth!
The She’s the First Soiree was a huge hit, from the cupcakes to the dance numbers, the raffle prizes to the brand-new She’s the First bracelets, and—of course—the hats.
She’s the First supporters donned everything from the classic birthday hats to super-fun, old-school chapeaus loaned by Sammy Davis Vintage (think a circa 1990 wide-brimmed flower hat a la Blossom) to a ridiculous cowgirl hat complete with yellow pigtails. From behind the camera of our first-ever photo booth, I got the chance to catch everyone’s silly, pretty faces, including spectacular GIRLS WHO ROCK songstresses, Shontelle and Cara Salimando.
It reminded me of one of the many reasons why I love She’s the First. It’s a chance to do the things we love already (i.e. fantabulous photo shoots), and, at the same time, help out girls worldwide.
Proceeds from the photo booth and the raffle helped us sponsor a girl at Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project. If you didn’t get a chance to print your photo on Monday, you can head over to photographer Kate Lord’s web site to download. Each one is $5 (same price as at the event) and all proceeds still go to Shanti Bhavan!
Purchase images here! 100% of the proceeds benefit Shanti Bhavan!
She's the First Soiree: Success!
In case you missed our Newsletter announcement this morning (subscribe here if so!), here’s a report on the smashing success of our first birthday benefit bash, the She’s the First Soiree!
| Dear She’s the First Supporters, On November 1st, we celebrated our first birthday in New York City…
…Our goal was to sponsor one year of education for a girl at the world-class Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project in India. This includes her fees for school, housing, meals, medical needs, and recreation. Before we show you some photos and videos below, and invite you to raise a hand (adorned with a She’s the First bracelet, of course!)
|
1 Day Till She's the First Soiree!! Be there!
The super She’s the First Soiree at Pop Burger — featuring a one-hour open wine bar, our best raffle ever (did we mention Gayle King donated a signed Tory Burch bag she wore on the red carpet?), cake & cupcakes, music by DJ Kalkutta, a special dance performance, photo booth, and more! — is only one day away! Can you believe it?! After one year of hard work and dreams-come-true for our team, and the 30+ girls we’ve sponsored with you — it’s finally time to celebrate and unite to dream even bigger for year #2!
This past week, we’ve been spotlighting an attendee every day and publishing why she is excited to attend the Soiree (our featured faces have all been female, but there are guys coming to the party too — bring your guy friends!). Today, we present a barking order from one of our tiniest fans in Florida, Belle. She’s the First Researcher Maisy Page is her proud owner — and clearly the She’s the First love runs in the family. 
Save time and money: Get your ticket in advance at http://www.shesthefirstsoiree.eventbrite.com!
Support for She's the First comes in all shapes and sizes.
2 Days to the She's the First Soiree, NYC
Arianna is not only partying with us at Pop Burger, but on Facebook too -- her profile pic has been Soiree'd!
It’s Halloween weekend for everyone else, but here at She’s the First headquarters, we think of it as only 2 days left till our first birthday! Please remember to buy your ticket online (before Monday morning) to our She’s the First Soiree, to avoid delay and extra bucks at the door — then get on with your Halloween fun!
Today’s featured face to help us count down is Arianna Davis, an assistant at O, the Oprah Magazine (she secured a very awesome donation from Gayle King for our raffle!):
I knew I had to support She’s the First after meeting some of the girls from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa when they were visiting the US. Knowing their stories and the unfortunate circumstances they came from, it was amazing to see them being able to achieve their dreams. But then I got to thinking: what about the millions of other girls around the world who haven’t been as fortunate? I can’t wait to help raise money through the Soiree on Monday to give other young girls their own opportunities to become ‘the first’ at whatever their hearts desire. And I’m especially excited because I’ll be at the letter station, where everyone can join us in writing and decorating letters of encouragement to the girls at Shanti Bhavan!
Be sure to get your ticket in advance at http://www.shesthefirstsoiree.eventbrite.com!
3 Days to the She's the First Soiree, NYC!
Stephanie has her ticket ready for the She's the First Soiree on Monday -- say hello if you see her!
We celebrate the countdown to She’s the First Soiree with Stephanie Mattera today! She is Glamour‘s New York City Glambassador (see her Facebook page here), and we’re honored she’ll be joining us! It’s not too late to get your ticket (remember they’re a bit cheaper online than at the door)…hope you’ll join us for all the fun – open wine bar, super glam raffle, dance performance, cake & cupcakes, photo booth, etc. — and the fulfillment of supporting girls’ education worldwide.
She’s the first was built on the belief that we all have the power to change the world, one girl at a time. I support She’s the First because it encompasses all of the values that are dear to me. Education has been the foundation of my success and it has given me the confidence to pursue my dreams with vigor and integrity. It is my hope that every girl around the globe will have this opportunity too! Please join me in celebrating the 1st birthday of this extraordinary movement of young women on a mission to change the lives of girls everywhere!”
Be sure to get your ticket in advance at http://www.shesthefirstsoiree.eventbrite.com!
She’s the first was built on the belief that we all have the power to change the world, one girl at a time.
I support She’s the First because it encompasses all of the values that are dear to me. Education has been the foundation
of my success and it has given me the confidence to pursue my dreams with vigor and integrity. It is my hope that every girl
around the globe will have this opportunity too! I am so proud of Tammy Tibbetts, She’s the First founder and president, for
making her vision a reality. Please join me in celebrating the 1st birthday of this extraordinary movement of young women
on a mission to change the lives of girls everywhere!”
4 Days to the She’s the First Soiree, NYC!
Irene is a She's the First Soiree Party Guest!
To count down the She’s the First Soiree, we’re posting comments from a ticketholder each day…there’s still time to join us on Monday, Nov. 1st! Make your donation/purchase your ticket today!
Today’s featured face is Irene Kwon, an Assistant Editor at Working Mother:
I work in an industry that I’m passionate about, and I’m only here because of the women who have gone before me and have helped me reach my dream of working in magazines. We need to advocate, sponsor and push each other to reach our maximum potential. None of us would have gotten to where we are without the gentle nudge or encouraging words of someone else. In a society that’s so individualistic and concerned about making it big for oneself, it’s so refreshing to see that there are people out there echoing the words of Winston Churchill through their actions: “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
I’m looking forward to getting together with a group of talented, caring, passionate women who are looking to make someone else’s dream come true!
Be sure to get your ticket in advance at http://www.shesthefirstsoiree.eventbrite.com!
5 Days to the She’s the First Soiree, NYC!
Blaire was the *first* to buy a ticket for the She's the First Soiree!
Today’s featured ticketholder, invited to share why she’s coming to the She’s the First Soiree on Monday Nov. 1, is Blaire Briody, a writer for The Fiscal Times. We hope you join us!
I purchased a ticket for She’s the First Soiree because their work inspires me, and it has the potential to inspire so many girls around the world. With nearly 1 billion people worldwide having no schooling or dropping out early, and two-thirds of those being girls, it’s a glaring problem that can’t be ignored anymore. I’m especially an advocate for increasing our focus on women in science and math. Pushing girls to pursue their dreams, even if no one around them has done it before, will have the potential to change families, communities, countries, economies and more. Supporting She’s the First will help lead the way.
Be sure to get your ticket in advance at http://www.shesthefirstsoiree.eventbrite.com!
6 Days to the She's the First Soiree, NYC!
Nicole has her ticket for the She's the First Soiree!
In anticipation of our She’s the First Soiree and FIRST birthday on Monday, November 1st — 6 days away!! — we’re going to run daily posts highlighting one of the ordinary young women lending her extraordinary support to our cause. Look out for their faces in the crowd on Nov. 1st at Pop Burger in Midtown, along with members of the She’s the First leadership team, GIRLS WHO ROCK stars Shontelle and Cara Salimando, bracelet designer Asha Patel, the directors of the Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project & Kenya Education Fund, Infin8 dance troop, and more!
Our first featured face is Nicole Cacioppo, who works by day with Simon & Schuster:
It’s important to me to support this cause because girls everywhere should be given the opportunity to an education. Knowing my support will help even one girl on her path to a better future is a rewarding experience. I’m proud of everything She’s the First has accomplished in its first year and can’t wait to see what the following year brings!
I’m really looking forward to watching the Infin8 Dance group perform and the amazing raffles for a great cause!
Be sure to get your ticket in advance at http://www.shesthefirstsoiree.eventbrite.com!
Support Shanti Bhavan with She's the First, at our Soiree on Nov. 1st!
there’s a special surprise about the She’s the First Soiree revealed at the end!
As we prepare for the She’s the First Soiree in 9 days — Soiree’ing our profile pictures on Facebook, putting together photo and video slideshows, coordinating with our cake baker, and promoting the new She’s the First bracelet by Asha Patel Designs — we sometimes have to pause from the whirlwind of party planning. When we do, we think of the girls who we’ll be connected to long after this event is over, just as we were with GIRLS WHO ROCK — after two intense months of concert planning, it ended in a flash…and what was most special to us was that we walked away with a lasting impact on three girls in AfricAid’s Kisa Project program in Tanzania.
At Shanti Bhavan in India, girls' lives are transformed through education & arts
All of you who are part of the She’s the First Soiree — whether you are attending in NYC, or spreading the word, making a donation on eventbrite.com, or buying a bracelet from anywhere — are now going to be intertwined with the future of the girls at Shanti Bhavan in India. Since Since She’s the First launched a year ago, Shanti Bhavan has been a distinguished partner in our directory. Two of their American volunteers at the school have even become She’s the First guest bloggers from India.
This past June, Shanti Bhavan graduated its first class of students ever – a historic occasion, because these students were all born into the lowest caste in India, the Dalits, or Untouchables. If you’ve ever seen Slumdog Millionaire or read The God of Small Things, you understand that this status dooms them to a life of menial labor, abuse, and discrimination — and it’s even worse for girls and women. Shanti Bhavan rescues boys and girls from this fate and opens a whole new future of possibilities for them. They get on the college track and virtually any career is attainable to them.
The other amazing thing about Shanti Bhavan is that the school values the arts as much as academics, understanding that children who can express themselves creatively master a whole new sense of confidence and problem-solving that makes them even stronger adults. The kids have FUN and love learning. You can’t mistake that when you watch any of Shanti Bhavan’s videos on YouTube. In fact, on the cusp of Halloween, look at how funny this “Thriller” performance is!
On a more serious note, these students have overcome the worst kind of abuse and they know the future will not be easy — there is much corruption and bias to overcome. But they wholeheartedly believe they are going to be the first to do it, the girls in particular. Just look back on some of our past blog posts:
- Shilpa’s essay: “Journalism is as new as the tar that has been poured onto the mud roads in my village…my interest and love for a career I dream to pursue doesn’t crumble to the fear of not being accepted.”
- Bina’s essay: “I am proud that as a girl I too can contribute to my society and make this world a better place. I want to work in Shanti Bhavan and share my talents to the future children of this school.”
- Ranjini’s essay: “I want life to be a challenging path towards success where I give my best in everything I do. I relate my expectations to my positive approach to life. Many people have said ‘Expectations hurt.’ I believe they hurt when you let them defeat you, when you turn down opportunities, when you have lost faith in yourself.”
At the She’s the First Soiree, we’ve got shining stars of the Indian culture collaborating in creative ways — the bracelet of Asha Patel Designs, the music of DJ Kalkutta, the dance of Infin8 — all to support the amazing work of Shanti Bhavan and She’s the First. 100% of the raffle tickets at the Soiree — where you can win fashion/beauty/entertainment packages worth $250+ dollars each! — will go toward girls’ sponsorship at Shanti Bhavan, as will a portion of every She’s the First bracelet sold. And what’s more…
On the third floor of the Pop Burger lounge, you will be able to decorate a card to be sent to girls at Shanti Bhavan!
See you there? Be sure to buy a ticket in advance for ease of entry (and to save a few bucks!): http://www.shesthefirstsoiree.eventbrite.com
She's the First Soiree: 11 Days!
More have been Soiree’d on Facebook in celebration of our first birthday in NYC on November 1st!
The birthday bash will officially debut our bracelet by Asha Patel Designs, benefiting the Shanti Bhavan and Kenya Education Fund, and support the work of our She’s the First*{Campus} chapters. We’ll have a first-class raffle that donates all proceeds to Shanti Bhavan girls in India, a dance performance by Infin8, DJ Kalkutta, sweet treats by GoodieBox Bakeshop, photo booth, and more!
Whether or not you are in NYC to celebrate, please help us spread the word — share http://www.shesthefirstsoiree.eventbrite.com with your network — and add a fun hat to your Facebook profile pic, using Picnik. Here’s how — or send us your photo, info@shesthefirst.org, and we’ll do it for you!
I've Been Soiree'd!
Our one-and-only FIRST birthday is less than 2 weeks away! We want everyone, regardless of whether they live in NYC, to celebrate, not only to recognize all that we accomplished with you in one year (30+ sponsorships!), but more importantly, our future — and how it will impact girls around the world. So why not throw a big party on Facebook? To make our enthusiasm blatantly obvious, we started fooling around with our Facebook profile pictures on the free photo editing site Picnik.com. First, our President Tammy altered hers by adding a cone hat and text reading “She’s the First Soiree: Nov. 1, NYC.” Then Director Christen Brandt followed. Then our Researcher Maisy Page. Then our Photographer Kate Lord…now who will be next?
Have you ever started a viral Facebook trend? Well, then make this your first, whether or not you live in NYC and can attend the Soiree — because we are celebrating WORLDWIDE! Go to Picnik.com (no registration needed), and upload a photo. Then click on the “Create” tab. Click on Stickers in the navigation bar. Scroll down to “New Years” stickers in the lefthand column. Drag and drop it on your photo, add Text next, Save, Upload to Facebook — and voila! You’ve been Soiree’d. Tag She’s the First in a status update so we can check it out!
If you want us to do the work for you, just send a photo in to info@shesthefirst.org, and we’ll send you back your pic all ready for Facebook upload.
There’s a reason the word FUN is in fundraiser, right?
You're Invited: She's the First Soiree, Nov. 1st, NYC!
Tickets & full details available now at Eventbrite!
Follow our Twitter (@shesthefirst and #STFSoiree) for additional exciting updates!
Designed by Jess Campione
Sneak Preview of Movement to Come!
iNFiN8's signature jump
On Wednesday, we dropped by a rehearsal of iNFiN8, a New York City-based dance company whose mission is to create movement to inspire movement — especially movement for education worldwide! We are thrilled to announce that they will be performing live at the She’s the First Soiree on November 1st in NYC!! (your official invite and ticket link is coming in just a few days.)
The iNFiN8 dancers met while students at New York University and today, they pursue awesome careers in corporate, creative, and medical fields, while still pursuing their passion for dance. Influenced by various forms of dance, iNFiN8 creates provocative movement to develop a new form of expression. The New York Times dance critic calls them “enchantingly chic” and we completely agree! Here’s a special message they wanted to send you in advance of November 1st — and then, they give you a little dance move lesson so you can get in the groove at Pop Burger.
Now, click to learn your ‘move’! Continue reading
Save the Date: She's the First Soiree, Nov. 1st in NYC!
Save the date for our first birthday bash, the She’s the First Soiree! To commemorate the launch of shesthefirst.org on Nov. 1st just one year ago, we will host a fun, twitterific, bedazzled benefit at Pop Burger in New York City. At the event, we’ll launch the exclusive She’s the First signature bracelet, designed by Asha Patel, who will donate 20% of its proceeds to sponsorships. There will also be a raffle to fundraise for sponsorships at the Shanti Bhavan school in India. Don’t miss it!
An invite with further detail and a link to buy tickets will follow shortly, but for now, mark your calendars. If you are a company wishing to sponsor or donate to the raffle, please email info@shesthefirst.org.
