Not everyone moves through today’s world with the same opportunities and access to the same resources. Even basic tools and lessons like hygiene or etiquette may be a foreign concept to some. That’s where Feeling the Look steps in to level the playing field and serve as a resource for women and children in need of guidance and opportunities to shine. We caught up with Feeling the Look for a Q&A – read on to learn more.
What is Feeling the Look? How did it get started? How long has it been running?
Feeling the Look is a nonprofit organization that has been serving the community since 2000, not knowing what the future holds. This organization started with a single woman having a passion to uplift children and make them feel good about themselves inside and out. The very first impact took place at Graves Elementary School in 2000 with a single program teaching about etiquette and self-love by Ms. Triphine, better known as “Ms. Tri.” She has two girls that eventually grew up and took on the same passion to encourage and help other women excel. After many years of giving back and creating long lasting relationships with peers, Feeling the Look has officially been founded as a nonprofit organization in the City of Memphis.
What communities does Feeling the Look serve?
Feeling the Look is an aspiring national non-profit organization. We are vendors in the Shelby County Schools system where we mentor and counsel elementary through high school students on self-love and confidence, mental health protection, entrepreneurship, diversity appreciation and Women’s Empowerment. In addition to education in schools we connect with women of all ages across the nation to discover and develop her inherent strengths, values, and financial independence.
What are some of the events that Feeling the Look hosts?
Feeling the Look Hosts:
- Annual Grand Charity Event | Fashion, Talent, and Entrepreneurship event that exposes the talent and soul in Memphis.
- Prom Dress Drive | We collect and distribute donated prom dresses to high school girls.
- Quarterly Brunch | Picking a subject and discussing opinions, beliefs, and experiences over dinner while meeting new people.
- Women Empowering Workshops & Conferences | Educating and informing on mental health protection, image consulting for personal and business, personal hygiene awareness, health and nutrition and entrepreneurship, just to name a few. Feeling the Look also focuses on women in the spotlight, accomplishments and recognizing new members.
- Pageant Coaching | Makeup, Walking, Personality etc.
- Annual Girls Trip | To explore the world, rest, and relax.
- Book Club |To boost teamwork skills and encourage new perspectives.
How has being in Memphis inspired the work you do through Feeling the Look?
There is so much amazing talent and entrepreneurship. Living in Memphis has inspired FTL to be a guiding and mentoring solution for young girls and women of Memphis. Each of the founding members of FTL has experienced bullying, loneliness, and lack of confidence while struggling to expose talents and entrepreneurship ideas while in school, at work and throughout life. Feeling the Look gives a platform for young ladies and women to create a sisterhood, all while exposing the hidden talents of Memphians. It’s hard to find genuine support and care that extends mentally and physically that encourages you to reach beyond the stars, and that’s what Feeling the Look Inc. is all about.
What’s it like working closely as a mother and daughter duo?
We are so grateful to be able to share this mother and daughter bonding experience while giving back to the community. It has been said that working together with family is not a good idea or doesn’t usually work out. However, working together with my two daughters is a great feeling that has been both challenging and rewarding. Our experience has shown us that working with each other and dealing with new challenges reminds us of our purpose of love and unity. This program has reminded us how to overcome challenges and better understand each other, which strengthens our bond in our sisterhood. Our mom has always been an encourager, healer, mentor and guide for most of our peers. They have always looked up to her as a role model and that motivates us to pursue our passion to continue to uplift other women in our community. It’s a pleasure learning and teaching each other through different generational viewpoints. We’ve created a tighter bond that really ties back to the sisterhood we share and how we each focus on helping build up other women and making a positive difference in our Memphis community. I look forward to working with my daughters across the nation with this program.
What are your long term hopes and goals for Feeling the Look?
One of FTL’S biggest longtime goals and hopes is to be a World-Wide recognized organization promoting the power of sisterhood in every country to increase the value of women’s self-worth by opening an office headquarters and franchises facilities that will help with education and program training. Our franchise facilities will help in staring career/job placements, helping women fulfill long term goals while spiritually feeding their souls around the world.
Road Trip Production Tour for Rising Talent and Entrepreneurs to expose our members talent and to give our entrepreneurs a wider consumer base. All this while educating on cultural experiences and studying abroad.
Another goal is to gain 100k members by 2025 while increasing our Brand Ambassadorships by creating a built-in permanent Ambassador Team.
We also wish to create housing facilities for Single Mothers and a daycare facility for their children.
Our other Goals include:
- 12 Luncheons and Conferences a year in a different city/state
- Continue our once a year bonding trips, even out of the country for educating and building on women empowerment and our relationships.
- Year-Round Personal Program for the women and members of our organization to help with things such as diet, personal growth, hygiene, self-love and confidence, image consulting, etc.
To learn more about Feeling the Look and their upcoming fall events, visit www.feelingthelookinc.org.
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