Every February, Black History Month offers an opportunity for us to honor, celebrate and acknowledge the lessons of African-Americans who have contributed so much to our country and culture. Taking more of an EXTRAordinary approach to more traditional Black History Month celebrations, “Pink Girls Run The World
(PGRW)” and “Extra Is My Ordinary” collaborated to host a pink hued tea event to honor young girls (ages 9 -13 years old) who have demonstrated EXTRAordinary leadership in New Jersey communities that have been categorized as underprivileged. Conceptually designed to impact the achievement gap in the City of Trenton, the Center for Child and Family Achievement (CCFA) was instrumental in hand selecting the
young ladies honored at the 2/8 event.
Ladies having tea at Madam C.J. Walker’s Salon during the Harlem renaissance
Having experienced afternoon tea in France, South Africa, England, Morocco, Japan and the Caribbean; I’ve grown to appreciate the significant role that tea plays in different cultures as well as my own. Converting a floor in her brownstone into a tea salon during the Harlem renaissance, Madam C.J. Walker’s daughter (Lelia
Walker) was known for her extravagant tea parties with iconic guests like Langston Hughes, James Baldwin and Adam Clayton Powell. Offering a forum where African-American leaders could brainstorm about the best ways to plant seeds in our communities for a better tomorrow, those historical parties were about more than just serving tea. During the Jazz Age, Harlem tea rooms served as hubs for important social events hosted by the Negro Business League and the NAACP. Paying homage to the role that tea rooms have played during this era of Black history, we thought the Van Gogh Café at Mercer County’s Grounds For Sculpture was the perfect local venue to bring our French country tea vision to life. The Grounds For Sculpture is a 42-acre sculpture park, museum, and arboretum founded on the site of the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds.
While we didn’t have the resources to gift all 15 girls with a trip overseas this time around, we decided to tap the resources that were available to us to assist with incorporating our global tea adventures into a Mercer County leadership event that would honor them for their accomplishments. Opening the event with 16-year old “Anything But Ordinary: The Beginning” author, Kayla M. Heddon, as the keynote speaker, the afternoon’s theme centered around “Never Letting Anyone Dull Your Sparkle” and encompassed PGRW’s core principles:
Encouraging women and girls to fill their lives with adventures (not just things).
Reinforcing the voices/narratives of women around the globe in a way that not only supports, but empowers ALL women.
The importance of working together to overcome the barriers to justice and equality that have been imposed on women.
Years of being told to be realistic, play it safe and avoid taking chances have resulted in half of the world’s population of women giving up on their dreams. Stumbling across this disappointing statistic made it that much more imperative for every girl to walk away from the afternoon’s festivities understanding why it is important to continue to dream big and chase her dreams despite obstacles that may be placed in her
path. Several New Jersey based women owned businesses partnered with us to make the afternoon extra special for the girls that were selected to attend.
The Bra Bar www.shopbrabar.com
Shoo Cosmetics www.shooinc.com
Mira Dove Designs
Pholk Beauty www.pholkbeauty.com
Swanky Designs www.myswankydesigns.com
Kei Pop
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest that you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
