What We’re Doing:
We are Rural Revolution, a company committed to empowering female entrepreneurs, locally and globally. We use fashion and artisanship as a platform for employment, self-expression, and sustainability. We are New Orleans-based, and this Summer we are launching Broad Street Beginnings, an entrepreneurship program that will empower females in our own backyard with the tools they need to create and operate their own sustainable businesses.
We will work with young women attending the Youth Empowerment Project’s New Orleans Providing Literacy to All Youth (NOPLAY) program on Broad Street in New Orleans, to supplement their classroom instruction. We are also partnering with a local business development nonprofit to ensure that participants learn a solid foundation in business operations.
Broad Street Beginnings will help participants hone their business management, marketing, and brand development skills through applied learning. Each woman will design and craft a line of handmade, colorful threaded bangle bracelets that she will then market, sell, and distribute with the support of the program. The program will culminate with a product launch and networking trunk show where each woman will have the opportunity to create future business relationships.
Each participant has lofty goals that span beyond artisanship and seeks support in developing and achieving them. It is our goal to connect the aspirations of these young women with the experiences and resources they are looking for to get their start and realize their full potential.
How You Can Help Us Start a Revolution in New Orleans:
By helping us to raise $3,000, you will:
- Help us supplement our training program with a weekly $50 stipend for each of the students. Program participants come from low-income homes, and this stipend will allow them to meet their daily needs while they invest their time in their futures to kick-start their businesses.
- Provide raw materials for students to create jewelry
- Help us hire jewelry making and business coaches
- Provide a healthy meal for the students each day during class
- Assist students in creating portfolio and marketing strategies by hiring a professional photographer and graphic designer
- Help the students showcase their works at a Rural Revolution-hosted trunk show with wholesale buyers, potential employers, business mentors, and other members of the community.
The Impact:
Research shows that young adults in New Orleans are some of the most at-risk and underserved in the nation. Of females aged 18-24 years in New Orleans, 39 percent were living below the poverty level in 2009. In an effort to help these women break free from the cycle of poverty, Broad Street Beginnings will help them transform their entrepreneurial aspirations and creativity into tangible skills and experiences.
Other Ways You Can Help:
Whether you're able to donate financially to Broad Street Beginnings or not, you can support our endeavors by spreading the word about our campaign on Facebook and Twitter, supporting the project through in-kind donations, and supporting Rural Revolution.
