Pretty Me Inc. Summit Aims To Elevate, Educate And Empower

Pretty Me, Inc. was founded by Dominique Robinson in 2016. On April 27, the organization will host its E3 Conference in Bolingbrook. PHOTO PROVIDED BY APPREYPR.
Pretty Me, Inc. was founded by Dominique Robinson in 2016. On April 27, the organization will host its E3 Conference in Bolingbrook. PHOTO PROVIDED BY APPREYPR.

Pretty Me Inc. Summit Aims To Elevate, Educate And Empower

By Tia Carol Jones

Dominique Robinson wanted to provide a more positive representation of young Black women and girls, so she founded Pretty Me Inc. in 2016. Eight years later, the mentorship organization for girls and young women, between the ages of 12 years old to 22 years old, continues to make a positive impact.

“I just knew I wanted to provide a safe space, guidance and additional support to parents for our girls,” Robinson said.

Mentorship wasn’t something Robinson had when she was growing up, but she felt if she’d had it, it would have been beneficial to her. She did some research on what it would take to start a mentorship program and decided to start Pretty Me Inc. The organization’s mission is to elevate mental health, empower youth and educate families. There is a PMI Girls program for girls ages 12 years old and 16 years old and the Young Adults program for young women ages 17 years old to 22 years old.

The mental health program hosts in-person group meetings with mentees and mentors. The mentors stay with the mentees through the duration of their stay in the program. Robinson said the one-on-one mentoring is a big part of the program and it builds relationships. Currently, the program serves 40 girls.

Pretty Me Inc. will host its inaugural E3 (Elevation, Education, Empowerment) Conference from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 27th, at Brooks Middle School, 350 Blair Lane, in Bolingbrook.

The free conference will include sessions on personal development, entrepreneurship, leadership, and empowerment, as well as self-love and communication. There also will be a step show, judged by members of the Divine Nine Black Greek Letter Organizations. Attendees can do a glam session and spa day. One student will receive the E3 Academic Scholarship, which will cover tuition, fees, and school supplies.

The goal of the conference is to remind girls they are strong and powerful, while also harnessing their skills and tools, as well as to celebrate the girls and the efforts of their mothers.

In addition to the mentorship programs for girls and their mothers, Pretty Me Inc. has developed a mentorship program for fathers and has expanded its outreach in schools for an afterschool program. Robinson wants the fathers to also receive support through the PMI Dads Program.

On March 18th, Pretty Me Inc. started an afterschool program at Humphrey Middle School in Bolingbrook. The goal of the REACH program is to combat bullying, peer pressure, procrastination, while promoting mental health, wellness and friendships.

“We really want our girls to know they matter, we want them to utilize their voices so they can be good and whole within themselves, but also be leaders in their community and be confident in that. We are creating a pretty package where pretty starts on the inside and it radiates on the outside,” Robinson said. She wants the girls to be able to stand on their morals and their values.

Robinson said it is important to get the family involved in the program because the parents need support. She said the family is the foundation and she wants mothers to remember who they are and that they are also seen.

Robinson hopes the girls who attend the E3 Conference leave the event feeling heard, encouraged, and empowered, and she wants the mothers to leave feeling seen and that they can take on the world.

For more information about Pretty Me Inc. and the E3 Conference, visit prettymeinc.org.


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