Latinas
go through a very special coming of age celebration that is a
compilation of significant events. The celebration consists of a grand
mass, elegant attire, and an elaborate fiesta. But what is most
important is the appreciation of the life the girls have had and will
aspire to experience. The Quince Project decided to help celebrate the coming of
age for three girls who learned about their heritage and the cultural
significance of a quinceañera, while working together to develop
organizational and leadership skills. We call it, The Quince Project, and we’re planning on keeping this project going for years to come. The mission of The Quince Project
is to provide young Latinas with the tools they need to succeed as
young adults. Our objective is to encourage young Latinas to become
leaders in their communities, to foster cultural pride, to pursue higher
education, to build life skills, to discover creative ways to express
themselves and to develop a strong voice. There were three girls,
Danielle …. Esmeralda … and Shaye …., who went through a specific
application process where girls were selected based on their
leadership, volunteer and academic experience. More specifically, a spot
was given to girls who have overcome a substantial challenge in their
life or who have a financial hardship.
I
had the pleasure of interviewing Danielle and Esmeralda as they were
getting ready for their big day. The girls came about the project
through friends and family and were encouraged to apply. The girls
learned how hard work, management organization and fun helped create a
beautiful night for their big day. They both loved fundraising and
working together, Danielle stated, “choosing the dress and shoes, and
fundraising at Applebee's” was her favorite part about participating. We
fundraised through various organizations, Peter Piper, Candle sales,
and a pancake breakfast at Applebee’s which was the most hands on fun we
had saving up for the big day.
Through
their quinceañera planning and journey, the girls did a little soul
searching and Esmeralda noted the importance of “transitioning from a
young girl to a young adult.” The memories made and treasured from a
quinceañera experience are well worth the hard-work and time. These
memories were also created through traditions that helped the girls grow
and feel closer to their culture. A quinceañera maintains worthwhile
traditions that inhibit coming of age appreciations. There is the
lighting of the candles where each spark signifies a person who means
something special during every year of her life; the changing of little
girls shoes to a more womanly pair to express growing up into a mature
woman; and there’s also the passing of the doll, where the quinceañera
passes on her favorite doll to another young lady who will soon be on
her way to maturity.
The
girls commented on what growing into a young woman and having a quince
all really means, Danielle stated, “(it means) to turn to womanhood
and be more mature, and being a role model to other girls.”
Esmeralda
said, “It’s not just about more liberty, but having more responsibility
for yourself and others." The
girls reflected on their journey that created their quinceañera
experience and understood that the planning and learning was all
worthwhile, Esmeralda stated, “since we are young Latinas in comes with
who we are.” She added, "be grateful, because they’re (quinces) expensive.”
The girls also gave advice for families getting ready to
have a quince in the near future and both decided that planning ahead is
the key effort to attaining a beautiful experience. If anything, the
girls wanted more time to plan, organize, and be involved in the
process. The girls’ gave advice to all those future quinceañeras,
Danielle stated, “Take advantage of every moment.”
Overall, the Quince Project experience was absolutely amazing to say the least. All the help and efforts were done by the amazing volunteers who make up he quince project planning team. There were months of planning, hard work, acting, loving, appreciation, and fun that created an amazing experience for everyone involved. All three girls were so very appreciative, and Esmeralda spoke for all three when she so lovingly stated, “Thank you for making a dream come true and all the hard work you do for nothing in return but to make us smile and have a great day.”
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