September 23, 2020

Meet Charmin A. Bates of Creative Girls Rock® in Nashville, Tennessee

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Charmin A. Bates.

Charmin A., let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am Charmin A. Bates, a Chicago native that currently resides in Nashville, TN. I received my B.S. in Fashion Merchandising and a minor in Business Administration from Tennessee State University and an M.S. in Organizational Leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University.

My professional experience consists of diverse work, including: fashion merchandising, design, styling, marketing, product development, interior decorating, youth program development and college prep consulting, event planning, and arts. I like to refer to myself as a “Universal Architect,” having the ability to do and accomplish anything I set my mind to with God’s guidance.

Creative Girls Rock® is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was birthed from my passion for creative arts, youth development, community engagement; and, a therapeutic method for anxiety. Our mission is to educate and empower young girls through adulthood to utilize their creative talents in unique ways to enhance creativity; and to foster balanced living, personal growth and happiness.

CGR offers free bi-monthly “Master Classes” within the Nashville community as a platform for creative expression, arts and crafts, artistic design, visual arts and empowerment workshops. The CGR Master class helps our youth and women to explore their emotions, develop self-awareness, cope with stress, anxiety and boost self-esteem.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Not at all. When God revealed the vision of CGR to me in 2017, I had very limited resources. A lot of the foundation was built from a substantial amount of my personal savings; family, friends and church members. However, I am a firm believer that when God gives you a vision, he will always provide the necessary resources to bring the vision to fruition. He continues to do just that daily through community partnerships, grant opportunities, new relationships, etc. and CGR has been growing daily.

Walking in your purpose is never an easy task, but we must trust the process is necessary to reach the unlimited opportunities God has for us.

Creative Girls Rock® – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
CGR offers free bi-monthly “Master Classes” within the Nashville community as a platform for creative expression, arts and crafts, artistic design, visual arts and empowerment workshops. The CGR Master class helps our youth and women to explore their emotions, develop self-awareness, cope with stress, anxiety and boost self-esteem.

CGR Objectives:

Provide instructional information and inspiration to enhance creativity.

Build a sense of self-awareness and confidence in one’s creative talents.

Create safe spaces for community interaction and fun across all ages, cultures, and income levels.

Provide an atmosphere for inter-generational networking.

Promote Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects.

CGR Key Initiatives:

Creative Arts

Mental Health & Wellness

Women Empowerment

Youth Development

What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?

I am most proud of the opportunity to provide a platform for young girls and women to express themselves through creativity. Our continuous efforts of creating unique programming to educate and empower girls to utilize their talents in unique ways set us apart from other organizations.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I define success by spending the necessary time to reflect on what exactly I have been called to do on this earth, my purpose and making the conscious efforts to fulfill that purpose daily. We all have been called to do “something,”; and finding out what that “something” is can be a blessing not only to you, but others within the community.

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