Today we’d like to introduce you to Ebony Hammond.
Hi Ebony, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started my organization three years ago a nonprofit organization for the youth, specifically young girls. The reason for my organization is to help them realize the beauty and shine within because I once was that little girl who lost my parents at a young age of mine due to the streets of New York. This, of course, shaped the rest of my life from a child throughout my teens to adulthood, during this time, my sister who was ten years older than me raised me and became my parent at such a young age herself.
As I went through my teens, I began to meet her circle of friends who became not only also big sisters to me but mentors and they didn’t even know it. Fast forward year’s later, I remembered going to modeling classes, being on the drill team, running track, and also getting life advice from my big sister’s. This is where the Essence of Beauty became first an idea that I sat on for ten years before deciding it was truly possible to have and develop. The essence of beauty is a mentorship organization that focuses on life skills and creative art classes and workshops, as well as community development. The classes consist of, Career development, Fashion (How to dress for success), Dance, Jewelry Making, Creative Writing, Art, Spoken Word, and Drama just to name a few. This past year we are proud to say we have added boy classes as well, which has gone far beyond my expectations, As an organization, we also do annual drives such as prom dress drives, food drives, and clothing donation drives.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely has not been smooth, but well worth it. The challenges I have had were learning to accept the (No’s) And understanding when one door closes, another opens.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have a catering business I developed as well the same year I began my nonprofit called Island Seoul Cuisine. We specialize in Island and soul food, let’s just say it probably wasn’t the smartest idea to start two businesses at the same time lol but I did and I have no regrets.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
I would say to take your time and know it’s not a race but a marathon! Know you in it for the long haul so breathe, accept your mistakes, and take in as much information and advice you can from others that have been where you’re at.
Contact Info:
- Email: Essenceodbeauty80@gmail.com
- Website: Essenceofbeautymentorship.com
- Instagram: Essence of beauty Mentorship
- Facebook: Essence of beauty Mentorship
