Today we’d like to introduce you to Imani Marley-Husbands.
Hi Imani, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have always donated my time to worthwhile causes, my community and social programs since my preteen years. My grandmother Waneta and my mother Cheryl Anne taught me well. I started out helping out in Boston with my “Nana Wan” feeding residents in her building (she was a nurse), running errands on weekends and taking pictures of residents for their families. Yes, I love photography. After a while, volunteering became part of who I am and not just something to do. I attended college at two HBCU’s Hampton in Virginia and the University of the Virgin Islands on the island of St. Thomas. I cannot even count the amount of times I volunteered for one cause or the next, but I enjoyed it all. I relocated to Georgia after my hubby won a trip to the Olympic Games here. We missed our chance to see the gymnastics events due to the bombing, but I did make some vital connections. It was 1996 and I found myself volunteering at the Atlanta Track Club, Diabetes Dash, March of Dimes, the Peachtree Road Race, the Sweet Auburn Festival just to name a few. I met a lot of great people and had the chance to “shoot” around Atlanta. My children reached high school and I was prepared to assist my daughter with the ultimate rite of passage for every high school senior – her prom. But she didn’t seem interested. We looked at gowns and talked about it, but she did not go. I always felt it was because she thought we did not have the money to pay for tickets, her dress or other extras; and wondered how many other young ladies felt that way. Over the years, I assisted young ladies with a dress or sponsored a hairdo or two; but never on the scale that I am currently. I decided in 2020 to take the plunge and create my non-profit, the I&C Empowerment Zone, Inc. and my first big project was the Prom Dress Fairy. The Prom Dress Fairy project gives FREE of charge, formal gowns, shoes, makeup, tips and esteem-building cheers to disadvantaged and underserved young ladies in DeKalb County.
Please note we NEVER turn away any young lady, no matter what her zip code is. In 2022 we gave 528 young ladies a dress and lots of hugs. It took two years to build the inventory by going to close out sales, upscale thrift stores, dress donations from business leaders and “everyman” alike. I talked to my daughter, who is also my Vice President, about her not going to her prom and she let me know that she did not “feel good in her skin” during high school. That hit me hard, and I wondered how many other young ladies felt that way. The Prom Dress Fairy not only gives these young ladies a dress, but we encourage them to walk the red carpet in their chosen gown . . for some, it is the first time in a formal dress and they are awkward – but we all hoot, hollar, encourage and cheer each young lady down the runway; and it made a world of difference. Sort of like watching a colt walk for the first time: timid, stumbling, then sure and ripping the runway!!!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well, let’s see. Filling out the mountain of paperwork to become a nonprofit on the state level was tricky, but employees in the business license division in the SOC office were extremely helpful. The local level had excessive fees, but that was not a real big deal. What is hard is that as a 501c3 non-profit, I am broke. So, my funds to do what I do comes from my pocket (mostly paid for with photography gigs) and donations from the public. It is never a monetary donation as people these days are cautious with letting go of funds, which leaves me with material donations. I did a “Call for Dresses” last year, and although I am appreciative of what I received, I did end up donating quite a bit to Women’s shelters and group homes, as the items were not, let us just say, Prom worthy.
I scour the internet looking for grants like other non-profits, as well as write donation letters to companies in hopes that they will give us “in kind” services. There truly are not a lot of grant funds available for what I do, so this is all a learning process.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Aside from my non-profit work, I LOVE photography. I have had a camera in my hand since age 11. My Grandmother gave me a Polaroid One Step camera for Christmas and that was it. I graduated to a Kodak pocket camera that used the 110 film, from that to a Pextax SLR camera that needed that ISO 400 film. Those little film cases were great for pocket changed, tylenol and everything else in between. I thought I was Gordon Parks back then. I eventually got into Minolta and picked up a Nikon at a thrift store and never turned back. I have two Nikon digital cameras now, three tripods and a variety of flashes. I am the kind of photographer that will sit and wait for a shot, as opposed to taking 35hundred shots in hopes of getting one good one. I take pictures at every event that I volunteer for, any park, season change or family event just because I love it so. I think I am beyond decent at it and am always learning a new angle. I am most proud of the scenery shots of nature or people enjoying nature; and what sets me apart from others that I see that take pictures is my patience. I listen to people tell me all about their good side, best pose and how I should take their photo. Then I thank them, arrange them in the way that I see them in their best light, take their picture – then show it to them. I always marvel at the smile on their face as they see another version of themselves that they never would have believed could be captured.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
There is always a season for any non-profit entity. There are times when the world is giving, and other times when the world holds their purse strings closed tightly. I see my I&C Empowerment Zone reaching further into the schools, directly affecting children with self-esteem and positive body image building. I hope within the next 5-10 years, I have supporters beating my doors down to assist me, rather them me chasing them down, begging for assistance. There will ALWAYS be a young lady in need of assistance, especially during Prom. Although I believe Prom is an important rite of passage, it is not as important as the light bill or rent; so a lot of families omit the prom from the budget and/or find it humbling to ask for help in that regard. I am hoping that with our event gaining steam, people find it easier to ask for assistance and let us help them dress their daughters.
Pricing:
- A good support rack is about $90, we need 30
- A place to store all of the dresses that I collect costs about $172 for a 10X10 unit
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ICEmpowlermentZone.org
- Instagram: Instagram.com/marleygirl8
- Facebook: facebook.com/PromDressFairy
- Twitter: @imani_marley
Image Credits
All photos were taken by myself or my hubby Alvin F. Husbands
