Today we’d like to introduce you to Davida Roach.
Hi Davida, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started Dear Deanndra in 2018 to help make an impact on domestic violence awareness. In 2016, while I was a manager at Victoria’s Secret, my sister Deanndra Roach was murdered at the age of 18 by her ex-boyfriend. She was an associate at Wal-Mart and after she got off work at 11pm, she went to meet him and he ambushed her and shot her multiple times, once in the head. He then dragged her out, stole her wallet and left her face down on the ground, only for a man to find her the next morning on the ground while walking his dog. It was a traumatic event that still haunts me to this day. I volunteered to do her hair for the funeral, and I remember having to be extra careful to not touch the bullet wound right behind her hairline. This pain motivated me to leave my job, work in law enforcement and get my master’s degree in Criminal Justice so that I could be educated on domestic violence and become a competent leader for my nonprofit organization.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Of course, I had to face challenges. This ministry is very dear to me because it is also the reason why my mother divorced my father, she wanted to break the cycle, so I feel as though I was called for this. Because of my passion and determination, I funded everything from my personal savings to start this business, and there were times where I struggled, but I never lost hope. I remember my first fundraiser, we had over 50 people in the building, but because of the expenses (DJ, food, marketing, costumes for the fashion show, photographer, makeup artist, etc.) we were in a deficit. I had nothing to put back into the business to grow. I would go around asking family and friends for donations or sponsorships and some helped, some didn’t, so it broke a few relationships because I thought people knew how serious this cause was and still is. Starting a nonprofit isn’t easy, plenty of what I know is self-taught, but I’ve recently had the opportunity to get training so that now, the expansion can go smoothly.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Dear Deanndra?
Dear Deanndra is a nonprofit organization created to spread awareness on dating violence for teens through social media campaigns and mentorship. Dear Deanndra began in Charleston, SC and our operations stretch from all the way to Atlanta, GA. Dear Deanndra has presented various speaking engagements including colleges throughout the southeast. The organization has hosted successful and entertaining fundraising events and instructed and mentored young ladies about healthy relationships, safe dating, identifying toxic relationships and personal development. We are known for curating memorable and empowering fundraising events for all ages to enjoy. We are most proud of making an impact on hundreds of young girls with our empowerment and social media presence.
1.5M high schoolers in the US have admitted to being abused by someone they’re dating and 50% of them are likely to commit suicide. With these alarming statistics, it is imperative that we work with our community, our sponsors, local schools and our partners to help put an end to domestic violence and save lives. Dating typically starts in teenage years, so we work to provide our young ladies with the right tools to safely date and identify red flags early on and speak up about it
We will be beginning our mentorship program, Girl, Glow Up to offer mentorship for young girls on etiquette, self-defense tactics, self-care, self-awareness, identifying red and green flags in relationships and how to serve their community. We are actively looking for mentors and a Project Manager.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
When it comes to risk taking, anyone who owns a business is taking a risk, but you need to know your WHY behind the risk. If in the best-case scenario, you’re going to solve a problem that many people need a solution for, do it! Sure, you might have some losses, but those are what prepare you for your major win. I took a huge risk starting Dear Deanndra because domestic violence is a sensitive subject that many people don’t discuss or care about unless it happens to them or someone close to them. My job is to prevent that by spreading awareness boldly, and it can make people uncomfortable at times, but it’s worth it.
Pricing:
- $100 donation-thank you letter and recognition on social media
- $250 donation-thank you letter, t shirt, and recognition on social media and website
- $500 donation-thank you letter, t shirt, and recognition on social media and website and vendor booth at our events
- $1,000 donation-thank you letter, t shirt, and recognition on social media and website, vendor booth and mentorship program partnership
Contact Info:
- Email: deardeanndra@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.deardeanndrainc.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deardeanndra/
Image Credits
Stephanie Weeks Photography
