When Shirley Langley first became involved with The National Coalition of 100 Black Women Inc. MECCA chapter, she didn’t realize that she would not only build a bond with like-minded African American businesswomen, but also have the opportunity to give back to young girls facing personal, economical, and social issues through the Little Ladies of MECCA — a program that empowers and educates the girls while giving them the tools to be future leaders. Each year the organization hosts a fundraising event for their $5,000 college scholarship fund that is awarded to every girl who completes the four-year program.
This year will be the nonprofit’s second annual fashion show “Legends of Fashion: Saluting Our Icons” will take place at the Atlanta City Hall Atrium. More than 50 professional models from around the country will participate in the event, and national and international African American designers will be featured on the runway. Notable fashion icons will be honored and presented with proclamations by Mayor Kasim Reed, and the ladies will also have an opportunity to rip the runway. As the vice president of finance and fund administration, Langley is responsible for securing advertisers and handling the organization’s finances. Though she often remains behind the scenes, Langley enjoys playing a part in giving the girls the opportunity to grow into successful leaders.
Tell us more about the fashion show and how that ties in with your initiatives for NCBW-MECCA?
One of the initiatives in the MECCA chapter is to empower young African American ladies. One of the things that we do is educate them through monthly training sessions. Every month they show up and we have different people come in and talk to them about getting into college, etiquette, etc. We have a whole nine-month program, and then after four years in the program we give the ladies $5,000 toward their college education. Currently, we have 18 girls in the program and about eight of them will be coming out of the program next year.
Can you tell us more about the fashion show?
There’s a portion of the show where the models will invite the fashion icons on stage and give them proclamations from the mayor. Last year, some of the iconic models were actually modeling, so they are walking the runway and then during intermission we give them proclamations from the mayor. The models who wear the clothes fly in from Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C., and are also local models, so this isn’t just a local show in terms of the models. Even the designs come from international designers. Dwight Eubanks is very good at coordinating and pulling all of these designers together. From my understanding, you don’t get too many designers to come together to do one show. They usually want their own show, but we have 10 different designers coming together to do just this one show.
Are the girls in the fashion show?
Here’s the really unique part of it. Last year was our first time raising funds through a fashion show. Prior to last year, we did galas where we had speakers come in. There are about 300 guests in attendance and everybody donates money toward the fundraiser. There are about 50 real models who walk the runway wearing clothing by national and international African American designers. We also let the little ladies walk the runway with real models. They’re not in every scene, but there’s a segment in the middle of the show where they get to walk out. Last year you should’ve seen those ladies — they just lit up because they were on the runway with real models.
What impact does fashion and media have on young girls today?
The media and fashion industries have too much influence over the young girls of today. I think young people are more interested in what people on TV look like, but they don’t know that they spend thousands of dollars for someone to do their makeup and hair, and that it’s not realistic. I think that they should look more in their own families, neighborhoods, and churches for role models instead of at what they see in the media, because it’s all a show. Those people don’t look like that every day.
Tell us more about the Little Ladies of Mecca program.
In the Mecca chapter for the volunteers, each of us has a different function. [Our volunteers] teach writing and communication skills, money matters, time management, presentation, extreme makeover (inside and out), health and fitness, teen pregnancy prevention skills, relationships and interpersonal skills, go on college-bound campus visits, and much more. Every month there’s some skill that the ladies are getting.
What inspired you to become involved with the program?
To be honest, I initially just wanted camaraderie with other business owners and African Americans doing similar stuff to what I was doing with business and with families. Once I got involved with this chapter and saw that they were raising money to send underserved women who would not be able to go to college, that struck a chord with me because I was a single mother at 17. My baby was a week old when I started college, and I’m from a family of 15 children, so I understand not being able to go to college. Last year was my first year really getting involved with raising money for the ladies, and my heart just went out to them. I’m really focused on having money set aside for them to go to school. The women who lead the LLM monthly meetings are doing a wonderful job, and it shows when you see the little ladies.
Do you wish that these types of programs had been available when you were growing up?
Absolutely. I’m from a small town in Arkansas, so I wish these programs [had been] available. I think my parents did a wonderful job getting us all out of the house and through college, but I wish there [had been] something like this when I was growing up. I would’ve been more exposed to other things other than what I just saw within my own family.
You speak highly of the girls, how would you describe them from your interactions with them?
I think they’re very mannerly and beautiful. They’re very respectful and eager to learn and eager to be taught. They appreciate the effort that the volunteers put forth. They come receiving what we tell them.
For more information about the fashion show and the NCBW-MECCA, visit www.nc100bwmeccaga.org.
