As the Oath Project against bullying continues to grow within the community; Saving Our Daughters has now launched its mentoring component for teen girls called, Lunch N Learn. The campaign will focus on young teen girls residing from selected Boys & Girls Clubs and pairing them up with celebrity women behind the scenes in the entertainment world and who are powerful leaders within the industry.

The first lunch was in May with VH1 Publicity Manager, Nyle Washington-who joined as a mentor back in March. The Lunch N Learn session was in collaboration with Unit Director of Kips Bay Boys Girls Clubs of the Bronx, Yolonda Brisbane(far left in photo) and was held at Brooklyn Diner of Times Square.

Read what our first young women had to say about meeting Nyle and what they are up to for their educational future:

Harriana
Aquinas High School, Bronx, New York
College: Syracuse University (Fall 2012).
Major: Communications.
Career Goal: Entertainment law/public relations:

“The lunch was a great experience.  I learned a lot about the insights of college and also about the drive that kept Ms. Washington going until she reached where she is today.”

Raven
Saint Catharine Academy, Bronx, New York
College: State University of New York at Old Westbury
Major: Chemistry
Career Goal: Toxicology/Forensics

“The luncheon with Ms.Nyle was extremely informative and inspiring. As a aspiring communication major, she was able to advise me with choosing which aspect of communications would be beneficial for me as I plan on becoming an entertainment lawyer in the future. She has a warm personality and was full of energy. It was a pleasure meeting a successful woman in the field of communications.”

About our Lunch N Learn Celebrity Mentor

Nyle L.Washington

A self admitted news junkie, Nyle Washington knew she was destined to be fixture in the media world.  Nyle grew up in Moorestown, NJ and was a fixture in the theater department from elementary to high school. Being onstage helped to build her confidence, which helped her get to where she is today.

After graduating from Moorestown High School with a theater scholarship, Nyle enrolled in Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia as an English major. While at Hampton she participated in Student Government, the Student Leadership Program, Student Union Board, Student Recruitment Team and was the President of Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society. Nyle took an interest in the television industry and acquired several internships including one in the newsroom at KYW-News in Philadelphia and another working with the senior segment producer at Good Morning America. During her junior year, Nyle had the opportunity to study British Literature at Bath and Oxford Universities in England. In 2003 she graduated Magna Cum Laude and enrolled in a masters of Mass Media and Broadcasting program at Temple University with hopes of pursuing her dream to become a broadcaster.

While obtaining her masters degree, Nyle jumped at the chance to intern at HARPO studios in Chicago, IL in the publicity department for the “Oprah Winfrey Show.” While at HARPO, Nyle learned the ins and outs of public relations (pitching, press releases, press junkets, news clippings) and was instantly enthralled. While at HARPO, Nyle worked on the 13th season of “ The Oprah Winfrey Show” during which Oprah gave away cars to her audience members. The media frenzy that ensued served to solidify Nyle’s thought that she belonged in public relations.  She was hooked.

After graduating from Temple University with a Masters of Arts degree in Mass Media, Nyle landed at MSNBC as an anchor producer in 2005 during a harrowing news years.  She covered and produced segments on news events including Hurricane Katrina, Bird Flu, and the Iraq War. The publicity bug hit again and two years later Nyle went to work at Susan Blond, Inc., a publicity firm in New York City.

While at Susan Blond, Inc. Nyle worked her way up from a publicity coordinator to an account executive in less than two years.  Her clients included Usher, Sean Paul, Ne-Yo, Keyshia Cole, Avant, and Lyfe Jennings among many others. In addition to escorting celebrities down red carpets for the Grammy Awards, VH1 Hip Hop Honors, VH1 Save the Music Foundation Gala, Fashion Rocks Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and The MTV VMA’s, she simultaneously promoted their various career ventures including Usher’s Broadway debut in “Chicago,” Ne-Yo’s movie debut in “Stomp The Yard” and the first season of Keyshia Cole’s BET reality show “Keyshia Cole: That’s the Way it Is.”

After three years at Susan Blond Inc, Nyle moved on to be a senior publicist at VH1 in 2008 where she currently works to publicize various shows and specials for the channel including VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Save the Music Foundation, and events such as VH1 Hip Hop Honors, VH1 Divas Live, Critics Choice Awards, VH1 Rock Honors, VH1 Soul stage, and shows such as “Best Week Ever”, “ Behind the Music”, “Storytellers,” “Unplugged,” “La La’s Full Court Life” “Basketball Wives,” and “T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle” along with the Emmy-award winning VH1 Rock Doc franchise including “Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America,” “Woodstock: Now & Then” and “Lords of the Revolution.”

May 1, 2012—Atlanta, GA— Foxhall Resort and Sporting Club is very excited to announce their new alliance with Saving our Daughters’ Oath Project bullying prevention campaign.  After meeting with Curtis Benjamin, founder of Saving our Daughters, we quickly realized the incredible opportunities existing in working with this nonprofit organization.  Not only is this a necessary cause, but also an opportunity to build adolescents self-esteem following the victimization and cruel acts of bullying.

This alliance supports Foxhall’s corporate responsibility mission and is best articulated by Harrison Merrill, Sr., sole proprietor of Foxhall, “We are not just a resort but a place for families and children to come together and share their love of the outdoors by bonding through different activities such as shooting, archery, kayaking, fishing and many other family activities”.

About Foxhall and the Corporate Responsibility Mission

Foxhall creates an experience resulting in individuals not only feeling proud of what they have learned but also spending quality time with their families in an outdoor venue unlike any other.  We believe in combining the joy and well-being of kids and families in our endeavors and in empowering kids, parents, staff and communities to make enduring changes in the world.

Foxhall, proudly located in Douglasville, GA, only 25 minutes southwest of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, offers kids of all ages a unique opportunity to free themselves from the world of media and technology, and replace it with the beauty of 1,100 acres filled with a broad span of outdoor fun.  Saving Our Daughters’ Oath Project is the perfect fit with both creating awareness of this very serious problem as well as offering a chance for kids to be part of something greater than what is perceived to be the “popular” sport of choice.

About Saving Our Daughters

The 501c-3 Saving Our Daughters organization creates the tools to get teens to take power away from bullying, (cyber, gossip, face-to-face and other esteem slayers.  The organization teams up with phenomenal supporters as well as talented allies from film, television, and music to expand upon more than a decade of youth mentoring, experiential learning, and empowerment initiatives.  Along with its fervent network of doers, Saving Our Daughters delivers a revolutionary level of awareness and action to stop bullying and abuse and to inspire all youth and their families to “Take the Oath” and take action!
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FOR MORE INFORMATION ON FOXHALL RESORT PLEASE VISIT

http://www.foxhallsportingclub.com/

Since January of 2012, Keke has been leading her charge with her teen girls to take the Oath against bullying; anD now most recently will be gearing up for her new Nickelodeon Film this Memorial Weekend.

Nickelodeon will rock Memorial Day with the premiere of the brand-new original TV movie, Rags, on Monday, May 28, at 8:00 p.m. (ET/PT).   Set against a New York City backdrop, this music-infused contemporary twist on the classic Cinderella tale stars Keke Palmer (True Jackson, VP, Akeelah and the Bee) as international pop princess, Kadee Worth and Max Schneider (How to Rock) as an orphan and aspiring singer, Charlie Prince.

Catch more of this fairy tale musical below:

http://www.nickandmore.com/2012/04/23/nickelodeon-original-movie-rags-premieres-may-28/

We are so pleased on such a powerful response on you-tube, facebook and twitter pages to T.I.’s first cyber-bullying video, which launched last week; and was directed and edited by celebrity photographers Derek and Erik Blanks.

“This is our first of many powerful artist contributors, who will lend their time to address this epidemic of cyber bullying”, states Curtis B., Executive Director of Saving Our Daughters.

T.I., had joined the “Take the Oath” Campaign with actress Keke Palmer this past September of 2011 and has not looked back with his tremendous efforts with Grand Hustle and Atlantic Records.

Help Us make that Difference against Cyber-Bullying Abuse and support T.I.’s video.

The McDonald’s Corp has this event every 2 years for their employees from all over the world; they start with 20,000 and narrow that number down to the top finalists. Keke had a great time; she was truly touched by all of the young people aspiring to follow their dreams.
Kudos to McDonald’s for creating such a wonderful program and for inviting Keke to be a part of the excitement at this year’s competition.

Again our Keke keeping it Real in the Community!!

We are excited to have two of the most amazing talents in the Entertainment Industry, as Grammy Rapper/Actor, T.I. and Celebrity Photographer & Director, Derek Blanks, teamed up for a special dedication to 14 year old Iliss Benjamin(who lost her battle with cancer- one year ago) to make their first official public service announcement for the “Oath Project” and MTV’s Thinline.

The national PSA will focus on stopping the epidemic of digital abuse of bullying as well as delivering some positive & powerful messages that will definitely get the kids attention in this social media era.

Stay Tuned and a Big Thank You to Derek & Eric Blanks, T.I. and Kimberly Golden, Business Manager of Derek Blanks Photography LLC.  

Meet the Phenomenal Photographer & Director Mr. Derek Blanks

Derek Blanks is a talent unlike others who share his craft. Celebrities request him exclusively for photo shoots and album covers while magazines like Essence, Ebony & Runway seek him for their iconic cover shoots. Never before has God given creativity and diligently studied skill been married to create the visual gifts that Derek Blanks offers the world! Though his client roster boasts some of the biggest names on the planet, Derek’s artistry is willingly available for anyone who desires to stand in front of his lens. For household names and housewives alike, every shoot is tailored exclusively around each of his client’s photographic wants and needs. A courteous trait often associated with the hospitable southern upbringing Derek undoubtedly received in Mississippi, where he was born and raised.

Even at a young age, the appearance of Derek’s talents were undeniable, prompting his parents to enroll him in specialized art schools designed
to hone his budding skills. By the time he’d graduated high school, Derek was accepted to attend the respected Maryland Institute College of Art, where he studied Fine Arts and Commercial Illustration. After receiving his BFA in Fine Arts with Magna Cum Laude honors, Derek began his professional career  as a fine art painter and free lance graphic designer for numerous Baltimore area clients including the Baltimore sun, City Paper & The Walters Art Gallery.

A new found love for the big city coupled with a longing for Southern familiarity led Derek to Atlanta Georgia, where today his talents have spiraled into a career garnering respect and notoriety from his peers and new found supporters alike. Cloaked in humility, Derek admits that he’s “honestly just thankful to be doing what he loves and counts it all a blessing”.

Remember to take the Oath!!
http://www.facebook.com/SavingOurDaughters

During the time of the first initial books of Saving Our Daughters, one volume definitely stood out, Volume 2, which had leading men in film contributing letters on the sensitive subject of skin color prejudices with teens.  The men on this volume cover included Idris Elba, Boris Kodjoe, and of course, Columbus Short.

Columbus’s support in volume 2 even had him collaborating in one of his leading film roles in “Armored” in 2009, with national television appearance as he discussed his efforts with Saving Our Daughters.

Many of Columbus’s outstanding past film roles include “Stop The Yard”, “This Christmas”, and “Cadillac Records”.  We are so Exited on Columbus’s new role as the smart go-getter in sharp suits-attorney- as he plays the character, Harrison Wright, in the new ABC series Scandal.

KEEP IT GOING COLUMBUS AND WE ARE PROUD OF YOU!!

Please catch Columbus Short in Scandal on Thursday nights on ABC at 10:00pm eastern time

It has definitely been a Blessing to have the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline as one of the Saving Our Daughters “Oath Project” community partners to be available to provide resource & guidance to prevent bullying for our young teen girls across the country.

Here is some more important information and link below provided by our Lifeline partners.

“Not talking about what is bothering you will not make it bother you any less.” That’s just one of the benefits of talking about your problems. Read more on the link below.

http://terrywise.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/25-Benefits-of-Talking.pdf

Well it seems like these days, a lot of the Saving Our Daughters celebrity supporters have been quite busy.  Our Film producers and great family & friends, of Rainforest Films CEO’s,  Will Packer & Rob Hardy will be coming out with a incredible funny film this spring which will be based on Steve Harvey Bestselling book’ “ Think a Like a Man”.

This remarkable funny comedy will be released April 20th and will star a A list cast of actors such as Academy Award Nominee, Taraji P. Henson, Gabrielle Union, Michael Ealy, Meagan Good and comedian Kevin Hart-just to name a few.

Take a sneak Peak!!
http://thinklikeaman-movie.com/

As Keke is still working with her anti-bullying campaign these days, she will once again participate in the largest Kids Awards Show in the World, The Nickelodeon 2012 Kids Choice Awards.  The stars of Rags are ready to rock!  Keke Palmer (Joyful Noise /True Jackson, VP) and Max Schneider (How to Rock), will perform their tune “Me and You Against the World,” from the original Nickelodeon movie Rags, at the Kid’s Choice Awards pre-show this Saturday!

The movie (Exec produced by Nick Cannon &  Prod by Palmer) will premiere soon and is a modern Cinderella story — with a twist!

CAN’T WAIT!!

For More on the Kids Choice Awards!
http://www.nick.com/kids-choice-awards/