Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 18 UCW JULY 13 - 19, 2022 Seminar aims to empower girls with confidence, skills by HANNAH LEE Empowering young girls and wom- en, that is Andréa Williams' mission in all of her projects. Williams is the founder and CEO of the nonprofit organization Blazin Beauty. e nonprofit's goal is to edu- cate, inform and empower women. Williams is also the owner and opera- tor of Silhouettes Firearms Training, LLC. With her organizations, she endeavors to support the community. "I wanted to be able to contribute to the community in a different type of way, using Silhouettes and use partnerships within the community. So we're always inspired by our youth. We do feel that it takes a village to raise a child. We believe in that," Wil- liams said. "So we just want to do our part to encourage our youth." Williams' team at Blazin Beauty and Sillhouettes Firearm Training, LLC will be partnering with Family Martial Arts Academy to host a one-day seminar for girls aged 11 through 16. Williams says this age is critical. "Our girls are dealing with different stresses than what we were dealing with when we were growing up. And so it is critical that they have examples that are in the community that live among them where, one, they're able to turn to as mentors, but two, they are able to see that 'these people have kind of been where I was when I was younger,' even though they may consider us old. ese people have been where we are. ey can relate," Williams said. e event aims to teach the girls self-confidence, help them practice their social skills and communication, learn self-defense and learn how to use their body and voice as proactive defense tools. e seminar is not a firearms training event. "I think that [the girls] will have fun learning those self-defense tactics that Tracy Huff has in place," Williams told Up & Coming Weekly. "But I would hope that they take away having that confidence to use their voices, whether it's to stand up for themselves or even to stand up for others." is seminar is the first time Wil- liams is putting on this program. e goal is to see if the community responds well. She hopes that by providing a different set of tools to these young girls, they can use those tools again and have the courage to be themselves. "Because that's what it's about, is really just having the courage to be yourself, understanding that you are enough," Williams said. e event is $15 and tickets can be purchased at buy.stripe. com/14k03989D6Di7QccMM. ere are 80 spots total. e seminar will take place on July 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Silhouettes Firearms Training, LLC. at 1165 N Bragg Blvd. in Spring Lake. e event will include lunch. Par- ents and caregivers are welcome to stay during the seminar. EVENT HANNAH LEE, Assistant Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcom- ingweekly.com. 910-484-6200 TO PARAPHRASE A FAMOUS QUOTE, THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY IS ELECTING THE SAME PERSON TO CITY GOVERNMENT OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND EXPECTING DIFFERENT RESULTS. DISTRICT 1 ALEX RODRIGUEZ ARMY VETERAN Military Intelligence DISTRICT 4 THOMAS GREEN ARMY VETERAN Field Artillery DISTRICT 5 FRED LACHANCE NAVY VETERAN Craftmaster Paid for by The Committee to Elect Fred LaChance. TIME FOR A CHANGE ON JULY 26. V O T E V O T E Photo courtesy of Pexels