Press Contact: Elias Gross

Be Bold, Board Member

(859) 382-1042 | beboldlex@gmail.com

Be Bold Empowers Local Food and Fashion Talent in 2014 Workshop

LEXINGTON, KY Be Bold proudly announces key speakers and new program details for its 3
rd

annual girls empowerment workshop held November 1 from 10:00am-5:00pm at the University of
Kentucky Student Center. The workshop, designed for girls 9-18 and young moms under 24, features
inspirational speakers ranging from culinary evangelists Sofia and Dan Wu, to award-winning fashion
designer Soreyda Benedit-Begley, and more. Workshops and activities include discussions on self-
esteem and empowerment, dating and fashion, a fashion show, hip hop dance and step team
performances, responsive art projects, and an exclusive tour of the University of Kentucky campus.

The Be Bold workshop is newly restructured to focus on building strong self-esteem and positive body
image through TED Talk style lectures, engaging performances, and movement classes. Lectures
and workshops feature talks on entrepreneurship, a body power hour comprised of yoga and hip hop
dance, inspirational entertainment from area step teams and musicians, responsive art projects led by
local artists, an exclusive University of Kentucky campus tour, and cooking demonstrations focused
on teaching age-appropriate healthy cooking. Cooking demonstrations are new to the 2014
workshop, harnessing the rich culinary talent in Lexington to teach healthy and sustainable eating
habits to participants and their families. Lexington Diner Chef Ranada West-Riley joins daughter-
father culinary evangelists Sofia and Dan Wu to demonstrate innovative cooking approaches, impart
easy-to-make recipes, and work alongside participants to create healthy snacks on-site. Award-
winning fashion designer Soreyda Benedit-Begley returns to Be Bold to lead a youth-focused fashion
show with live music by hip hop vocalist Tina Crystal Clear on da Mic Foundren.

Be Bold founder, Tanya Torp, identified a need for a girls empowerment workshop in 2011 after she
and her husband encountered a group of young ladies in my neighborhood who were so scantily
clad that my husband chivalrously refused to look up from our walk. Instead, he looked down at the
ground to afford them some dignity. The men they encountered as they walked, both young and old,
seemed familiar with them but, did not call them by their names - only baby, sweet thang, or come
here, sexy. The young ladies clearly loved the attention. When we got close enough to talk to them, I
was dumbfounded to learn that they ranged in age from 10 to 15. After engaging them in some
candid conversation about goals and self-esteem, I realized I needed to act. That is precisely how the
non-profit Be Bold was born. Following the inaugural workshop, Torp won a 2013 Impact Award from
the Bluegrass Alliance for Women, honoring the success of the workshop and development of the
organization.

Admission to Be Bold is available for girls 9-18 (and young moms under 24) at a cost of $5 per
participant (scholarships available) covering lunch, gifts, and prizes. The registration deadline is
October 24, 2014. Interested participants can register at www.daretobebold.org/registration/ and by
contacting Tanya Torp at beboldlex@gmail.com. Community members interested in volunteer or
sponsorship opportunities can register or give at www.daretobebold.org/get-involved/.

Be Bold was founded in 2011 with the mission to empower girls by partnering with them to set and achieve tangible goals
for themselves through entertainment, education, and above all inspiration. Be Bold aspires to promote healthy self-
esteem and positive body image by exposing the myths associated with media and showcasing real women and girls who
have learned to love themselves.

Images of workshop speakers and past Be Bold workshops photos available on request.
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