The 5th Annual Power Walk for Dress for Success raised funds in Los Angeles for women in need.
Photos by Sheng-te Yang
Sometimes work can save our lives. “In order to gain employment and become self-sufficient, it is critical that women are also healthy and well! said Reena De Asis, Director of Dress for Success Worldwide-West.
Dress for Success Worldwide-West has a mission “to promote the economic independence of women by providing professional attire, a network of support, and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.”
In September, LA YOGA was the media sponsor the 5th annual Power Walk for Dress for Success Worldwide-West fundraiser and health fair held at Griffith Park. Corporate teams and individuals collectively raised more than $24,000 for their walk through the park. Many were joined by their pooches for the 5K trek; and in keeping with the event’s theme to Honor Your Superhero, a number of attendees even sported suitable costumes. Celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson led the pre-walk warm-up with moves from the Tracy Anderson Method. Professor Samambaia and the Capoeira Batuque group mesmerized the crowd with a capoeira demo, and LA YOGA editor Felicia Tomasko shared a post-walk stretch. If you’re inspired by the mission, you can still donate online at:dfspowerwalk.org/losangeles. Dress for Success Worldwide-West accepts contribution of business clothes and briefcases, money, and time (through volunteers).
Brenda is an LA-based success story. She says, “As an unemployed single mother of twin boys, I was going through a difficult time financially and emotionally and did not have money for new clothes. My self-esteem was low, I was nervous because I wasn’t prepared for my job interview, and I didn’t even know how to dress professionally. I was referred to Dress for Success Worldwide-West for a suiting where the volunteers’ positive words and caring personalities gave me the confidence and motivation I needed for the interview. Not just that, but I got the job and then immediately joined the Professional Women’s Group (PWG)… I have learned that setting professional goals will lead me to financial independence and personal satisfaction.”
For more information, visit worldwidewest.dressforsuccess.org
Photographer Sheng-te Yang can be found at: yangphotography.com
Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.