Expressions of Gratitude-Bloom Project

Bloom Project has been around several years in the Fort Wayne and Indianapolis communities serving young African American males through mentorship programs as written in our January issue for National Mentoring month.

Their upcoming Expressions of Gratitude event that they hold annually looks to celebrate community partners and the program's high school seniors.

The young men get a photoshoot and to create videos along with wearing tuxedos at the event. They fundraise and earn scholarships that they can use for school or trade school and career readiness

This year there are 2 seniors from Indianapolis and 2 from Fort Wayne that will be honored.

Additionally this year, the organization will award the first winners of the Gregory L. Stephens Memorial Scholarship in honor of Arnetta’s uncle who was a mentor with the program, graduated from Elmhurst high school, attended IU Bloomington

and was a Kappa. 3 scholarships will be awarded in the following categories: high school graduate going to IU Bloomington from Fort Wayne, a college student who is a Kappa and a college student that attends IU Bloomington.

Arnetta also shared with us in honor of Black Girl Magic what that means to her and what being a female business owner means to her.

What does Black Girl Magic Mean to Me?

Black Girl Magic means Believing in Me! Embracing my Super Powers! Every Girl has the ability to be amazing and live in their God given purpose. It’s using 1440 minutes in one day to make magic. I created my own Black Girl Magic a few years ago, when I went to a homegoing celebration and everyone was speaking about how great that person lived their life. I thought to myself, did you tell them how you felt when they were alive? So, it was important to me that every woman in my life that impacted my development knows that you made an impact on my life so I celebrated them with brunch, a photo shoot, and gifts. So, Black Girl Magic isn’t just celebrating Me, it’s celebrating Women, holding us accountable, developing another female and mentoring every Girl out there that needs a sprinkle of Black Girl Magic!

I have learned that we have one life to live and it’s the dash in between the year we are born and when we leave this Earth. It’s important to me to fulfill “my dash”.

What do you feel about being a female business owner?

I feel a sense of purpose being a Black female business owner. I know that I have been a Creator since I was young. I observed others and I said to myself; I want to do that. I believe we have to go for it. We will make some mistakes but use them as life lessons. I love the fact that I can own my own event coordinating business and watch my Couples make their dreams into reality. I love that God created his plan for me to be Founder and Executive Director of Bloom Project and see Kings graduate from high schools and become adults. I love that I am consulting with other individuals on grant writing and developing their organizations. I have had sleepless nights, and the feeling of giving up but to know that I made someone smile because they accomplished their goal makes it all worth it to me.

Arnetta Scruggs

Executive Director and Founder

www.bloomprojectinc.org