Meera Empowerment fashion show highlights girls’ heritage

Girls and boys from all across Long Island and Brooklyn gathered to express their inner confidence and support the community at the fourth annual Meera Empowerment Fashion Show on July 27.

Meera Empowerment is an Elmont-based organization that gives back to the community through its ambassadors’ program. It hosts an annual fashion show where girls display evening wear, cultural wear and casual wear. This year’s event was held at VFW Post 2718 in Franklin Square.

“I like that I can express myself in my clothes, and when I can wear something from my culture,” said Kalleen Gayle, who wore a traditional dress in African print during the cultural wear segment of the fashion show.

While each model walked up and down the runway, emcee LeShawn Walker described their hopes, dreams, and inspirations. Many girls want to be scientists, doctors, lawyers, and pillars of their community. One little girl was interested in bugs.

Meera Empowerment is a nonprofit organization that hosts charity events and fundraisers for local organizations with help from its ambassadors, young women and men who want to give back to their community.

“Meera helps me because it really gives me a lot of confidence through all the events that we do,” said Anniah Marajdeen, who modeled during both the evening wear and cultural wear segments of the fashion show.

Some of those charities are Ronald McDonald House, Building Homes for Heroes, and Island Harvest. Selene Ferdinand, founder of Meera Empowerment and last year’s National Miss Queen for her age group, wants to see the organization feed the homeless and those in need.

“I would like to expand a little more,” Ferdinand said. “To get more people involved and make it bigger. Next year is our fifth year doing the fashion show, so I hope to make it a lot bigger.”

Ferdinand started the fashion show in 2021, after she had been involved in pageants since she was four years old. She says it has given her confidence.

“I started the fashion show, and especially Meera Empowerment, because through pageantry I’ve learned the value of community service and to inspire our community and to get the youth out of their comfort zones,” Ferdinand said.

This year, Ferdinand’s sister queen Mariah Gomez from the National American Miss pageant was a model for the fashion show. The sisters have been doing community service together throughout the year.

“What I really appreciate about pageantry, National American Miss, is that now it’s a lot more about the girl on the inside, and inner confidence that displays outside, rather than just how pretty you are or what size you wear,” Gomez said.

A key component of this year’s fashion show was the cultural wear segment. Six young women walked the runway in five traditional African prints and one sari to express their heritage. Zikora Agu wore a traditional Nigerian print; Gayle, Christina Alden and Marajdeen wore traditional African prints; Kelli-Rose Simpson wore a traditional kente cloth; and Ferdinand wore a green sari.

“I love that this organization brings the community together, that they spotlight the youth, the teens, in the community,” Walker said. “And that they’re able to showcase their confidence, showcase their self-esteem, and have a little fun in the process.”

Walker is the leader of You’re Our Unity, a socially conscious community outreach network. Often collaborating with Meera Empowerment for the youth segment, Y.O.U. puts on a television show on channel 20 on Sundays at 4 p.m. where Walker interviews change-makers and peacemakers from the community.