>>
>> DRESS
>> DRESS FOR SUCCESS BLEW ME AWAY.
AWAY.
AWAY. I
AWAY. I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW FAST THEY
WORKED TO TURN AROUND AND HELP
SO MANY WOMEN.
>> I HAD GOTTEN FLOODED.
AND WHEN HE WALKED IN, IT WAS
THIS OVERWHELMING FEELING, THE
STRENGTH IN EVERYONE.
JUST KIND US -- KIND OF LET US
KNOW IT WOULD BE OKAY.
>> THAT WAS A CLIP FROM A
COMMON THREAD, A DOCUMENTARY
HIGHLIGHTING THREE WOMEN AND
THEIR ATTORNEYS BEYOND THE SUIT
AND SERVICES THEY RECEIVED FROM
DRESS FOR SUCCESS.
THE PRODUCER IS MIA GRADNEY.
SHE IS WITH US ALONG WITH
LAUREN, THE PRESIDENT FOR SEX
-- DRESS FOR SUCCESS HOUSTON
AND ONE OF THE WOMEN FEATURED
IN THE DOCUMENTARY, LATISA
BROWN.
BROWN.
BROWN. GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING. LET ME START.
IN THE PUBLIC EYE, MANY TIMES
NONPROFITS COLONISTS TO GET THE
WORD OUT.
WORD OUT.
WORD OUT. WHY WAS DRESS FOR SUCCESS
SOMETHING THAT SPOKE TO YOUR
HEART?
HEART?
HEART? >>
HEART? >> FOR ME, BEFORE I WAS IN
TELEVISION I WAS IN RETAIL AND
I HAD WITNESSED THE DIFFERENCE
YOU CAN MAKE IN PUTTING SOMEONE
IN AN OUTFIT THAT MADE THEM
FEEL GREAT ABOUT THEMSELVES.
YOU KNOW THE OLD SAYING, YOU
LOOK GOOD, YOU FEEL GOOD.
>> U-TURN SOMEONE AROUND IN THE
MIRROR AND THEY GO, WELL.
>> IS A POSITIVE FEELING.
THE PERSON FEELS GOOD ABOUT
THEMSELVES.
THEMSELVES. YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.
WHEN I WAS LOOKING TO SERVE
OTHERS AND GIVE MY TIME AS I
HAD FOR YEARS STARTING WHEN I
WAS A CHILD, I THOUGHT THIS IS
THE PERFECT FIT.
>> AND THERE WAS SUCH A NEED
OUT THERE THAT FOR MANY YEARS
PEOPLE DID NOT REALIZE.
EVEN IF YOU'RE GOING TO A JOB
INTERVIEW, THAT IS A MOMENT FOR
A LOT OF THESE WOMEN WHEN YOU
NEED THE MOST CONFIDENCE OF ALL
AND YOU ARE NODDING YOUR HEAD.
YOU KNOW THAT FEELING.
>> I DO.
>> I DO.
>> I DO. >> WHAT WERE YOU DEALING WITH?
>> I WAS LAID OFF AND THAT WAS
SOMETHING I HAD NOT ANTICIPATED.
>> IT HITS HER SELF-ESTEEM AND
IT MAKES YOU SCARED.
>> IT DID.
AND I WAS A SINGLE MOM RAISING
MY DAUGHTER ON MY OWN.
I HAVE THE ONLY INCOME AND THAT
WAS GONE.
WAS GONE.
WAS GONE. WHAT DO I DO NOW?
>> AND, LAUREN, DRESS FOR
SUCCESS , I'VE SEEN IT CHANGED
SO MUCH OVER THE YEARS.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE
CLOTHING.
CLOTHING.
CLOTHING. IT'S THE OTHER STUFF AS WELL.
EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE THE SERVICES
YOU HAVE.
YOU HAVE.
YOU HAVE. >> WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 20th
ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR.
WE'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE WORKING
WITH OVER 200 AGENCIES WHO
REFERRED LOW INCOME JOBREADY
WOMEN TO DRESS FOR SUCCESS
HOUSTON WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO
THE INTERVIEW OUR CAREER FAIR.
THAT IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.
THERE IS MORE BEYOND AS WE HAVE
GROWN TO PROVIDE OVER 20
PROGRAMS.
PROGRAMS.
PROGRAMS. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. SPEAK FOR SUCCESS.
OUR VETERAN OUTRAGE.
JOB SEARCH.
JOB SEARCH. IF A WOMAN IS GONE THROUGH THE
SUIT PROGRAM AND IS NOT LANDED
A JOB, WHICH IS GOING ON THE
SECOND AND THIRD INTERVIEW IT'S
ABOUT THE NETWORK OF SUPPORT
MORE THAN IT IS JUST
PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE.
PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE. >> AND YOU HAVE THE YOUNG
PROFESSIONALS GROUP THAT YOU
LAUNCHED.
LAUNCHED.
LAUNCHED. >> BACK IN 2003 I WAS A YOUNG
VOLUNTEER AT THE TIME, ABOUT 10
YEARS OLD --[ LAUGHTER ]TWO I
REMEMBER.
REMEMBER.
REMEMBER. WE WERE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER. >> I HAD BEEN VOLUNTEERING
THERE AND NANCY, THE COFOUNDER
AND PRESIDENT OF DRESS FOR
SUCCESS HOUSTON AT THE TIME,
WALKED OUT ONE DAY WHILE WE
WERE ADDRESSING CLIENTS AND
SAID TO MYSELF AND ANOTHER
VOLUNTEER, WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT
IF YOU GIRLS STARTED SOMETHING
TO BRING ON THE FUTURE DONORS,
THE FUTURE VOLUNTEERS AND, YOU
CALL YOUR FRIENDS.
I WILL CALL MINE AND YEARS
LATER, THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
RAISED AND THOUSANDS OF WOMEN
HELPED.
HELPED.
HELPED. IT'S BEEN POWERFUL.
>> THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE
CELEBRATING.
CELEBRATING. WITH ANY GREAT CHARITY YOU DO
THE WORK AND THE PEOPLE GO OUT
INTO THE WORLD AND CONTRIBUTE
TO IT.
TO IT.
TO IT. THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT STORIES
WITH DRESS FOR SUCCESS . YOU
BROUGHT THIS GREAT STORIES ON
THE SHOW.
THE SHOW.
THE SHOW. YOU PUT THOSE TOGETHER IN A
DOCUMENTARY.
DOCUMENTARY. I IMAGINE IT WAS HARD TO NARROW
DOWN JUST A FEW STORIES.
>> BECAUSE THEY ARE COUNTLESS
STORIES AT DRESS FOR SUCCESS
HOUSTON.
HOUSTON.
HOUSTON. EVERY WOMAN THAT I HAVE DRESSED
OR EVERYWOMAN THAT LAUREN AND
THE STAFF HAVE COME IN CONTACT
WITH, THEY ALL HAVE THESE
DEEPLY MOVING STORIES.
AND IT WAS CHALLENGING.
LATISA , I HAVE KNOWN FROM
SPEAK FOR SUCCESS.
SHE ATTENDED THE CLASS THAT I
HOST ALWAYS A BIG SMILE AND
READY TO ROCK 'N ROLL.
AND READY TO EMBRACE EVERYTHING
THAT DRESS FOR SUCCESS HAD
OFFER.
OFFER.
OFFER. THESE ARE WOMEN THAT I HAD AN
IDEA OF WHO THEY WERE.
I THOUGHT I KNEW THERE STORIES
GOING INTO IT BUT AS WE DID
THESE INTERVIEWS AND AS WE
LEARNED MORE ABOUT THEM, THERE
IS SO MUCH MORE BEYOND THE
SUIT.
SUIT.
SUIT. >>
SUIT. >> YOU KNOW THE SITUATION BUT
YOU DON'T KNOW THE FEELING.
THAT'S WHAT THIS DOCUMENTARY
GIVES YOU.
GIVES YOU. THE FEELING.
THE FEELING. AT THE TIME YOU LOST YOUR JOB,
THERE IS FEAR BUT THERE'S ALSO
YOUR SELF-WORTH.
YOUR SELF-WORTH. SO MANY TIMES WE DO ATTACH
OURSELVES TO OUR ABILITY TO
TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND OUR
JOBS.
JOBS.
JOBS. WHEN THAT IS TAKEN AWAY, IT
TAKES US A MINUTE TO REALIZE
THAT THE JOB HAD BEEN TAKEN
AWAY BUT MY SKILL SET AND WHO I
AM HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN AWAY.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
DRESS FOR SUCCESS WAS MORE
THAN A SUIT FOR ME.
THEY CAME INTO MY LIFE WHEN I
NEEDED SUPPORT.
NEEDED SUPPORT. I HAD LOST MY SON PREVIOUSLY,
FIVE YEARS, AND THROUGHOUT THE
YEARS I HAD BEEN USING THINGS
TO COVER IT UP.
>> SOMETIMES A JOB IS A GREAT
DISTRACTION.
DISTRACTION. >> IS A GREAT DISTRACTION AND
WHEN MY JOB WAS TAKEN AWAY, MY
DAUGHTER WAS AWAY AND I WAS
ALONE.
ALONE.
ALONE. I
ALONE. I HAD TO STAND IN MY LOSS.
AS I WAS WALKING THAT JOURNEY,
I DID NOT KNOW WHO I WAS AS A
WOMAN, A PROFESSIONAL.
I WAS STRIPPED.
WHEN I WALKED IN THE DOORS OF
DRESS FOR SUCCESS , THEY HELPED
ME TO FIND ME AND I BUILT
MYSELF UP WITH THEIR HELP.
>> WHAT DO YOU KNOW TODAY
THANKS TO DRESS FOR SUCCESS ,
IF ANOTHER JOB GOES AWAY?
>> I AM MORE THAN JUST A JOB.
I HAVE FOUND MYSELF IN THIS,
THIS JOURNEY OF MINE, THEY HAVE
HELPED ME SO MUCH.
THE WOMEN THAT ARE PART OF THIS
ORGANIZATION, EVEN THE FACT
THAT THEY HAVE INSPIRED ME TO
WRITE A BOOK ABOUT MY JOURNEY
TO HELP OTHER MOTHERS WHO NEED
TO WALK MY SAME JOURNEY.
TO GIVE THEM A BLUEPRINT.
IT'S AMAZING WHAT I HAVE DONE
JUST BEING PART OF THIS
ORGANIZATION.
ORGANIZATION. >> WITH EVERY NONPROFIT, YOU
NEED TO ADJUST TO THE CHANGES
THAT HAPPEN.
THAT HAPPEN. THERE ARE MORE WOMEN VETERANS
ON THE STREETS.
THAT'S WHEN YOU START THE
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM. HARVEY DID NUMBER ON A LOT OF
FOLKS AND YOU HIGHLIGHT ONE OF
THE WOMEN IN "A COMMON THREAD"
, WHO LOST EVERYTHING IN
HARVEY.
HARVEY.
HARVEY. >> LOST EVERYTHING IN HARVEY.
SHE IS A MOTHER OF FIVE.
A SINGLE MOTHER OF FIVE AND SHE
HAD BUILT UP SO MUCH FOR HER
AND HER FAMILY AND WAS TAKING
GREAT PRIDE IN THAT BUT WHEN
HARVEY CAME, IT TOOK ALL OF IT
AND IT ROCKED HER -- ROCKED HER.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT SO
MANY FELLOW HOUSTONIANS ARE
DEALING WITH.
DEALING WITH. AND THESE HURDLES THEY FACE BUT
IT'S THROUGH THESE WOMEN AND
THE ORGANIZATION AND THE HOPE
AND THE INSPIRATION, THE
CONFIDENCE AND THE COURAGE THAT
IT'S GIVEN THEM -- WE WANTED TO
SHOW PEOPLE THROUGH THESE WOMEN
THAT THEY ARE NOT ANY DIFFERENT
FROM ANY OF US.
LATISA HAS WORKED IN I.T.
FOR YEARS AND WE WANTED PEOPLE
TO KNOW THAT THESE ARE OUR
FELLOW HOUSTONIANS.
FELLOW HOUSTONIANS. THAT'S WHAT I LOVE THE NAME --
"A COMMON THREAD".
I WANT TO CLOSE WITH HOW CAN WE
HELP?
HELP?
HELP? MANY OF US HAVE CLOTHING IN OUR
CLOSET.
CLOSET.
CLOSET. WHAT DO YOU NEED SPECIFICALLY
AND HOW DOES IT WORK WHEN WE
DONATE?
DONATE?
DONATE? YOU HAVE A SUIT YOU WERE A
COUPLE OF TIMES AND IS NOW A
SIZE 6 AND YOU'LL NEVER SEE A
SIZE 6 AGAIN.
OR 14 ANY LOTS AWAY.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
>> WE ARE LOCATED ON 3310 EAST
SIDE STREET BEHIND LAMAR HIGH
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL. THERE IS AN EASY CIRCLE DRIVE
OR YOU CAN BRING YOUR CLEAN,
PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE.
PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE. WE ALWAYS NEED HANDBAGS AND
CLOSED TOES SHOES.
THIS YEAR ALREADY WE HAVE
SERVED 3000 WOMEN.
THAT IS 3000 HANDBAGS.
BEYOND THAT, VOLUNTEERS.
WE HAVE 400 VOLUNTEERS WHO
COMMIT THEIR TIME AND ENERGY
AND WE CANNOT DO THE WORK WE DO
WITHOUT THEM.
WITHOUT THEM. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN
LEARNING MORE ABOUT
VOLUNTEERING WITH US, WE WOULD
LOVE FOR YOU TO GO TO THE
WEBSITE.
WEBSITE.
WEBSITE. >> BACKED UP THE TRUCK BECAUSE
I'M GETTING READY TO BRING SOME
DONATIONS YOUR WAY.
>> WE ARE READY.
>> I HAVE A FEW SIXES IN MY