Dear Community Member,

My name is Tracy Fuentes and I am the Executive Director of California Families in Focus (CFF) based out of Long Beach.

California Families in Focus in partnership with New York Life, Lions Club and the Port of Long Beach is hosting the 2nd Annual I Matter 2 Youth Fashion Show & Music Concert.

The I Matter 2 Youth Fashion Show and Music Concert was created by survivors of suicide and bullying to shed light on these two serious issues that plague our community by using Art and Music as a fun way to not only offer resources but to highlight our youth’s talent and show them how special they are and that they Matter.

The I Matter 2 Youth Fashion Show and Music Concert is scheduled for October 1, 2021 from 6-8pm at the Scottish Rite Event Center and it will be a hybrid event, so we can invite people internationally!

We have selected a team of youth designers who are survivors of bullying and suicide to create 10-12 designs incorporating the Anti-Bullying and Suicide Awareness colors, which are Teal, Purple and powder blue, a positive message for each and butterflies and daffodils; both representing rebirth and new beginnings.

The designers will create day wear, evening wear, beach wear, casual, and so forth and will be able to incorporate paint, rhinestones and other materials as long as they don’t lose the message of each design.

The I Matter 2 Youth Fashion Show committee has invited last year’s winning team to be the exclusive designers for this year’s event. This will give them an opportunity to showcase their talent and demonstrate that it does get better and that they found their purpose and will use it to save lives.

The reward for the team and models will be to attend LA Fashion Week and have backstage passes. The team will also receive flowers, certificates and gift cards. Some of the designs may even be featured in NY or Miami Fashion week and on the cover of fashion magazines.

We will also have live music and this too will be an opportunity for youth musicians to showcase their talent and encourage other youth to use music as a form of therapy to express their emotions and heal from their trauma.

Sponsoring partners are asked to make a contribution of $2,000, which includes the following:

• Logo placement on our flyer, website, our social media platforms, step and repeat, video and mention from the stage.

• 1 page add with your logo and message to survivors of bullying or suicide.

• Award and certificates of appreciation from CFF and local elected officials.

• VIP table for 8 of your members, 8 food tickets (Appetizers), 8 drink tickets (Wine Only), 8 photo booth printed photos, 16 opportunity drawing tickets, 8 swag bags.

• Professional recording (2 minutes) a representative sending a positive message regarding bulling and suicide) for I Matter 2 video.

California Families in Focus would like to know if you would like to be a Co-Sponsor? Please let us know and we will be glad to add your logo or name to our flyer and start promoting ASAP!

If your organization does not want to contribute the $2,000 then will they consider donating funds to have 200 t-shirts printed or backpacks full of school and art supplies? Our youth need to stay busy and not have idle time on their hands so we host after school homework help and online Art classes to help them through these times and to get them to graduate. Anything you can donate to help us will be greatly appreciated and for a great cause.

Blessings,

Tracy Fuentes

In July of 2019, CFF partnered with Beach Roots Concert and the United Cambodian Community to produce the I Matter 2 Youth Fashion Show and Music Concert at the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA). We gathered amazing community members and sponsors that wanted to shed light on and create awareness of bullying and suicide that plagues the youth in our communities.

Parents, community members, teachers, coaches, and designers joined us in cheering on teams of youth designers from local High Schools as they competed against each other and showcased their talents by designing eco-friendly clothing using two items from the following categories: Denim & Diamonds, Leather & Lace, Satin & Steel, Pleather & Pearls, and Silk and Steel. The youth also incorporated an empowering message about bullying and suicide into their designs.

The winners of the fashion show received backstage VIP passes to attend New York Fashion week, along with travel and lodging! The main designer was able to select their favorite design which was featured at the Morocco fashion show.

Check back for information on upcoming I Matter 2 events from CFF. 

CFF hosted the first I Matter 2 event 2018 at The Long Beach First Church of the Nazarene. In 2019, we collaborated with Boo 2 Bullying, United Against Hate, Angels Model Transformation Foundation and 23 Seeds of Greatness to bring our community a much-needed anti-bullying and suicide awareness conference and resource fair.  

The event was well attended by youth, parents, school counselors and personnel, and anyone who has been affected by these serious topics. 

Considering the 2018 suicides of public figures as well as youth as young as six years old, we were urged by our community to come together to empower our youth and show them that they matter, and we brought together 16 amazing presenters from law enforcement, as well as therapists, and families who lost a loved one due to bullying or suicide. The resource fair featured information from 35 community organizations including life coaches, nutritionists, spiritual healers, exercise trainers, domestic violence counselors, college counselors. Youth also benefited from on the spot counseling.