Thanks to ongoing community collaboration and an Engage grant from the NC IDEA Foundation, the Dottie Rose Foundation is able to use fashion design to introduce middle school girls to computer science, entrepreneurship and a world of support in Charlotte.
As 2020 continues to be a time of unrest and uncertainty, the Dottie Rose Foundation is moving forward with summer camps and other events for Charlotte youth. By partnering with local businesses, like Ascend, Dualboot Partners, and Pai CPA, PLLC, the Dottie Rose Foundation is able to offer middle school girls opportunities to combat summer learning loss, while connecting them to a myriad of community support.
According to Dr. Sharon Jones, founder of the Dottie Rose Foundation, “As a Charlotte native, I know firsthand that this area is full of people who want to help others succeed. At the foundation we do our best to connect campers to a variety of community mentors who can acquaint the girls to careers and opportunities they never knew existed.” She went on to explain, “Computer science isn’t just about programming or video games, it’s in fashion, art, interior design and a million other things the girls already find interesting, and we help them see those connections.”
The connections between computer science and lived experiences would not be possible without the community partnerships that are central to every camp at the Dottie Rose Foundation. With no building of their own, the nonprofit relies on donated space from a number of Charlotte businesses including ettain group, Experience Anatomy, Dell Technologies and the SPX Corporation. They also depend heavily on volunteers to bring their programming to life. From CMS teachers, like Tara Anderson and LaTanya Curry, to industry professionals at SentryOne, Microsoft and Duke Energy, to community leaders at Do Greater Charlotte and Park Road Baptist Church, community partnerships are central to the success of the Dottie Rose Foundation.
Like the NC IDEA Foundation, the Dottie Rose Foundation wants to see a new creative diverse group of people emerge as entrepreneurs and computer scientists. “We want our fashion campers to leave feeling like owning their own business is a real possibility. We want them to feel celebrated and empowered,” explained Dr. Jones.. “Our goals are long term. The true impact of these programs and partnerships will be measured by the demographic changes in North Carolina businesses and the worldwide economy.”
During the Dottie Rose Foundation’s next camp, Constructed by Girls: Tech in Fashion, students will discover how fashion, technology and engineering intersect. Each budding designer will learn to create and sew her own unique clothing item by using hands-on techniques, technology and computer programming. Camp will take place virtually and in-person from June 22-26 at Experience Anatomy in Charlotte. In August the Charlotte community is invited to see what all Dottie Rose campers will have created at a Summer Showcase. This project received support from NC IDEA. For more information on volunteering and events contact them at hello@dottierosefoundation.org or visit https://dottierosefoundation.
About Dottie Rose Foundation
The Dottie Rose Foundation is a local nonprofit hustling to close the gender gap in technology by offering computer science workshops and camps to middle school girls in the Charlotte area. Currently during COVID-19, Dotie Rose also offers online classes to girls and boys. By connecting the dots between students’ interests, lived experiences and computer science, the Dottie Rose Foundation hopes to inspire the next generation to code their own futures.
