"The Grand Entrance" Fashion Show
TICKETS NOW ON SALE!
The Grand Entrance” is The Black Suit Initiative’s inaugural signature
fundraising event. This charitable fashion show is designed to celebrate men in the Triad, who are making a positive impact in our community and providing young men with positive role models. Some of this year’s models include Pearce Landry, Bishop Bryan Pierce, Sr., Steve Hayes, Chris Roberts, Derek Ellington, Tal Blevins, Charles Dabney,
Pastor Calvin Foster, just to name a few.
This year’s special guest is NYC fashion designer, Lendrell Martin. Martin, an internationally recognized designer, has professional experience with Ann Taylor, Liz Claiborne, Abercrombie & Fitch, Sorbara Furs and Oscar de la Renta, along with his own fashion brand development. Martin has been named a Rising Star by Wallpaper Magazine, featured in Milan, Italy at the MiFur Fur & Leather Exhibition, and US Luxury Outerwear Expo.
Proceeds from this event will support the Black Suit
Initiative’s mission of providing free leadership and
community engagement opportunities for middle and high school young men from over 20 Triad schools.
In The News
BSI Expanding to JMS
Beginning in January 2020, The Black Suit Initiative will offer an after school program at Jamestown Middle School to 15, 6th-8th grade students. This program is being launched because of the generosity of the High Point Community Foundation.
Walmart Registry For Good
Want to buy the perfect gift for our organization? Walmart now has a "Registry For Good" which allows donors the opportunity to shop our wish list and purchase items for which we are in greatest need. This "real-time" wish list can be accessed by clicking on the
picture above.
"Just Mercy" Book Discussion
In January, students will be attending the new movie, "Just Mercy". However, in order to attend, ALL students had to EARN their tickets by reading the 350+ page novel, participating in group discussions and taking a written exam.
Let's Take a Look Under the Hood
As a part of our Manhood 101 Series, young men in our program were able to learn basic car maintenance techniques from local mechanics.
BSI Fills Food Pantry
In Guilford County, there are over 91,000 people who are considered food insecure. In an effort to combat hunger, The Black Suit Initiative held their 3rd annual "Locked In To Lock Out Hunger" campaign which raised over 3,000 non-perishable food items to completely stock the Hope Chapel Food Pantry. This 24-hour campaign, also required all students to fast for 24-hours.
Fast Cars & Finances
It's always a treat when young men visit the fast car showrooms at Foreign Cars Italia. This year, while surrounded by Aston Martin luxury cars, students received a motivational speech from Derek Ellington, Mid-South Region President (Merrill Lynch) for Bank of America.
Your Investment Is Needed
Your generosity allows us the opportunity to provide these young men with FREE educational opportunities year-round. Make your tax deductible donation today.
Photo Gallery
Meet The Founder
Evainna W. Ross
Born in Lynchburg, VA, Evainna W. Ross has dedicated most of her life to helping youth secure better educational and economic opportunities through the development of her nonprofit organization, The Sparrow's Nest, Inc.
Upon graduating from North Carolina A&T State University with a B.S. in Public Relations in 1991, Ross began her journey working with youth under the leadership of the late civil rights pioneer, Rev. Prince E. Graves. Ross spent six years volunteering as the youth director of St. James Baptist Church increasing their youth programs' participation substantially.
Ross took what she learned at St. James Baptist Church and developed a community based model and launched The Sparrow's Nest, Inc. in Claremont Courts, a public housing community in Greensboro in October 2008. The Sparrow's Nest , Inc. was a mobile service which provided free programs on Saturdays such as ballroom dancing, sculpting, culinary arts and public speaking directly to youth in 4 of the largest public housing communities in Greensboro. Because of the growing popularity of these programs, Ross felt she wasn't making a lasting impact only seeing youth in these communities once a month. For that reason, in 2010, Ross, with a panel of educators and business owners, interviewed and selected 50 middle and high school youth to be members of a leadership program called The Chosen 50. The majority of these youth were selected from the communities she had served prior. These youth remained in the program until they graduated high school.
During their time in the program, these youth were empowered to make positive decisions for their lives as well as their communities. These youth have developed their own small businesses, developed political campaigns, created a stock portfolio and learned how to purchase their own homes and cars.
In 2014, Ross was recognized nationally by the Ascena Retail Group as an "everyday hero" who has dedicated her life to making the world a better place by empowering children in the areas of education, social support and self-esteem.
The Sparrow's Nest, Inc. has continued to evolve into a program which addresses the need of an ever-changing society. In 2016 they launched their newest division, The Black Suit Initiative, an all male leadership and community engagement program for middle and high school students.
Ross has been married to Kevin for 30 years and they have one daughter, Amariah.