India Charles, 11, adjusts her colorful, butterfly topped hat as she prepares for the YWCA's Mad Hatter Project fashion show and tea party at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas Saturday. For five weeks, girls have gathered at the Beaumont Art League studio, learning to sew, bedazzle, make jewelry and expand their creativity and self-expression in the second annual hat-making project. Each work session also included &quot;girl talk&quot; time with guest speakers who addressed issues relating to girls' self-confidence and empowerment. Saturday's fashion show allowed them to showcase that confidence along with their creative journey, as the girls modeled their work and shared personal stories of growth through the project. The girls used recycled materials to create their pieces, with project funding support by Community Health Choice and Jason's Deli.
Photo taken Saturday, May 23, 2015
Kim Brent/The Enterprise Photo: Kim Brent / Beaumont Enterprise