A Better Chance’s mission is to substantially increase the number of well-educated young people of color and minorities who are capable of assuming positions of responsibility and leadership in American Society.

For the 2019 A Better Chance Awards luncheon, which took place  at the Ziegfeld Ballroom on June 21,  CFDA partnered with Bloomingdale’s to dress tomorrow’s trailblazers and scholar winners in three honorable categories.

The Academic Achievement Award and a $1,500 gift were presented to seven outstanding high school graduates who demonstrated academic distinction: Sarah Camacho, who is headed to Washington University;  Caitlin Chen, starting at  the University of California, Los Angeles; Leon “Ellis” Clark, set for Brown University; Kristen Palmer, headed to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dominic Yin from Yale University; Leroya Sanford, going to Dickinson College, and Naima Turbes, who will attend Duke University.

“Thank you to Bloomingdale’s and to the CFDA for the John Varvatos suit,” Clark, the recipient of the Academic Achievement Award, said. “I loved it and feel ready to take on the world in it,”

The Nancy J. Lucas Memorial Award and gift of $3,500 was awarded to high school senior Gabrielle Battle for demonstrating leadership in promoting equity and justice at her school and offering encouragement to her peers. Wearing a sun-yellow and long sleeveless dress, Battle spoke about her six years serving as an attorney with CenterForce Youth Court, where she advocated for youth accused of committing misdemeanors and her countless accomplishments as a public activist. Set to attend Duke University this fall, she wants to become a civil rights attorney and continue to improve the lives of underserved members of her community.

The Judith Berry Griffin Award and $5,000 gift was presented to Helen Tamrat, a senior who has shown exceptional and steadfast determination to achieve. A social activist from Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, she will attend Yale University in the fall. Her mission is to be a leader in her community and give a voice to marginalized groups. Sporting a magenta-purple blouse with royal blue trousers, Tamrat gave a gracious speech about her initial struggles as an immigrant and the social activism causes she participates in, such as starting a Diversity Awareness Club at her high school and co-founding a Little-Big Sister program for younger minority students.

A special thanks to Bloomingdale’s for kindly supporting and dressing students who will create a more inclusive and positive future.