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Quinces

Thursday, February 16th, 2012, by Carla

Photo source: Pink Posh Photography. www.paratinovia.com

Beyond Beauty

“A girl’s fifteenth birthday celebration is a major rite of passage and one that is gaining importance across the U.S. A tradition originating from indigenous rites, it commemorates the spiritual, physical and emotional coming of age of a 15-year-old girl.” – Cristina Benitez, Latinization: How Latino Culture is Transforming the U.S.

Valoramás believes that every Latina deserves to look and feel her best on the big day. For a young Latina, no day feels more important than her quinces, or Quinceañera celebration.

There is one aspect of paramount importance to an upcoming Quinceañera that can take months of preparation and focus – finding the perfect dress. However, not every quinces party looks like those on MTV Tr3s’ “Quiero Mis Quinces”. Many young Latinas and their families struggle to meet the economic demands of a full-scale quinces celebration.

Below are some great non-profit organizations that assist girls who wouldn’t normally be able to purchase a dress for their Quinceañera. They provide locations to donate your previous prom or Quinceañera dress to those in need.

Visit these websites for more information and to find locations in your area:

Let’s recognize the importance for young women to support one another. These non-profits help to instill volunteerism and selflessness in young women while fostering a commitment to community. It becomes more than just a dress.

Featured Organization

Instituto del Progreso Latino (Instituto) of Chicago, Illinois was incorporated in 1977 to meet the needs of Latino immigrants to learn English, find employment, accustom their children to the U.S. educational systems, and adjust to life in Chicago in a myriad of ways.