We love to applaud and spotlight individuals who make it their goal to celebrate diversity, travel and culture. What a pleasure it was to get to know the person BEHIND this fabulous campaign! Please join me in welcoming Tracey Friley, founder of the Passport Party Project.
Aisha Greene: Please tell us a bit about the Passport Party Project
Tracey Friley: Passport Party Project gifts 100 girls with their first passports - 10 girls in 10 cities will receive their first passports at a travel themed event. Each party is about six hours and features ice breakers, questions related to travel, taking passport photos, playing games, making crafts, learning new tips about passports and giving out prizes. The campaign will last for 18 months.To check out the cities and schedule click here: Nationwide Tour Schedule
AG: What inspired you to start the Passport Party Project?
TF: The statistics about the number of people in the United States that have passports was startling to me. Only 30% of Americans have passports! As I read the statistics I thought, why do we NOT have them? It was very important for me to GIVE GIRLS THE TOOLS NEEDED TO GET A WORLD VIEW.
AG: How are you funding the various Passport Parties?
TF: Right now, by me! I raise all the money through personal funds and donations but I am always looking for assistance of any kind.
AG: Now some fun personal questions - if you could visit any three places where would you go?
TF: Brazil, ANYWHERE in Asia, really anywhere outside of the North Pole!
AG: How old were you when you got your first passport?
TF: Mid-20s but to be fair, that was during the time when you could travel all around the Caribbean with JUST a birth certificate.
AG: What are the next steps/goals for the Passport Party Project?
TF: Complete a successful campaign AND THEN DO IT AGAIN!
AG: When will you be visiting us on the east coast?
TF: We will be in New York in August 2012... when it is warm.
AG: *giggles* Good idea!
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Hartlyn Kids fully supports the goals and efforts of the Passport Party Project and will be donating our first book "The Bamboo Dance" and Hartlyn Kids passports as prizes at the future parties throughout the United States. If you are interested in supporting this fantastic effort geared towards bringing the WORLD to young women by way of the first step of obtaining a passport, please consider making a donation to support.
Thank you for everything Aisha & Christine! I love what I do but more importantly, I absolutely ADORE Hartlyn Kids! The love of travel and celebrating culture can be just as much about getting information + using our imaginations to transport us to a destination as it is about actually being there. Kudos to YOU for giving kids a world view too. =D
ReplyDeleteI LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like such a great organization. My son got his passport this past spring. I got my first one when I was a freshman in college and I wasn't having that for my kid. He WILL be well-traveled. LOL. Now only if there was an organization to fund passports and travel.... baby steps, I know.
ReplyDeleteI love this concept. An organization that gives girls a gift of a passport can literally open the world to them. Thanks for agreeing to do the interview!
ReplyDelete@OneBrownGirl - I thank you for being patient and being so open and honest with me. We look forward to seeing the Project grow and I hope you will consider me for volunteer work when you arrive in August!
ReplyDelete@Annamaria - isn't it awesome!!!!
@Alicia - Lady C had her passport at one years old. I was 19. Times are changing
@Christine - To help these girls with the very first step is amazing. Sometimes it is about getting over that first administrative hurdle.
I first became a fan of OBG because Tracey Friley is such a champion of young women becoming empowered. Although the passport parties are aimed at teenaged girls...this grandma is inspired to get one.
ReplyDelete@Aqueelah - That is awesome!! You totally should do it!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to learn more about Tracey! I'll be in New York next August, too. Hope to see you all ;)
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