On September 15th at the Brooklyn Kings Theatre, comedian, actress and Emmy Award-winning host of “The Real” Loni Love and special guests founder of Starfish Media and Emmy Award-winning journalists Soledad O’Brien and American radio and television personality La La Anthony teamed up for the 2nd annual Finding Ashley Stewart 2018 Finale to celebrate the Ashley Stewart community, women’s empowerment, education and of course, fashion. The sold-out event was hosted by American film actor Rob Riley and PLUS Model Magazine editor Maddy Jones, and featured performances by Grammy Award-winning hip-hop trio Naughty by Nature, vocal trio SWV, legendary female rapper MC Lyte, soca songwriter Denise “Saucy Wow” Belfon, American DJ and rapper DJ Kid Capri and more.
The star-studded finale event also included celebrity judges and special guests such as Author of “Editor in Chic” Mikki Taylor, Real Housewives of Atlanta star Peter Thomas, Author of “The Sister Accord: 51 Ways To LOVE Your Sister” Sonia Jackson Miles, President of Interactive One media Detavio Samuels, Talk Show Host and The ORIGINAL Runway Diva! Sharon Quinn, Founder and Managing Director didtechnology/digitalundivided (DID) Kathryn Finney. Music Exec Vivian Scott Chew helped produce the show.
This year’s lucky 2018 Ashley Stewart winner is Tiffany Gosa-Flamer from Chester, Pennsylvania! A 2006 Widener University Graduate with a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Gosa-Flamer went on to become a teacher, and in 2007 began to pursue her Master’s degree in Teacher Leadership and Special Education. She graduated with a 4.0 GPA. In addition to Gosa-Flamer’s love for education and teaching, she also has a passion for fashion and giving back to her community. Now, as Ashley Stewart 2018, Gosa-Flamer has the opportunity to live out both of those passions. “Becoming Ashley Stewart 2018 means that I have a great opportunity to empower girls, teens and women across the nation, and share my story of how I turned my life around,” said Gosa-Flamer. “It’s a true privilege and honor, and I’m proud to say that ‘I Am Ashley’.”
In addition, the event awarded close to $150,000 in scholarships and charitable donations, including $5,000 individual scholarships to the Chicago State University student winner Amber Green, Medgar Ever College student winners Asha Newton and Cristal Munoz, Rutgers University student winner Tia Ryans, Mott Hall Bridges Academy student winners Arkeema Chandler and Dominique Harrell, Clark Atlanta University Student Regine Stepherson, Temple University student Anisa Ara, and Texas Southern University student Sydney Sexton. Ashley Stewart also announced donations to the American Cancer Society, Black Retail Action Group, Soledad O’Brien’s PowHERful Foundation and La La Anthony’s La La Land Foundation.
Images courtesy of Getty Images
