In an age of less than modest music videos, disillusioned reality shows, and the overall distortion of beauty and womanhood, there is the D.I.V.A.A.S. Ministry, which stands for their purpose of “Developing and Inspiring Virtue in the African American Sisterhood.”
Founded by Senatobia Miss. native, Kashelia Harrion, in 2006, it was launched and organized as a ministry within Anderson United Methodist Church in Jackson, Miss., but is definitely not limited to its members only. Recruitment happens all over the Jackson-Metro area.
“We target girls in the seventh, eighth and ninth grades. We go to middle schools and talk to all the young ladies,” said Harrion, who is also an English professor at Jackson State University.
The ministry recruits girls of all backgrounds, but especially girls from single parent homes and have low socioeconomic status. It was designed to create a comfortable atmosphere for African American girls where they can talk about all the issues that young girls may face. D.I.V.A.A.S. was created to have a positive impact academically, socially, and spiritually.
When Harrion was in graduate school at the University of Illinois she helped to start a mentoring program for African American girls there. She was so enthused about it that she decided to base her graduate dissertation on what she learned. When she returned to Mississippi she was driven to take that same idea and make it work for the Christian community.
Along with Harrion, comes a dedicated team of willing servants. There are two other mentors: Tracy Brent and Kemba Ware; along with two student interns: Angela Bryant and Brittney Williams; and two regular volunteers: Mea Ashley and Stephanie Matthews. They also have the support of Anderson United Methodist Church and the pastor, Joe May.
The ministry has also recently completed their Third Annual Talent Showcase, where the girls portrayed women of the Bible and modern history, modeling scenes based on symbolic colors, sang spiritual and inspirational songs, and performed rhythmic step sequences. The showcase was organized to raise money for the D.I.V.A.A.S scholarship fund.
The oldest participants are currently sophomores in high school.
The ministry has also participated in the “Walk for the Cure” Breast Cancer Awareness campaign.
“Cancer hits everyone regardless of race,” said Harrion.
The ministry has also created care packages for the soldiers over seas, and during its first year of establishment, D.I.V.A.A.S hosted a Christmas party for girls their age. They purchased gifts for the participants and sponsored a Christmas dinner. They also traveled to the Catholic Charities Domestic Violence Shelter and hosted a Christmas party. During the party, toys purchased by D.I.V.A.A.S. were given to children.
To celebrate the end of the academic year the D.I.V.A.A.S will have an “End of the Year Sleepover,” and the D.I.V.A.A.S Awards Program”. The “D.I.V.A.A.S of the Year” award will be given to the young lady who exhibited the most citizenship, leadership, and sisterhood.
Harrion said the summer schedule for the ministry is a lot less strenuous, because lots of the participants are very active outside of school and outside of the D.I.V.A.A.S ministry.
“Summers are so busy for our girls,” said Harrion.
The girls can look forward to the Summer Book Club, where they pick two books that are geared towards Christian teens and are inspirational. They had previously used the standard summer reading list issued by the Jackson Public School District.
“Most of the time they don’t have African American authors,” said Harrion.
Aside from the book club, the girls can look forward to the “Back to School Rally,” the “Sisterhood Retreat,” and one more community service project before going back to school. Then the ministry will begin American College Test preparatory courses.
Harrion said the biggest accomplishments within the ministry are the “small things.” “When a parent comes to me and says ‘thank you,’ or when one of the girls says ‘I like being here.”
Others don’t think these things are so small. The ministry is having an impact on the girls. Participant, Jamie Cavett, a 15-year-old sophomore at Callaway High School and native of Jackson agreed.
“When I first got into D.I.V.A.A.S, I had problems talking to my mom, but my mentors have taught me that I can’t always get what I want. They have also encouraged me to do a lot of things like keep my grades up. They are my role models,” said Cavett, who has been apart of D.I.V.A.A.S. for two years.
“I enjoy being with the D.I.V.A.A.S. It’s like home away from home,” said Cavett.
Tiara Usher, a fifteen-year-old freshman at Ridgeland High School from Pontotoc, Miss., has gained a lot from working with the ministry as well.
“I have learned how to get along with others, and I have learned to interact with others more. I had a bad attitude at first, but being around Mrs. Kashelia and the D.I.V.A.A.S. mentors really changed that for me,” said Usher.
Usher acknowledges lots changes she sees in herself, and she also sees a change in her relationship with her mother.
“Before going into D.I.V.A.A.S., I wasn’t very open to anyone. I didn’t like anyone very much, and was more to myself. I didn’t trust anybody, but now I’m open. I can talk to my mother about anything, and I can talk to friends. I even have more friends,” said Usher.
Usher’s mother, Annette Usher, who is also from Pontotoc, Miss., noted her daughter’s improvement.
“She has grown more as a person. She’s more independent. Her grades have improved. She’s an overall better person,” said Annette Usher.
Everyone agrees that the ministry should grow. Cavett and Usher both want more girls involved in D.I.V.A.A.S.
“I want to see D.I.V.A.A.S. going world wide,” said Tiara Usher.
“Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts don’t interact the same as D.I.V.A.A.S. I want to see it grow in different communities,” said Annette Usher.
Most recently, a small group from the ministry has traveled to Birmingham, Ala., where they held a series of workshops for Greater Saint John Baptist Church, at pastor’s, John Williams, request. The group plans to return to Birmingham in July with an even bigger group of girls to continue to help launch D.I.V.A.A.S in Birmingham.
The D.I.V.A.A.S are breaking barriers and fighting obstacles, but they face well known challenges. Harrion said retention is a problem.
“For various reasons a young lady will leave. I’m an educator. I love the girls, but I am stern with them. We try to reinforce the things they are learning at home,” said Harrion, “and sometimes they are in tough situations at home. It is bothersome to have girls leave the ministry.”
Along with retention, the ministry deals with funding issues. In the program’s first three years, it received grants from the General Board of Discipleship. They have received less each year because they are expected to eventually be self sustaining.
“The ministry needs money,” said Harrion.
Harrion said the program would benefit greatly from more funding through grants and sponsorship from area businesses. Harrion said if the ministry could get 20 local businesses willing to give $2,000 a year, the ministry could get even more accomplished.
“We are getting ready to launch the male component of this ministry in the fall. This takes money,” said Harrion.
“We want people to know the D.I.V.A.A.S is a positive part of the African American community,” said Harrion, “It takes a village to raise a child, and D.I.V.A.A.S is a part of that village.”
For more information contact Kashelia Harrion at 601-668-8080, Mea Ashley 601-955-1464, Jamie Cavett at 601-397-7939, or Tiara Usher and Annette Usher 601-760-0227.
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