Latest news with #DestinyFulfilled
The Citizen
21-05-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Empowering the youth of Greenwood Park
SINCE its founding in 2013, local non-profit organisation Destiny Fulfilled has been making waves in the Greenwood Park community, working to equip youth with the tools, guidance, and opportunities to lead lives of purpose and impact. Also read: Silent discos make a noise for inclusion What began as a personal passion project at the age of 19 for founder Michelle Tryon, has grown into a movement fostering generational change, creating a ripple effect from parents to children. 'We used to run the programme at various schools for three months at a time but we found some of the children would regress after the programme ended. So we decided to focus on one school, Parkhill Secondary, and provide ongoing support which has turned out to be more effective,' said Tryon. Tryon and her team have formed deep connections and built trust with learners and educators over the years. 'We believe young people are the change agents of the future,' she said. 'Through leadership, mentorship, and holistic support, we're helping them become equipped to thrive beyond the classroom.' JRS Solutions, one of the NPO's strategic partners, spearheads the feeding and nutrition programme, providing weekly meals to the 50 children. Educators are also provided support and guidance through a separate programme as they also encounter challenges in their classrooms of almost 40 learners. Currently the Young Leaders Mentorship Programme supports 50 youth who meet weekly to develop academically, build leadership skills, and become active participants in their communities. The organisation understands that not all students will pursue tertiary education, and thus focuses on preparing them for the challenges they may face after school. 'The last thing we want is for our youth to resort to substance abuse and crime while seeking employment which we all know is extremely difficult these days,' said Tryon. But before the youth can step into the world, their skills are put to use at the Destiny Fulfilled Youth Fest, a flagship event that brings together schools, youth groups, and the broader community in a celebration of empowerment, unity, and progress. Set to take place on Saturday, June 14, from 09:00 to 15:00, the event will begin with a community march from Firwood Road Pool to Park Station Road, amplifying the call to reclaim safe spaces for youth, like the long-neglected pool. 'The march starts at 08.30 and ends at Greenwood Park Primary School where Youth Fest 2025 takes place. The school generously donates their premises to us each year,' said Tryon. The festival promises an exciting line-up, including a 5-a-side soccer tournament, a flea market, entertainment showcases, and a Kiddies' Corner. 'True influence starts with the change happening within you. If each adult does their part, we can rewrite the future for our youth,' she added. Participating schools are encouraged to attend in full uniform under adult supervision. Youth groups should be colour co-ordinated or branded for visibility and safety. Strict measures will be in place to ensure the health and security of all attendees. 'We want our young people to feel pride in their identity and heritage,' said Tracy Spalding, project director of Youth Fest 2025. 'This isn't just an event; it's a platform for change. It's about showing our youth that they matter and that they have a village behind them.' The organisation is calling on businesses, stakeholders, and individuals to get involved through sponsorships, volunteering, or donations. Donations can be made to: Account Name: MBT Destiny Fulfilled Bank: First National Bank Account Number: 62857787695 Branch Code: 255355 Swift Code: FIRNZAJJ For more information or to get involved, contact: Michelle Tryon – 079 513 3761 Tracy Spalding (Youth Fest project director) – 082 068 3237 Mercede Spalding (Kiddies Corner) – 081 367 3079 Chenee Green (Soccer Tournament) – 065 956 5343 (R50/player, max eight players/team) Hayley Fernandez (Flea Market) – 083 650 7823 Food stalls R250, Non-food stalls R200 For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook , X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Daily Mail
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Beyonce's daughter Blue Ivy's gruelling rehearsals for Cowboy Carter tour
Beyonce and Jay-Z's daughter, Blue Ivy, can shake off ' nepo baby ' claims after she underwent months of intense training to prove she is worthy of a place in her mom's dance troupe. The 13-year-old prodigy left fans slack-jawed when she showcased her impressive moves, on the opening night of Beyonce's Cowboy Carter tour in California on Monday. Daily Mail can reveal she spent hours a day rehearsing for nearly six months with choreographer Amari Marshall, all while juggling school. Our source said: 'She's been around Bey's choreographers since she was a baby which is where she picked up her love of dance. 'She has been training with Amari, and they started rehearsing just before Christmas. 'She rehearsed for six hours a day in between school work and has been watching her mum's videos on YouTube. 'She recently got into the Destiny Fulfilled era. Lose My Breath is one of her favorite videos. She has a newfound respect for how hard Beyonce works. Her mom is her hero.' The gruelling training paid off with the crowd erupting as Blue Ivy joined her mum for Formation, America Has a Problem, Deja Vu, and Protector - which also saw her seven-year-old sister Rumi take the stage. 'Blue even had a hand in some of the creative direction of this tour,' the source said. Marshall, 31, praised the young teen hours after her Cowboy Carter debut, claiming 'she is the moment'. 'I am just a vessel and I'm here to spread love,' she wrote alongside a video of the teen. 'Watching her shine in her runway walk made my runway heart sing. I'm so happy I was able to work with her, choreograph her twist and step because SHE IS THE MOMENT. Pls know that walk is allllllll HER.' The choreographer even said there is no special treatment for Blue Ivy. 'She's received no special treatment but some of the choreography was changed so it could be child friendly,' said the insider. Beyoncé and Jay-Z were reportedly 'apprehensive' about her featuring, but eventually agreed to her pleas to take part. 'Bey and Jay were apprehensive about having her in the public eye and only agreed to her request to perform because her grades are good,' said the insider. 'They want a well-rounded kid so performing is as important to them as her grades.' Their apprehension no doubt stems from the criticism Blue Ivy received after Renaissance which saw her join her mum for songs My Power and Black Parade. A then 11-year-old Blue Ivy was cruelly mocked for her 'underwhelming' and 'uncoordinated' performance, with one critic claiming: 'Just being Beyonce's daughter isn't enough.' Apprehension: 'Bey and Jay were apprehensive about having her in the public eye and only agreed to her request to perform because her grades are good,' said the insider Marshall previously revealed how she would feed Blue Ivy 'positive reinforced affirmations' and would give her a 'thumbs up' as much as she could. 'I always told her as we progress it's going to get better, but we have to stay committed to the rehearsals and to tune out what everybody's saying,' she recalled of their time together during an interview on the Toure Show last year. 'I wanted to always let her know that you have your own identity and your name is your name. Your reputation is yours because you built that even though you come from a Heritage of phenomenal, incredible people you're going to have your own legacy.' Blue Ivy, who is scheduled to feature in around half of the 32 Cowboy Carter tour dates, made her musical debut on dad Jay-Z's 2012 single Glory, becoming the youngest person in history to ever chart on Billboard.
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Inside Beyonce's daughter Blue Ivy's gruelling rehearsals for Cowboy Carter tour as tickets remain unsold
Beyoncé and Jay-Z's daughter Blue Ivy can shake off 'nepo baby' claims after undergoing months of intense training to prove that she is more than worthy of a place in her mum's dance troupe. The 13-year-old prodigy left fans slack-jawed when she showcased her impressive moves – strutting down a runway and whipping her long braids – on the opening night of Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter tour at California 's SoFi Stadium on Monday night. Daily Mail can reveal she spent hours a day rehearsing for nearly six months with choreographer to the stars, Amari Marshall, all while juggling school. 'She's been around Bey's choreographers since she was a baby which is where she picked up her love of dance,' said our source. 'She has been training with Amari, and they started rehearsing just before Christmas. She rehearsed for six hours a day in between school work and has been watching her mum's videos on YouTube. 'She recently got into the Destiny Fulfilled era. Lose My Breath is one of her favorite videos. She has a newfound respect for how hard Beyoncé works. Her mum is her hero.' The gruelling training paid off with the crowd erupting as Blue Ivy joined her mum for Formation, America Has a Problem, Deja Vu and Protector – which also saw her seven-year-old sister Rumi take the stage. 'Blue even had a hand in some of the creative direction of this tour,' the source said. Marshall, 31, known professionally as AmariMonster, praised the young teen hours after her Cowboy Carter debut, claiming 'she is the moment.' 'I am just a vessel and I'm here to spread love,' she wrote alongside a video of the teen. 'Watching her shine in her runway walk made my runway heart sing. I'm so happy I was able to work with her, choreograph her twist and step because SHE IS THE MOMENT. Pls know that walk is allllllll HER.' Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Marshall made her debut in Monsters of Hip Hop before going on to work with Janet Jackson and Lady Gaga. She also worked on Rihanna's Super Bowl Halftime Show. The choreographer, who is managed by her mum, struck up a relationship with Beyoncé after auditioning to be a dancer for her history-making Coachella headline performances in 2018, landing the gig alongside her sister. Beyoncé later appointed her Co-Dance Captain for her $579million Renaissance Tour. 'You're working for the best and she expects the best out of you,' Marshall told Sherri Shepherd of the 56-date tour last year. 'You've got to be on your game, you've got to be on time, you've got to eat right… we're talking about long hours for every day of the week.' And there is no special treatment for Blue Ivy, who was put through her paces ahead of her mum's latest tour. 'Bey and Jay were apprehensive about having her in the public eye and only agreed to her request to perform because her grades are good,' said the insider 'She's received no special treatment but some of the choreography was changed so it could be child friendly,' said the insider. Beyoncé and Jay-Z were reportedly 'apprehensive' about her featuring, but eventually agreed to her pleas to take part. 'Bey and Jay were apprehensive about having her in the public eye and only agreed to her request to perform because her grades are good,' said the insider. 'They want a well-rounded kid so performing is as important to them as her grades.' Their apprehension no doubt stems from the criticism Blue Ivy received after Renaissance which saw her join her mum for songs My Power and Black Parade. A then 11-year-old Blue Ivy was cruelly mocked for her 'underwhelming' and 'uncoordinated' performance, with one critic claiming: 'Just being Beyonce's daughter isn't enough.' Marshall previously revealed how she would feed Blue Ivy 'positive reinforced affirmations' and would give her a 'thumbs up' as much as she could. 'I always told her as we progress it's going to get better, but we have to stay committed to the rehearsals and to tune out what everybody's saying,' she recalled of their time together during an interview on the Toure Show last year. 'I wanted to always let her know that you have your own identity and your name is your name. Your reputation is yours because you built that even though you come from a Heritage of phenomenal, incredible people you're going to have your own legacy.' Blue Ivy, who is scheduled to feature in around half of the 32 Cowboy Carter tour dates, made her musical debut on dad Jay-Z's 2012 single Glory, becoming the youngest person in history to ever chart on Billboard. In 2019, she featured on Beyoncé's Lion King single Brown Skin Girl, which reached No. 76 on the Billboard Hot 100. Last year, she made her big screen debut as the voice of Kiara in Mufasa: The Lion King. Her latest performance comes four months after she danced with her mum during the halftime show at the Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans' Christmas game in December. Her growing star power, coupled with the outpouring of support for Blue Ivy following the opening night of Cowboy Carter could help to shift tickets. Beyoncé is struggling compared to her previous stadium tours with swathes of seating still available for upcoming dates this week, many of which are resale. Despite the speculation, however, the tour's promoter Live Nation confirmed in a statement that the tour is 94 percent sold out across all dates.
