Today we’d like to introduce you to Dyon Davidson.
Hi Dyon , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In 2004, my mother suffered from a brain aneurysm and taught herself jewelry making as a therapeutic outlet for recovery. Ten years later in 2014, I received a dual diagnosis of Lupus and Sjogrens. During this experience, I picked up that method of utilizing jewelry making as a coping practice for healing that would eventually contribute to the improvement of my mental health. This experience inspired the creation of a healing-and resilience-centered program, Beadly Speaking Jewelry.
Since 2018, Beadly Speaking has grown into a youth entrepreneurship and wellness program that uses jewelry-making as a tool for healing, confidence building, and creative expression among Baltimore youth. At Beadly Speaking, youth are learning skills beyond jewelry making but gaining skillsets in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and problem-solving. Programming includes various jewelry-making workshops and entrepreneurship and financial literacy educational opportunities, youth vendor market experiences, and community-centered events that empower participants to showcase and sell their creations.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Growing Beadly Speaking has been incredibly rewarding, but it hasn’t come without challenges. One of our biggest focuses has been increasing visibility for our Youth Vendor Marketplace so more community members can experience the impact of our program firsthand. On August 1, participants will have the opportunity to price, display, and sell their jewelry while putting their entrepreneurial skills into practice, and we’re looking forward to welcoming even more supporters this year.
With the support and funding of Baltimore Children and Youth Fund youth across Baltimore have access to the proper resources, exposure, and support they need to thrive and successfully emerge as entrepreneurs during the Youth Vendor Marketplace.
As you know, we’re big fans of Beadly Speaking . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Beadly Speaking is a Baltimore-based nonprofit that empowers young people through creative entrepreneurship.
At Beadly Speaking, we use jewelry making as a vehicle to help youth discover their talents, explore their creativity, and develop skills that prepare them for future success.
Every workshop is intentionally designed to encourage creativity while introducing practical life and business skills to future entrepreneurs. Whether students are creating their very first bracelet or have already launched an LLC after participating in our summer programming, Beadly Speaking provides experiences that build confidence, strengthen entrepreneurial skills, and broaden youth’s understanding of what’s possible for their future.
At Beadly Speaking, we differ from other programs because not only do we facilitate hands-on jewelry-making workshops for youth but we also incorporate entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and professional development into their experience.
One of my most proud moments is one of our youth participants, 11 year old Celine Fasancy, feeling inspired to launch her own LLC after participating in programming and creating her own jewelry making business.
At Beadly Speaking, we emphasize inclusivity and support. Through our programming we aim to unlock the full potential of youth, providing them with artistic, social, and entrepreneurial skills for lifelong success. The support of organizations like Baltimore Children & Youth Fund has been instrumental in ensuring that during programming, youth across Baltimore have access to the necessary resources. This looks like funding for materials including beads, stands, lightboxes, etc as well as paying contracting speakers to conduct workshops and more.
What’s next?
Looking ahead, Beadly Speaking is focused on expanding its impact beyond the workshop setting. We plan to launch a fundraising campaign to help sustain and grow our youth programming while also introducing our first jewelry workbook journal. Designed to complement our hands-on workshops, the journal will encourage creativity, self-reflection, and skill development, allowing participants to continue their learning and creative journey beyond the classroom. This represents the next step in our mission to provide young people with accessible tools for creative expression, personal growth, and entrepreneurship.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beadlyspeakingjewelry.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beadlyspeaking/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dyondavidson/
