{"id":45972,"date":"2020-01-23T05:08:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T05:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/?p=45972"},"modified":"2020-01-23T14:39:26","modified_gmt":"2020-01-23T14:39:26","slug":"dre-thomas-founder-of-smile-on-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/2020\/01\/23\/dre-thomas-founder-of-smile-on-me\/","title":{"rendered":"Dre Thomas, Founder of Smile On Me"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ae.com\/us\/en\/c\/aerie\/new-arrivals\/1k7sqlcZ1266xyj-filtered?pagetype=plp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"1543\" width=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_Quote2.jpg?w=2048\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-46759\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_Quote2.jpg 2500w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_Quote2.jpg?resize=300,226 300w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_Quote2.jpg?resize=768,578 768w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_Quote2.jpg?resize=2048,1543 2048w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_Quote2.jpg?resize=1536,1157 1536w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_Quote2.jpg?resize=670,505 670w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_Quote2.jpg?resize=1280,964 1280w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_Quote2.jpg?resize=584,440 584w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_Quote2.jpg?resize=210,158 210w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kFmtaAQaNXo?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Dre founded <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smileonme.org?CIDaerie_Social_WP_200121_65\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Smile On Me<\/a>, an NYC-based organization with a mission to awaken every girl to her inner greatness, and empower her to disrupt the status quo and impact the world. 30% of girls in New York City live in poverty, and it can be difficult for their families to prepare them for puberty when they\u2019re already struggling to make ends meet. Smile On Me provides hygiene products for girls, in addition to essential support and education on hygiene, puberty, and sexual and reproductive health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote has-background is-style-solid-color\" style=\"background-color:#6ecee6\"><blockquote class=\"has-text-color\" style=\"color:#ffffff\"><p>\u201cWe want to make sure that girls have a space to be safe in their authentic selves.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ae.com\/us\/en\/x\/aerie\/matching-sets?menu=cat4840006?CIDaerie_Social_WP_200121_68\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1755\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_1.jpg?w=1755\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-46414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_1.jpg 1755w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_1.jpg?resize=300,205 300w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_1.jpg?resize=768,525 768w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_1.jpg?resize=1536,1050 1536w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_1.jpg?resize=739,505 739w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_1.jpg?resize=1280,875 1280w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_1.jpg?resize=584,399 584w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_1.jpg?resize=210,144 210w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1755px) 100vw, 1755px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For Dre\u2019s birthday in 2017, she asked her friends and family to donate hygiene products that she went on to distribute to girls in need. Two years later, Dre has turned that moment of generosity into an entire organization. With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smileonme.org?CIDaerie_Social_WP_200121_66\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Smile On Me (opens in a new tab)\">Smile On Me<\/a>, she helps girls feel supported and empowered during a pivotal time in their lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote has-background is-style-solid-color\" style=\"background-color:#6ecee6\"><blockquote class=\"has-text-color\" style=\"color:#ffffff\"><p>\u201cI\u2019m making change by having these conversations about ideas that are still taboo, and opening up the doors for others, to lift them up and make them feel safe.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ae.com\/us\/en\/x\/aerie\/matching-sets?menu=cat4840006?CIDaerie_Social_WP_200121_67\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1743\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-46415\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_2.jpg 1743w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_2.jpg?resize=300,207 300w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_2.jpg?resize=768,529 768w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_2.jpg?resize=1536,1057 1536w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_2.jpg?resize=734,505 734w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_2.jpg?resize=1280,881 1280w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_2.jpg?resize=584,402 584w, https:\/\/www.ae.com\/aerie-real-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ARL_Dre_2.jpg?resize=210,145 210w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1743px) 100vw, 1743px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ae.com\/us\/en\/p\/women\/hoodies-sweatshirts\/aerie-hoodies-sweatshirts\/aerie-sunday-soft-oversized-sweatshirt\/0743_1878_799?menu=cat4840006\">Sunday Soft Oversized Sweatshirt<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ae.com\/us\/en\/p\/women\/shorts\/aerie-shorts\/aerie-sunday-soft-short\/0706_4960_799\">Sunday Soft Short<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dre founded Smile On Me, an NYC-based organization with a mission to awaken every girl to her inner greatness, and empower her to disrupt the status quo and impact the world. 30% of girls in New York City live in poverty, and it can be difficult for their families to prepare them for puberty when [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":58,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"callout_image":46414,"mobile_callout_image":null,"_subheading":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[6],"tags":[2285,8564,2262],"tribe_events_cat":[],"class_list":["post-45972","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-role-models","tag-aeriereal-role-models","tag-dre-thomas","tag-role-models"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.6 (Yoast SEO v26.6) - 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