She got the idea after taking part in a protest demanding justice for Taylor in Los Angeles. She walked away wanting to make a change but wasn’t sure how.
Dotson decided to run 300 miles for 300 girls in Louisville impacted by the death of Taylor.
“I wanted those young girls who might have seen the headlines and thought, am I seen, am I valued in this society? I wanted them to know that you are absolutely seen, you are loved, you are valued and you are worthy of your greatest dream,” says Dotson.
After days of logging heavy hundreds of miles on her feet, Dotson refocused her journey.
On a flight to Louisville, she packed three brand-new laptops and a goal to get sponsors for 297 more to gift to girls of color between 12 and 14-years-old.
She hoped the technology would help budding writers creates stories that highlight their talents and aspirations.
In the fall of 2020, the six-week storytelling, mentoring and training pilot program began with 20 girls.
Sophia Graham, a 13-year-old drummer who aspires to be a crime scene investigator, was one of those girls.
“A lot of people will tell you that you can get whatever job you want, you can do whatever you want, but they don’t actually help you do that so 300 for 300 will really help you get there,” says Graham.
Graham’s favorite part of the program was getting to meet and receive advice from mentors including professors from Yale University and the University of Southern California, movie writers, and mental health professionals.
Alongside lessons on movement, speech, breathing and confidence-building, the girls had sleepovers, movie nights and other fun gatherings.
During the short time with the girls, Dotson saw triumph defeat trauma.
There’s a lot of pressure especially when you’re in a society where you’re seeing all of these things happen, all of this inequity and all of the trauma. It’s very easy to get bogged down by just thinking about how you can help the world when you’re 12 or when you’re 13,’ says Dotson. “Poverty, racism or colorism or body shaming or whatever was going on, that trauma released and fell away and they just started to be kids, be girls, be joyful spirits.”
300 for 300’s six-week program returns this summer.
Jania Handley, a writer and artist, recently learned that she will be joining the family with 40-50 other girls.
“I really found it interesting how they let these Black young ladies show off their talents, their writing, etc.,” says Handley. “I think through that we can show what we can do as a community as Black young ladies so I am really honored to be able to do this.”
Handley’s story will be one of the 300 that Dotson plans to share in a multimedia art exhibit and a book.
“I call them artforms and I believe that they deserve to be up on the walls and to be celebrated,” says Dotson.
To apply for the 300 for 300 program click here . If your child doesn't get a spot in the summer session, there will be another session this fall.