“You Night” is a year-round program that helps women emotionally cope after a cancer diagnosis and build sisterhood and confidence. “You Night 2020” offered 50 local women from New Orleans and St. Tammany the experience of participating in a runway experience that included professional headshots, a music video recording experience, a story-crafting experience, a scar art (ScART) painting program, professional runway training, salon services gifted prior to the show and styling the day of the “You Night Runway Show” and the post-runway show.
The event featured three filmed runway shows at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center, which after five weeks of editing were streamed into homes nationally and internationally to an audience of more than 6,500 people.
The three shows were: “You Night New Orleans,” (which these photographs are from) featuring 22 ladies from Orleans Parish and surrounding areas, “Battle of the Models”, in which 40 alumnae members participated in a competition with professional models to showcase their confidence and continuing involvement in the sisterhood, and “You Night St. Tammany,” featuring 22 ladies from St. Tammany Parish and surrounding areas. The White Donut Productions film crew and See-Hear Productions production crew helped create a magnificent experience the day of the runway show. The limited guests in attendance were treated to a red-carpet arrival with a film crew who interviewed each attendee. The lobby hosted 45 portraits of the women being celebrated.
The theme was“Purple Reign, Let Love Reign.” Over 15 local musicians including Rockin’ Dopsie Jr., Dalila Seruntine from Groovy7, Jeff McCarty from Louisiana’s LeRoux, Faith Becnel from American Idol and more pre-recorded a music video to the song, “Purple Rain,” to which the dance troupe from My Forté Dance Center performed. Two guest singers, Dr. James Mable Jr. and Dalila Seruntine, serenaded the participants. WGNO reporters Kenny Lopez and Peyton LoCicero interviewed upper-level sponsors in a SkyBox overlooking the stage.
New Orleans program sponsors included Title Sponsor, Dr. Ali Sadeghi, Sadeghi Center for Plastic Surgery; Hospital Sponsor, West Jefferson Medical Center and West Jefferson Foundation; Presenting Sponsor, Dr. Jules Walters of Walters Plastic Surgery and Resensation/Axogen Diagnostic Imaging Services with Bergeron Volvo, to name a few. A silent auction offered vacation destinations and a painting by “You Night” role model Jane Fandrich.
➺ Event at a Glance
What: “You Night Cancer Survivor Runway Show & Celebration,” benefiting You Night Events
When: November 6-8, 2020
Where: Jefferson Performing Arts Center
Board Members Holley Haag, Ruth Avila and Kristyn Kemp with Sandy Hicks
Role Models Alexis Manshack, Jill Fourcade, Leah Stancil and Sarah Schambach
Role Model Donnika Payne and Sherri Korhonen, Mercy Hodge and Jeanne Renda
Board Member Michael Holmes with Ana and Jeff Beach
