MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER
PDDBM COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
November 2026 | Community Updates & Announcements
Moving Forward Together: Creativity, Resilience, and Community
Dear PDDBM Families, Supporters, Volunteers, and Community Partners,
As we enter the holiday season, I want to take a moment to reconnect with our community and share several important updates about PDDBM.
Over the past several weeks, our organization has faced some unexpected challenges. However, we have also made meaningful progress, and I am excited to share that our after-school programs are returning, our website access has been restored, and new opportunities are on the horizon.
Through it all, our commitment to empowering young people through creativity, artistic expression, education, and community engagement remains as strong as ever.
Important Update: PDDBM Cybersecurity Incident
I want to address the cybersecurity incidents that have affected PDDBM and disrupted some of our organizational operations.
Beginning in late September 2026, our organization experienced unauthorized account activity, including issues involving our website administration and other organizational accounts.
Our website provider, Wix, confirmed unauthorized access to our account beginning September 28, 2026. This incident involved suspicious account activity and attempts to modify account credentials, which temporarily interfered with our ability to manage our website and maintain normal administrative operations.
I am pleased to announce that PDDBM has regained administrative access to our Wix website.
While this is an important step forward, we recognize that restoring access is only one part of strengthening our organization's digital security. We will continue reviewing our security practices and making necessary administrative improvements over the coming months.
For now, our priority is maintaining our programs, supporting our students, and ensuring continuity in our day-to-day operations.
We are grateful for your patience as we work through these challenges.
We also encourage our community to remain cautious about unexpected communications claiming to represent PDDBM. If you receive anything suspicious, please verify its authenticity through our established communication channels before responding or sharing personal information.
A Personal Leadership Update
I also want to take a moment to share a personal update with our community.
As some of you may know, I recently made the difficult decision to step down from my position as President of the City of Vancouver Culture, Arts, and Heritage Commission.
This decision came after experiencing serious threats to my personal safety, including death threats, along with cybersecurity incidents affecting accounts associated with our nonprofit organization.
Serving on the Commission was an opportunity to advocate for arts, culture, heritage, and greater community representation. While stepping away from this position was not an easy decision, I believe it was necessary to prioritize my personal safety, my family, and the continued well-being of our organization.
I want to make one thing very clear: I am not stepping away from PDDBM.
I remain fully committed to my responsibilities as Chairwoman and President and to the mission that has guided our organization from the beginning.
Although these experiences have been challenging, they have not diminished my determination to create meaningful opportunities for our youth, families, and community.
PDDBM will continue moving forward, and I look forward to the work we will accomplish together.
Thank you to everyone who has offered encouragement, understanding, and support during this time.
PLEASE DONATE NOW TO HELP OUR ATERSCHOOL PROGRAMS
Our After-School Programs Are Back in Full Swing!
Now for some exciting news!
PDDBM's after-school programs are back in full swing this November!
We are thrilled to welcome students back into an environment where they can explore their creativity, develop new skills, express themselves, build confidence, and discover their potential.
Our programs offer opportunities in areas such as:
Fashion design and creative arts
Cooking and gardening
Journalism and creative expression
Hands-on educational experiences
Leadership, collaboration, and personal development
We believe every young person deserves access to opportunities that encourage imagination, creativity, and self-expression, regardless of their family's financial circumstances.
These programs are about more than learning a new skill. They are about helping young people discover their voices, recognize their talents, and understand that their ideas and contributions matter.
Our students are the reason we continue doing this work, even during challenging times.
Help Us Keep Creativity Alive — Your Donations Matter!
As we celebrate the return of our after-school programs, I also want to emphasize how important community support is to their success.
PDDBM depends on the generosity of individuals, families, businesses, and community partners to help sustain our programs and provide meaningful opportunities for young people.
Without donations and community support, we cannot continue offering these creative and educational experiences at the level our students deserve.
Your contributions help provide art supplies, educational materials, cooking and gardening resources, fashion design materials, equipment, and other essential program needs.
Every contribution makes a difference.
Whether you can give $5, $10, $25, $50, or another amount, your generosity helps us create spaces where young people can learn, grow, express themselves, and build confidence.
As we approach Thanksgiving and the season of giving, I am asking our community to consider supporting PDDBM with a donation.
Please visit our website to make a donation and help us continue empowering young people through creativity and education.
No amount is too small, and every act of generosity is appreciated.
Save the Date! Black History Month Fashion Show, PDDBM's Birthday & Black Love Day Celebration!
Saturday, February 13, 2027 | Location: To Be Announced (TBA)
We are excited to announce that PDDBM will be celebrating three special occasions on February 13, 2027: our Black History Month Fashion Show, PDDBM's Birthday, and Black Love Day!
This special celebration will bring our community together to honor Black history, culture, creativity, love, and the incredible talents of our student fashion designers.
We are currently seeking a venue to host this event and welcome suggestions from community members, businesses, and organizations that may know of suitable locations or have space available.
Seating will be limited, so we encourage everyone to stay tuned for additional announcements regarding the venue, tickets, and event details.
If you have a venue recommendation or would like to help us secure a location, please reach out to PDDBM.
We look forward to celebrating Black excellence, creativity, community, and love with you!
Calling All Models! PDDBM Needs You!
We have another exciting opportunity to share!
PDDBM is actively recruiting models to support our fashion design program!
Our talented student fashion designers are working to develop their creative skills, and they need models who can help bring their designs to life.
Right now, we do not have enough models to meet the needs of our designers, and we are encouraging interested individuals to register.
Whether you have previous modeling experience or are simply interested in exploring the opportunity, we would love to hear from you.
Modeling with PDDBM is a wonderful way to support emerging designers, gain experience, build confidence, and become involved in a creative community.
Model onboarding sessions are being planned for the coming weeks. Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, some sessions may extend into the first week of December 2026.
If you are interested in becoming a model, please visit our website and complete the modeling registration process.
We also encourage parents, families, friends, and community members to share this opportunity with anyone who may be interested.
Our fashion designers need models, and your participation can help make their creative visions a reality!
Looking Ahead: Moving Forward With Purpose
Although the past several weeks have brought challenges that none of us anticipated, I remain optimistic about PDDBM's future.
Our organization has always been built on the belief that creativity, education, and community involvement can make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people.
That belief has not changed.
Over the coming months, we will continue focusing on strengthening our programs, improving organizational operations, welcoming new participants, and building relationships with individuals and organizations that share our commitment to youth development.
Some administrative and website improvements will take place gradually, but our dedication to our students and community remains our highest priority.
As we move forward, I ask our community to continue standing with us.
There are three important ways you can help:
Make a Donation: Help sustain our after-school programs and provide the materials and resources our students need.
Register to Become a Model: Support our emerging fashion designers by participating in upcoming modeling opportunities.
Spread the Word: Share information about PDDBM's programs, opportunities, and mission with your friends, family members, and community networks.
Your involvement, whether through a donation, volunteering, participating, or simply sharing our message, helps strengthen the foundation of our organization.
A Message of Gratitude This Thanksgiving Season
As Thanksgiving approaches, I want to express my sincere appreciation to everyone who continues to believe in PDDBM.
To our families who entrust us with their children, our instructors who share their knowledge and talents, our volunteers who generously give their time, our donors who make our work possible, and our community partners who support our mission: thank you.
Your encouragement and generosity remind us why this work is so important.
Despite the obstacles we have encountered, we remain focused on creating opportunities for young people to discover their potential, express their creativity, and develop the confidence to pursue their dreams.
I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving our community through PDDBM, and I look forward to everything we will accomplish together.
On behalf of PDDBM, I wish you and your families a safe, peaceful, and wonderful Thanksgiving season.
With sincere gratitude,
Chairwoman and President
PDDBM
Empowering Youth Through Creativity, Education, and Community
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