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Aryea Kolubah Founder and Owner or Yia’Re By Aryea K clothing line.

As a designer, one always hopes that one day that they will be able to showcase their work to the entire world. After showing my designs a Runway Liberia in June, I was invited to showcase my work at both New York Fashion Week well as Paris Fashion Week 2016. As a designer, my dream has always been to showcase my work on such a scale. As expected, such an opportunity comes with a major financial burden of $5,000. I am hoping that you can find it in your heart to help me by donating any amount you have to help me showcase my designs at New York Fashion Week September 2016.

My journey to where I am today has not been any ordinary ride. It’s been tough, I won’t lie. From leaving my home of Liberia due to political unbalance having two civil wars, to moving to the United States at the age of 11 to be with my father in a country which I was very unfamiliar with. Settling in a foreign country had its own obstacles as one can imagine, but what happened to me as a freshman in high school is something I never imagine. In 2011 our family home here in Louisville caught on fire. Fortunately for me, I was able to escape the fire, from jumping out of my window – but unfortunately for my father, he did not make it. He suffered 90% burns over his entire body which caused him to die. Although his death was hard, his hunger for education was undoubtedly instilled in me. Going through such a life changing experience at such a young age, made me view life from an entirely differently perspective.
Having to change schools, homes, and learning to trust new friends and family members was all so very difficult. Whenever I would find myself in a slump, I could hear my father’s voice in the back of my mind encouraging me how important school was. While at my new school, Jeffersonville High School, I took an art class where I met a teacher whom at the time, I had no idea would not only influence me but change my life forever. My art teacher, Ms. Struck challenged me to be creative and invent something that I was proud of. As a child, I always wanted to become a fashion designer. While at Jeffersonville High School in 2011, I founded the first Fashion Club and a year later, I put on my first fashion show “Louisville Fashion Nite- Out.” I also invented a clothing line known as Yia’Re Couture.

During My senior year of high school, I was accepted to the college of my dreams, the “Academy of Arts University” in San Francisco. I was the happiest girl in the world and I felt that my dreams were becoming reality. As a child who had lost her father and a mother that was in Liberia, paying for school was a definite feat. I didn’t know how I was going to attend school no financial support. I prayed and continued to believe in God’s will. A few weeks later, a friend of my late Father Prince Kolubah, offered to be my co-signer for my student loans. I was able to successfully finish freshman and sophomore year of school. I was grateful, however, the cosigner was unable to commit tocontinue