Nailah takes NYC

We are writing to ask for your support for a member of the Portland Metro Arts dance company that we have all grown to admire and love. She has danced at PMA for 12 years and devoted hundreds of hours volunteering and mentoring younger dancers. She has inspired many of us with her talent, smile, and energy. She has also performed as well as shared the art of dance at her church.


The person we are referring to is Nailah Cunningham. She was recently accepted at the prestigious Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre School in New York. This is the same dance school that innovated and inspired a new era of Modern dancers world wide. We are extremely proud of this accomplishment and look forward to great things from this young woman. She leaves on her quest in August.


Our goal is to raise over $5,000 to facilitate both her initial moving expenses and airline tickets. We also hope to establish a fund to allow her to come home for Christmas or Spring Break to enjoy time with her family. Another purpose of these funds is to allow Nailah to have a new supply of dance attire and shoes.


Both of Nailah's parents are also prominent members of the PMA community and have devoted countless hours to the arts. Her mother Diane has been an indispensable help administratively and in PMA's costume department, as has her father Derwin in running sound during performances. An additional goal, which we are confident we can achieve, is to allow Diane to accompany her daughter to New York for at least three to five days.


As an expression of our appreciation for your donation, we will be offering the following:
$20 - Thank you card & 4x6 photo of Nailah.
$50 - Thank you card & signed 8x10.
$100 or more - Thank you card & signed 8x10 & a pair of tickets to her 1st performance back in Portland.

If you would like to recieve this gift, please forward your "thank you" email from gofundme to [email redacted]. Make sure to include your name and address. (All pictures and cards will be mailed out by mid-September or can be picked up at PMA after Sept. 20th.)


In closing, we appreciate you taking the time to read this letter and hope you consider how you or others might participate. We already have a $1,000 matching donation (and would welcome more) that has committed to matching the first 10 donations of $100. We are all very excited to see what Nailah will accomplish with what she has learned at PMA and will learn at Alvin Ailey. Her enormous heart and talent are a gift we have all enjoyed.


Sincerely,

Portland Metro Arts Family