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 2005
began with a positive start. The All Star Crusaders Cheerleading
Squad, one of the few cheerleading squad in Harlem, came
together and put on one of the best shows to start off the
New Year. The Cheerleading Squad is on its way to the cheerleading
nationals in Texas to show off their adept talent and represent
Harlem in the national cheerleading community, but lack
the finances. Thus these young girls harnessed some support
from the community and took the initiative to raise the
money necessary by organizing a fashion fundraiser, which
included a fashion show featuring the junior squad members
as models, a complementary dinner, and a final performance
by the combined junior and senior squads. While the show
exhibited their competitive, noteworthy talent, this show
more so demonstrated their drive to compete. The overall
turnout was scant, but those who attended and supported
these driven young women truly believed that the entire
event was a success. More than just talent performers, these
Crusaders had truly developed into talented and driven young
adults.
In the past, the Crusaders have attempted other fundraising
efforts, ranging from parties to talent shows. However,
as neither parties nor talent shows have shown to be effective
in raising money or engaging for audiences. Tasha, one of
the senior squad members, proposed the idea of a fashion
show, and the rest of squad, parents, and prospective sponsors
supported the idea. While the senior cheerleaders choreographed
the performance material, taught the junior squad members
the "model walk" and organized the event, Coach
Rosetta Shelby sought out the sponsorship.
Coach Shelby contacted James Thompson, director of marketing
for Happy Kids, Inc., who provided the clothing for the
event. Thompson has always sought ways to help the community.
However, he was particular impressed with the zeal and enthusiasm
of the kids. Working with the junior squad and assisting
them in modeling, he reflected on how at first, the junior
squad was anxious about modeling but nonetheless, "like
a light switch, [the kids] flipped into supermodels."
One by one, each young model, "caught the bug"
of confidence as the night prolonged.
Parents and squad members alike also felt that the fashion
show was a success in a number of ways. Tasha, the founder
of the fashion fundraising idea, believed that the junior
squad, after all the complications amounting to the final
product, really ended up "showing you something spectacular."
Anita, a parent of a junior squad member who assisted Coach
Shelby in working with the junior squad, commended the efforts
of the squad specifically because it was based in Harlem,
and "you don’’t see [cheerleading] too
much in the city." It was an event that promoted a
rising trade in the Harlem community. Latisha Williams,
another mother of a junior cheerleader and a volunteer parent,
expressed similar feelings towards the entire event. As
a mother of a junior squad member, she originally assumed
that the event would be focused on the senior squad, since
it was a fundraiser to send them specifically to the nationals,
but soon realized and appreciated the Squad’s inclusion
of their young members as well. The Crusaders really promoted
their personal community- the senior squad looked after
the younger cheerleaders that were to emulate and succeed
them.
 Another
parent elaborated on a more long term success of the Squad.
She asserted that through the Squad, the young women were
presented many opportunities, ranging from college scholarship
opportunities to general opportunities to travel and be
exposed to other places beyond the inner city. The Crusaders,
as a group, truly provided a life resource for young women.
Although many political figures have stressed the need to
promote young black men into positive activities, this mother
adds, "You got to keep the girls off the streets too."
The issues and challenges that young girls face can not
be neglected. Although more people could have attended and
ticket sales could have been greater, this confident mother
nonetheless asserts that this event was successful rather
in serving as the beginning sof a greater development, the
development of the squad and the maturation of the young
member within it. More than just a cheerleading squad, the
Crusader has truly shown to be a place of community, development,
and a rites of passage for young adults.
Overall, many seats were empty and the room was not as packed
as it should have been. This may be due to the fact that
cheerleading as an activity has such a rare presence within
the Harlem community that members of the community are less
inclined to support it. Nonetheless, the talent of the All
Stars Cheerleading Squad as well as the efforts of Squad
members, parents, and sponsors truly compensated for the
limited audience turnout. It is still to be determined whether
this talent young group has attained the finances to make
it to the nationals this year. However, what is for certain
is that this event demonstrated the merited capabilities
of this group of young people in the rare art and sport
of cheerleading as well as the overall skill of initiative
and vision, and the support of the community that is well
due for such efforts.
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