Helping teens shine: Taxie Lambert’s heartfelt mission
By Jennifer Harrison / Photos by Kate Treick Photography & Getty Images
When you meet her, you just love her.
Taxie Lambert turned a tragedy in her life into something the community embraces. Lambert’s daughter, Desirea Sierra, was killed at the age of 11 in an act of domestic violence. Desirea never had the chance to grow up and experience a high school formal event. So, with her strong will and determination, Lambert created the initiative 4EVR DEZ in memory of her daughter.
“My passion behind 4EVR DEZ stems from being a 15-year-old girl who needed a resource to access formal wear just to feel socially included,” Lambert said. “I know the deep impact that being part of those experiences can have on a young girl’s self-esteem and sense of belonging. It breaks my heart that my daughter, Desirea (DEZ), never had the chance to attend a school formal before her life was tragically taken by an act of domestic violence. Through 4EVR DEZ, I honor her memory by ensuring that every girl, no matter her circumstances, has the opportunity to feel included, empowered, and celebrated.”
4EVR DEZ empowers students, volunteers and ambassadors to make a difference in a teen’s life and, in turn, the community. It helps teens experience the right of passage of prom and other high school dances, whether they have the means or not. Along the way, Lambert also teaches the teens the importance of self-worth, belonging and understanding.
Lambert is a woman of strength who understands the value of working together to get things done. That’s why she brought together volunteers and created a board to make it all happen for young women of any background.
When you see the look on a teenage girl’s face at one of her prom trunk shows, it’s priceless. Finding the perfect dress for that magical night is something every young woman should experience. Lambert has gathered a team of partners and sponsors that create the shopping experience, from the dress to the jewelry, the hair, the makeup and everything in between. This experience gives girls a sense of self and power they may never have experienced before. They can own the night without worrying about how they will afford it. They can love themselves and see their own beauty, which is something that Lambert knows will change their lives forever.
“The first time I felt the calling to start 4EVR DEZ was when I was searching for formal wear for my 10-year-old daughter, who was performing at a voice recital. As I looked for the perfect dress to make her feel confident while performing on stage, I was shocked by the cost of formal wear,” she said.
That moment opened Lambert’s eyes to how critical it is for girls to feel a sense of belonging and self-worth. She felt called to ensure that all girls — regardless of circumstances or finances — would feel “included, empowered and confident in themselves.”
Lambert’s mission is how Project Formal grew into where it is today.
“Our board and volunteers have witnessed girls look in the mirrors when trying formal wear on and tell themselves, ‘I am pretty.’ That is the moment it turned into something,” she said.
Prom is an essential part of the high school experience, blending social fun with personal development.
By enlisting a group of young women she calls ambassadors, Lambert leverages the power of mentorship to help spread the word. Currently, there are ambassadors in 23 high schools along the Gulf Coast, including Washington High School, Pensacola High School, Tate High School, Pace High School, Milton High School, Florida Virtual School, Gulf Breeze High, Pine Forest High and Episcopal Day School.
Working year-round, Lambert and her 4EVR DEZ team do more than provide formal wear. They have projects about healthy teen dating and violence prevention and provide emergency period packs in area middle and high schools.
Lambert has turned what was once a tragedy into a powerful movement, creating a world for today’s young women that can help them find themselves and, in the process, improve their future and the future of our communities.
For more information or to volunteer or donate to Lambert’s organization, visit projectformal.com.
