The document provides information about The Muses Project, a non-profit organization that aims to empower young women of color through arts, mentorship, and addressing issues of misrepresentation in media. Specifically, it discusses the organization's mission to encourage healthy development for girls ages 6-18 through various creative expression and growth opportunities. It also outlines the need for the organization by discussing research on lack of representation of women of color in media and leadership roles, as well as benefits of afterschool programs. Finally, it provides details on programs and operations including academic tutoring, leadership summits, expenses, revenues, and references.

1. Arielle Neal, Founder
4/28/2014
2014 Media Kit

2. About Us:
The Muses’ Vision:
Encourage the productive and healthy social, cultural, and personal development of young women
and girls of color.
Our Mission:
The Muses Project plans on bringing our vision to fruition by providing various methods of expression and
opportunities for growth and development that will broaden their horizons. We strive to promote
confidence and self-esteem and encourage social change by bringing issues to the light and offering
support through discussion, education, creativity, and mentoring; while addressing issues in the media
and the community that are contributing to the misrepresentation of women and girls of color.
Our Story:
The Muses Project is a non-profit youth empowerment and mentorship organization founded to
promote the arts and professionalism for young women and girls of color ages 6-18, as well as
encourage discourse and analysis of ways women of color are represented in the media. We strive to
combat the psychological effects of the disproportionate number of negative images that young girls
of color are presented with. We want to make a difference in the lives of these young women by
encouraging them to take an active role in their own futures.
Inspired by need for more opportunities for girls of color to be inspired and express themselves, The
Muse Project was founded in 2014 to provide those very opportunities. The name of the organization
symbolizes the importance for young people to be able to receive inspiration through literature,
science, and the arts. The Muses are the personification of knowledge and the arts and can be held
as a model of what these girls can represent.
Contact:
562-760-8158
Muses_Project@gmail.com
www.MusesProject.org
Location:
Office Located At:
320 Pine Avenue # Mezzanine
Long Beach, CA 90802

3. The Need:
THE START
A major factor that came into consideration when forming this organization was ways in which it could negate the
images that are consistently presented to young women through the media via film, television, music/videos, and
other areas. It also needed to be an arena to show the young girls that it served, that despite the discrepancies of
women in leadership that they could gain a sense of initiative that would motivate them to be leaders themselves.
RACE & GENDER REPRESENTATION IN THE MEDIA
Adolescents, ages 8-18, consume approximately eight hours of media daily (Robert, Foehr, Rideout, 2005). With
this known, it is imperative for The Muses Project to recognize the inconsistencies in media images being presented,
especially in regards to race and gender. It is the duty of the associates at The Muses Project to notice the
discrepancies in the media and their initiative to deliver messages to young girls of color contrasting those exhibited
to them through the media.
When there is representation that is not representative of the entire U.S. population, there are groups of people
whose experiences are virtually invisible to the rest of the world. This seems to be true when it comes to the
representation of women of color in the media.
In film-- out of the 100 top-grossing films of 2012, only 10.8 percent of the speaking characters were Black, 4.2
percent were Hispanic, 5 percent were Asian and 3.6 percent were from other non-white (or mixed race) ethnicities.
While over 75 percent of those speaking characters were white (Anne-berg, 2013). This underrepresentation could
have something to with the fact that non-white directors and female directors are rarely chanced with directing top-
grossing films. In a sample of 565 directors of the highest grossing films between 2007 and 2012, only 33 (5.8
percent) were Black-only two were black female directors. No director in this sample was a Hispanic or Asian
woman. The number of speaking roles for non-white characters changes when a non-white director is at the helm.
The speaking roles increase from 9.9 percent for white directors to 52.6 percent for black directors.
The way in which women are portrayed in film and television is also affected by race. Women are presented in a
hypersexual manner as is, but Hispanic women are more likely to be presented in a provocative light than women of
other ethnicities (Anne-berg). Black female characters are also more likely than their Black male counterparts to be
sexualized. Repeated viewing of these portrayals can reinforce beliefs in male and females that girls and women,
particularly women of color, are to be valued for their appearance or sex appeal rather than for their character.
When images are presented unfairly a youths own self-image can be distorted. Some psychologists have referred to
this as the objectification theory which holds that: “American culture coaxes women to develop and observers’ view
of their own bodies” (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). Adolescent girls are especially susceptible. They learn
vicariously that other people’s assessments of their physical appearance and behavior determine how they should be
treated. It also can contribute to or reinforce self-objectification, body shame and anxiety about physical appearance.
As it stands today, adolescent girls are less satisfied with their bodies and have more negative body image compared
to boys (Brooks-Gunn, 1993).
The way that people are portrayed in the media is also crucial because stereotypes of underrepresented groups
produce socialization in observers, who unconsciously accept this misinformation as authentic representations. So
even when the audience is not aware representations in the media are teaching them how to view others. Issues that
underrepresented groups may face as a result of this need to be addressed and strategies to combat these effects need
to be presented.
INSPIRATION IN LEADERSHIP ROLES
The Muses Project believes that it is equally important for girls of color to see representations of themselves in
leadership roles as it is to see them in the media and entertainment. Teaching this group the importance of diversity
in leadership and in the workplace can change the trajectory of the country.

4. Women in Politics
Girls need to see themselves represented in the government; they need images that the can relate to and at this
moment in time there are not many relatable figures for young women of color. Currently the United States is
behind a number of other countries when it comes to roles of women in politics. The U.S. is “ranked 70th among the
world’s countries in terms of ratio of female representatives in national legislature”, falling behind Rwanda, China,
Iraq, and Afghanistan (Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2007). The presence of women of color in American politics is
even more minimal. When it comes to statewide offices, women of color make up only 3.5 percent of all statewide
elected officials. In the history of the United States there has only been on women of color, Carol Moseley Braun, to
serve in the United States Senate.
Women in the labor force
This lack of equality applies to women in the labor force as well. “Eighty-nine percent of Americans are comfortable
with women in leadership”- but only 18 percent of leadership positions are held by women (Vogel, 2009). In the
United States women are still paid less than men for full-time employment- earning less 77 percent of what men
earn for the same jobs. The disparity is less for white women compared to Black and Latina women, who earn 64
and 53 percent respectively (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012). Even with Hispanics being the largest and
fastest growing minority group in the U.S., “their achievements in terms of educational and occupational levels fall
behind all other minorities except Native Americans” (Arbona & Novy, 1991).
THE AFTERSCHOOL BENEFIT
The youth involved with The Muses Project will also receive the benefits that come along with being a part of an
after-school program. Within inner city communities there is excess stress and problems that can distract youth from
school work; After-school programs provide places where kids can unwind, concentrate, and have fun. These
programs produce benefits that pertain to youth’s personal, social, and academic life. The young people in our target
communities are already at-risk in many ways, them being unsupervised after school leaves these kids at risk of
falling into dangerous behavioral patterns and falling behind academically.
According to the American Youth Forum,
“...young people benefit when they spend time engaged in structured pursuits that offer opportunities for
positive interactions with adults and peers, encourage them to contribute and take initiative, and contain
challenging and engaging tasks that help them develop and apply new skill and personal talents” (American
Youth Policy Forum, 2007).
There is need in these communities for organizations that can provide supervision as well as support.
CONCLUSION
It is true that all adolescent girls must go through the challenges of developing and identity and come to an
understanding of their place in society. However girls of color must also compromise how race factors into their
identities and how to balance this with all the other trials of this time. This is why the age group that The Muse
Project targets is so imperative to its success and the success of our community. Young women of color need to be
encouraged to embrace their gifts and utilize them to become leaders of their generation. Psychological research has
shown that there may be a motive to avoid success. This motive may be related to the presumed conflict between
“success and femininity, as well as the relation of achievement to aggression for women” (Denmark & Paludi,
2008). Girls’ interest in hobbies and careers, as well as their behavior and attitudes, can be influenced by the
diversity of opportunities that are offered to them. Our goal is to offer these girls with opportunities that will
encourage them to be successful and make a difference. Young girls of color are in a vulnerable position to be
influenced negatively by their environment. This influence needs to be combated and these girls need to be
encouraged to recognize their power they hold to influence as they were influenced; to become leaders without fear
of being stereotyped.

5. Board of Directors:
ARIELLE NEAL
-President
-Afterschool Program Director:
Responsible for the overall daily operations of the
program including supervision of staff, office
maintenance and oversight, and provision of quality
service to the youth that we serve. As well as
heading the academic mentoring program.
Special Projects
Manager:
Actively seeks source
funding for production,
marketing, and distribution
of media projects. Also
responsible for
coordinating special events,
such as fundraisers and
guest speakers.
Community Mobilizer:
Responsible for the
enhancement of the
relationship between the
public and the
organization by building
social relationships in
search of community
interests.
Marketing Director:
Oversees the marketing of the
organization as well as other
communications efforts.
Financial Officer/Treasurer:
Tasked to oversee the distribution
of funds received through
donations, grants, loans, and
fundraisers.
Volunteer Coordinator:
Manages all aspects of the
volunteer program.
Responsible for assessing
the organization’s needs and
tending to them through
recruitment, retention, and
placement of volunteers.

6. Letter of Intent:
April 25, 2014
Jessica LaBarbera, Director
Nonprofit Finance Fund
626 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 510
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Dear Ms. LaBarbera:
Earlier this year, board members with The Muses Project, and after-school youth empowerment and mentorship organization for
young girls of color ages 7-17, saw that there was a group in our community that could benefit from a provision of opportunities
for growth in social, cultural, artistic, and personal development. Together we planned to develop an organization that would
provide this underserved group a chance to broaden their horizons by building quality relationships and receiving support through
discussion, education, mentoring, and artistic expression. We plan to provide a number of programs that will help this particular
group of young women tremendously. We are now in the stages of seeking funding to expand on our idea and officially create
these programs. We are requesting funding from your institution in the amount of $5,000. Your funding will join what we have
earned through member contributions and donations from the community.
The first program we are seeking to implement is our Academic Tutoring/Mentoring Program. Today we are working diligently
to implement this program in several public schools, first across Long Beach then eventually throughout Los Angeles County, by
September of this year. Our volunteer coordinator has begun the process of assembling a group of academic tutors from various
high school and college campuses that would provide academic assistance for members in grades K-12. Along with tutoring,
these girls will also be given lessons in self-determination and development. Students of color make up 80.7 percent of Long
Beach public school students, and are also at a higher risk of dropping out of school and falling into dangerous behaviors. Our
goal is to stress the importance of academic success while also providing a curriculum that is not accounted for in the classroom
that will assist in well-rounded development.
The Muses Project intends to create a safe environment for these young girls that facilitate academic and creative growth.
Instilling confidence and success at an early age benefits the whole community and in turn- the world. We hope that you
recognize the importance of our organizations intentions and we are open to any questions or concerns. Thank you for giving our
organization the opportunity to reach out to you and we hope to hear back from you soon.
Sincerely,
Arielle Neal
The Muses Project, Founder

7. What we will provide:
Academic Mentoring/Tutoring:
This program consists of college students from Los Angeles County volunteering their time to tutor
young girls grades K-12. The purpose is to promote the importance of succeeding academically to
continue on the path of higher education as well as developing quality mentor relationships. After signing
up through recruitment by our volunteer coordinator, the volunteer responsibilities would consist of:
• Providing assistance to those struggling academically
• Providing support to the younger students
• Utilizing a curriculum that is not accounted for in the classroom
• Promoting cultural/self-awareness
• Encouraging self-expression through the arts
Personal and Professional Development Summit:
A week of seminars and workshops for members grades 8-12. These seminars are designed to provide
models of virtuosity and empowerment through positive mentorships. The workshops are facilitated by
professional women from within our community and beyond. The Personal and Professional
Development Summit focuses on leadership development, entrepreneurship, artistic expression, and
cultural awareness. These summits will provide a place where these girls can communicate openly and
discuss issues as well as means for creating change. This is an opportunity to be educated, encouraged,
and inspired.

8. Operation Expenses:
Date: First Quarter Projections
Project Title: The Muse Project
EXPENSES Estimate Actual
Promotion
Printing $150.00 TBD
Postage $100.00 TBD
Supplies $400.00 TBD
Subtotal $650.00 TBD
Speaker/Instructor
Fees Varies TBD
Transportation $100.00 TBD
Meals per diem $200.00 TBD
Subtotal $300.00 TBD
Equipment and Supplies
A/V Equipment $500.00 TBD
Computer Equipment $500.00 TBD
Paper $150.00 TBD
Photocopying $100.00 TBD
Telephone $100.00 TBD
Books $200.00 TBD
Art Supplies $220.00 TBD
Instruments $1,000.00 TBD
Apparel $500.00 TBD
Subtotal $3,270.00 TBD
Facilities
Office Rent $1,400.00 TBD
Telecommunication Connections $300.00 TBD
Venue Rental Varies TBD
Subtotal $1,700.00 TBD
Hospitality
Coffee Breaks $75.00 TBD
Meals $150.00 TBD
Subtotal $250.00 TBD
Miscellaneous
Field Trip budget Varies
Fundraisers $1,000.00
Total Expenses $13,315.00

9. REVENUES
Donations
Foundations/Corporations $3,000.00
Individuals $1,000.00
Fundraisers $2,500.00
Subtotal $6,500.00
Grants $5,000.00
Sponsorships $1,500.00
Subtotal $6,500.00
Total Revenue $13,000.00
Net Profit/Loss $ (315.00)

10. References
Arbona, C. & Novy, D.M. (1991). Career aspirations and the expectations of Black, Mexican, and white
American students. Career Development Quartely, 39, 231-239.
Brooks-Gunn & Paikoff (1993). “Sex is a gamble, kissing is a game”: Adolescent sexuality and health
promotion. In S.G. Millstein, A.C. Peterson, & E.O. Nightingale (Eds.), Promoting the health of
adolescents. New York Oxford University Press.
Denmark, Florence, and Michele Paludi. "Achievement Motivation, Career Development, and
Work." Psychology of women handbook of issues and theories. 2nd ed. Westport, Conn.:
Praeger, 2008. Print.
Fredickson, Barbara , and Tomi-Ann Roberts. "Toward Understanding Women's Lived Experiences and
Mental Health Risks." Psychology of Women Quarterly 21: 173-206. Print.
Helping Youth Succeed Through Out-of-School Time Programs. Rep. Washington, D.C.: American Youth
Policy Forum, 2006. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Inter-Parliamentary Union (2007). Women in national parliaments. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
http://www.ipu.org/wnn-e/classif.htm.Web.
Roberts, D., Foehr, U., % Rideout, V. (2005). Generation M: Media in the lives of 8-18 year olds. Menlo
Park, CA: Henry K. Kaiser Family Foundation.
Smith, Stacy L., Dr., Marc Choueiti, and Katherine Pieper, Dr. "Is the Key to Diversifying Cinematic
Content Held in the Hand of the Black Director?"http://annenberg.usc.edu/. Annenberg School
for Communication & Journalism, 2013. Web. 22 Apr. 2014
Vogel, Bernd. "The State of the American Woman." Time. Time Inc., 14 Oct. 2009. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.
<http://content.time.com>.
Women’s earnings as a percent of men’s in 2010: The Editor’s Desk : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics). http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2012/ted_20120110.htm