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Fashion designer Tracy Reese aims to inspire Detroit Public Schools Community District students

Posted at 6:50 PM, Mar 26, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-26 18:50:09-04

DETROIT (WXYZ) — You can buy her clothes at stores like Saks, Nordstrom and Anthropologie, but she didn’t forget her roots. She is from Detroit.

Tracy Reese returned home with the goal of inspiring children.

Reese held a workshop for children at the Duke Ellington School of Music and Art in Detroit. She spoke to them about different careers in fashion and graphic design, how clothes are created and showed them they have talent to perhaps someday pursue such careers.

“Through my education here in Detroit I actually went to New York, went to Parsons School of Design and they started me sophomore year, not freshman, because my portfolio was so advanced. So yay Detroit!” said Reese.

School leaders say such events are important because they want students to own their creativity and see themselves in professions they never before considered.

“And they can make a connection down the line, these are some of the elements of the things I can actually do,” said Larry Lambert, an art teacher.

“It is the whole child that we have to develop, so then they have the opportunity to decide whatever path they decide to take,” said Anthony Smith, DPSCD Deputy Executive Director of the Office of Fine and Performing Arts.