SKARLLY INFANTE
name: skarlly infante
occupation: i'm a family advocate and the founder of #projectgiveback
age you feel: i'm 24 and feel my age
CAREER
GGNYC: what exactly is a family advocate
SI: so i assist families in meeting their personal goals. i work at a children's learning center and i make sure children in low-income families that can't afford pre-school and educational daycares reach their achievement gap. i help parents with rental assistance, with finding new jobs, and getting back into college while making sure that their kids get the education that they need before they go to kindergarden
GGNYC: someone's getting into heaven! lets talk about #projectgiveback
SI: i started #projectgiveback about a year ago with four of my friends--- it later became 10 of us after i asked for volunteers to join--- we collected donations through gofundme. i didn't know that so many people would be willing to help, but we raised $600 in a week! we used that money to buy winter items like hats/scarves/gloves. we also teamed up with subway and they gave us discounted sandwiches and water, and the FDNY donated blankets as well. we put bags together with these items and gave them out to the homeless through 34th-60th street in NYC
GGNYC: and then what happened
SI: well i really just wanted to give back, and then people were like "let me know when you're doing your next event"--- and i was like OH! people really want to do this! and so #projectgiveback was born. it's basically a way to give back to the community through the help of the community. depending on the event we might collect money, clothes or food
GGNYC: tell us about your last event
SI: our last event was at a women's shelter. we collected monetary donations and had a ladies night in. we spoke about our past experiences and it was very motivational. regardless of us being outside of the shelter life, we still go through similar situations. so it was amazing to discuss how we handle things differently as women. it was empowering to see and speak to these women who are older than us about their lives, it makes you want to do better as a person. and i know we inspired them as young leaders to want to get past their current circumstances
GGNYC: deep! where do you see this going in the next few years
SI: i gave myself a 10 year deadline, but everyone around me says i'll get there sooner than i think. especially because i started so young and have an amazing support group --shout out to my twitter time line {laughs} -- they help me a lot. i'll say that in the next five years i see this being a global organization as we are already starting to work on international projects for 2016. we are doing a clothes drive for the Dominican Republic. i know that it will help us learn about expanding into other countries, i want this to be bigger than NYC
STYLE
GGNYC: there's a fire in your apartment, you can only save three things- what are they?
SI: my sneakers, my favorite hat and a pair of tights!
GGNYC: where do you do your most shopping
SI: zara, h&m and forever 21
GGNYC: if you could raid anyone's closet who would it be
SI: rihanna!
GGNYC: how would you describe your style
SI: tomgirl... i'm like a tomboy but i can be girlie sometimes. i love sneakers but i can throw on some heels!
GGNYC: if you were doing a brand collaboration for #projectgiveback- which brand would you choose
SI: dove... they're all about empowering women. that's one of their consistent themes and it would be a perfect fit for #projectgiveback
JUST FOR FUN
GGNYC: hollywood called and they are making a movie about you, what's the genre and who plays the lead role of you
SI: it would be a tell all- biopic film and i'd cast blake lively to play me
GGNYC: GirlGangNYC is giving you an award for most badassbabe, what theme song do you want us to play as you walk up to the podium
SI: feeling myself by nicki featuring beyonce! --- i'm part of the bey-hive
GGNYC: cereal / cartoon combo on a saturday morning as a kid
SI: the magic school bus and trix!
GGNYC: finish this sentence: the last time i felt sexy was _____
SI: in my pjs! at home with no makeup on... it's good to be comfortable in your own skin
GGNYC: you're on a subway car and leave your iPhone behind... a handsome stranger finds it. what songs does he find on it?
SI: he would find odessa, beyonce, evanescence, red hot chili peppers, aventura! {giggles}- a little bit of everything, even country!
GGNYC: finish this sentence: when i was a kid _____
SI: i liked to go to the stoop in my building and fake cook with grass! i'd stir the pot like i was making soup. i loved that! it's always about the simple things
LETS GET PERSONAL
GGNYC: when was the last time you had a good cry and what was it about
SI: at the women's shelter i did... sometimes when you're going through something, although your friends are there for you they don't understand it because they've never been through it. so being in a room full of women who went through the same situation as you and them telling you how they've moved on from it... to hear them encourage you to speak your truth... i came out of that space with happy tears in my eyes because i felt loved and welcomed by others
GGNYC: what do you mean they know exactly what you went through
SI: well as i've mentioned everyone has their story... and i have my own. i'm not ready to speak about it publicly, but i will be speaking about it on my website when the time is right. lets just say that it feels good to know you're not alone when it comes to this journey called life
GGNYC: we're here for you! now tell us what scares the shit out of you?
SI: not being able to have kids
GGNYC: what makes you feel vulnerable
SI: not being in control
GGNYC: what makes you blush
SI: when people tell me they're proud of me... because although i know i'm doing good things it still makes me feel happy that those around me recognize it
GGNYC: what do you want your legacy to be
SI: humanitarian by day, twerker by night! {laughs}
GGNYC: what's one thing that you love about yourself
SI: my willingness to always see the best in people, even when they do the worse to me, i still find a way to forgive them
GGNYC: finish this sentence: my girlfriends are _____
SI: my sisters