DETROIT – As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, read more about a woman we first featured during Local 4’s Evrod Cassimy’s Your Neighborhood segment. You might remember we first told you about Alison Vaughn’s non-profit, Jackets For Jobs, but she’s doing that and more here in the city of Detroit, solidifying her place in black history.
"I'm a mother. I'm an entrepreneur. I'm a businesswoman, a CEO. I'm driven. I'm career oriented," said Alison Vaughn.
It's safe to say she wears many hats.
"It is a lot of responsibility. Being an entrepreneur and overseeing two offices, ten employees, hundreds of volunteers and helping people get back on their feet, it is a lot of responsibility but it is a great responsibility," said Alison.
Alison is the author of two books, Inspired Style, a book about looking your best, and Ms. Goal Digger, a book to help women achieve their goals. She's most known for helping men and women dress for success with free workforce clothes through her non-profit, Jackets For Jobs, now in its 20th year.
"What does black history month mean to you?” asked Cassimy.
“You know as a mom of a young daughter,” explained Alison. “I try to tell my daughter the A-B-C’s of Black History Month. I say A is for Achievement for what African-Americans are doing. We've made a lot of great strides. B is for Barack Obama our first African-American president. C is for Civil Rights. Know your civil rights and know your history."
And when it comes to history, Alison not only has been helping Detroiters land jobs for 20 years, she was recently acknowledged for her efforts. She's featured in Fortune Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine and Hour Detroit magazine. But what she wants to be most known for...
"Knowing that I'm helping someone else. That's my goal is to help other people. I want people to say Alison Vaughn, she helped me find a job. Alison Vaughn, she assisted me in getting to the next step."
"Why do you think Black History Month is still needed today?” asked Cassimy.
“Oh my goodness! Black History Month is definitely needed because we need to show all the different accomplishments African-Americans have made. We have made a lot of accomplishments. We have made a lot of strides but we still have a long way to go."
And as she continues to make her mark on black history, she had this to say to those who are coming after her.
"Work hard and give back. I've never seen a giver go poor. It's all about giving back. When you give back and sow those seeds it comes back to you and that's what I believe in doing, just sowing seeds and doing good for other people and then it just naturally comes back. I want to leave the legacy of helping somebody because we all need help."
Alison has helped put hundreds of people back to work. Find more on her non-profit, Jackets For Jobs, her two books Inspired Style and Ms. Goal Digger.