about
MISSION
We are a faith-based organization that creates outlets for girls to unplug from life while empowering girls through building a supportive community that fosters sisterhood and holistic well-being. Our programs integrate engaging fitness activities, stimulating art programs, and essential life skills education to nurture healthy minds, bodies, and spirits. Through prayer, journaling, and meditation, we guide girls in developing spiritual and mental resilience. Recognizing that one in six children aged 6–17 experience mental illness annually (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2019), our educational sessions play a vital role in promoting overall wellness. Your support helps us build a community that values health over perfection, empowering young girls to thrive spiritually, mentally, and physically.
VISION
Our vision is to collaborate with other amazing women that understands that nothing is accomplished just with talents and skills. Women who lift each other up, to lift up our young girls and ladies. holding each other accountable in love. Giving back to our communities as a team. Creating a life giving organization that supports the next Generation. All while having fun and learning.
MISSION
THE STORY BEHIND OUR ORGANIZATION
HONORING DAWN TILTON
Dawn as a mother was a beautiful sight to see! Her kids were most important to her! It was evident by the love & support she showed. A loving daughter she was! We spent a lot of time together. She had me traveling with her wherever she went. We had a great relationship, my baby! She loved the Lord! As we spoke the other day Dawn was not perfect as none of us are, but she had a relationship with the Lord and raised her kids to love the Lord also. Brought them up as she was brought up in the church. She loved working with the girls in the dance ministry. She sang in the choir and was a member of the women’s ministry.
If Dawn was your friend you really had a friend. She always tried to help someone who was in need. As a stylist I think she would be more of an entrepreneur. She would have a shop but would have others working for her. She was looking into other areas of expansion and ways to make more money! When it came to struggles with life it was Raymond. She was not strong enough to stay away from him. Stronghold was more than she could handle. Dawn may not have impacted the world, but the life she lived and the way she died impacted all who knew & loved her. It has been fifteen years since we tragically lost Dawn & Arie and we still receive emails, texts and phone calls from friends, school acquaintances and others whose lives that were touched in some manner or another.
My Ari as a granddaughter was an experience I will forever treasure! You have her demeanor quite right. She was the most lovable child I know. She was smart in school, quite with strangers, so alive with others, loved her mother to the end, took care of her brother who she adored, showed so much love to her pawpaw and all in all was a sweet, sensitive, caring little girl who I will love & miss as long as I live.
- Beautiful words written by Dawn's Mother
Louise B.
OUR FOUNDER
SHANI SCOTT
Shani Scott is the founder and director of Dawn‘s light Arielle Tunnel (DLAT). She has been helping other young girls since she was a young girl herself. She believes that with the right support and guidance every young girl can find their way through life. Growing up in a unhealthy environment, she has learned that it is important to learn and heal so that you may live out your purpose.
There have been many women who have made lasting contributions into Shani's life. One in particular is Dawn Tilton, someone who saw something in her and decided to speak life into her. Through Dawn, Shani saw a phenomenal woman of God, daughter, wife, mother, and an entrepreneur!
Dawn and Shani said their final goodbyes in April of 2006. Shani has endured her own life lessons and thought it would be an honor to carry out a dream that she would have love for Dawn to have been apart of. Through this, Dawn’s Light Arielle Tunnel (DLAT) was born. DLAT is a place for girls to come and learn how to be their best selves at life despite life's crazy circumstances. She believes delicately removing the wall that some girls may have built and helps them to figure out how to deal with life without feeling/being trapped in survival mode. Every girl deserves an outlet to life to and a dope community to do it with. DLAT enjoys creating enjoyable moments for the girls to shine so others may see what GoOD looks like. Shani has learned that everything happens in God’s timing and it’s important to believe. Some things are forever and some are memories for a lifetime.
DLAT will be offering many awesome ways to find healing through life using arts, character building/entrepreneurship sessions, and health for the mind, body and spirit. We know that life is hard but we believe that there are many outlets to striving to be your best.
We just wanna SEE girls shine!
It's not about being perfect, its about striving to be your best. - Shani