2016 was the first time I met Alyssa Lego; and when I met her, she left me with quite the impression. In December of 2016, Shop. Sell. Strut!, was a vision which Lego had in her mind and she was determined to share it with the rest of the world as well! Post-event, we had the chance to sit down with Alyssa Lego, and Amanda Witkowski, Co-Founders of Shop. Sell. Strut! And it was just as amazing as their event was!

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Where did the idea of SSS initially come from and why did you choose to pursue this path?
AL: I wish I had a crazy ah-ha moment to share with you. But the back story is pretty simple. As a public figure and spokesperson and titleholder with Miss New Jersey’s Outstanding Teen Scholarship Program, I make many appearances which renders my wardrobe somewhat disposable. And that can be expensive. I was looking for new ways to sell my wardrobe and raise money for new items. My mom had exhausted the traditional Facebook resale sites. I casually made the suggestion about having a fashion show with a resale shoppe and my mom thought it was a good idea. That night I launched a free app on  my phone to play with a logo design as we came up with the name Shop. Sell. Strut!. I’m so grateful to my parents for believing in me and supporting my dreams and ambitions. I grew up with, “Go big, or go bigger!,” and that’s exactly what occurred with Shop. Sell. Strut! – We went for bigger! I had already been entrenched with my mission and charitable organization, Hello, My Name Is… My brother has inspired me to be voice for children with special needs to help bridge the gap that exists between the typically-abled and differently-abled. I want to change the negative stereotypes that exists and forever remove labeling. There’s so much that needs to be done to fold our communities together to develop an environment of acceptance. It’s my life’s mission. My duty to serve in this capacity started around the age of 11, about 3 years ago. It just made sense to take my work to the next level and make Shop. Sell. Strut! a movement and awareness campaign. It gave us life. It gave us purpose.

How did you come to know Amanda? What stood out in Amanda, which made you realize she was the one you wanted to partner on SSS with?
AL: I first met Amanda about 2 years ago when she received a very prestigious community service award. She was incredibly humble. I could see that she felt it was not about her, but the greater good. I met up with her a few months later and she had that same, kind energy. We’re very like minded and can speak to each other without saying any words. Amanda’s love for my brother is incredible. It warms my heart. I’m blessed to have her in my life.

When Alyssa first approached you for SSS, what was your initial reaction?
AW: I was immediately all in.  There was no hesitation.

Amanda, share with our readers what enticed you to be a part of this event, and what did you hope the outcome would be?
AW: Back in 2012 or 2013 when I first started on my Girl Scout Gold Award, the project I started out with was an autism awareness fashion show event. As I began developing my project to meet the criteria of attaining a Gold Award, I needed to set that idea aside and go in a different direction. The enticement here was simply that we would be doing the project I wanted to do for many years. For me the outcome would be a couple of things. First, greater awareness. There are many societal and medical issues that need our attention, but what stands out for me with respect to autism is that there is no cure. Greater awareness should lead to an outcry for more research and a more positive outcome for the individuals and their families who live 24/7 with an autism spectrum disorder. The second desired outcome I hoped for was a successful first event. Because a first means there will be a second, and so on!

What was your most memorable moment from SSS and why?
AL: My gosh – there were so many memorable moments. It was a surreal day. Certainly wrapping up the event with the ever-lovely Carol Stillwell at the Autism Growing Tree where she presented us with a check was an astonishing moment. To know this iconic woman, who I look up to, believes in my life’s work and mission and was so generous to us was remarkable. I’m forever grateful to Carol. She’s awe-inspiring. Signing the growing tree with my brother Michael was special. He cracks me up – did you see him walking around in his tux and sunglasses from 98.5?!  The memory of the final runway walk with Amanda will stay with me forever. We knew we achieved our dreams and Shop. Sell. Strut! 2018 was in the air. But there was one other moment where I was by myself at the Growing Tree reading all the puzzle pieces. I thought about the work that went into tracing and cutting them and how this event came together and the village that made it possible. It was a poignant moment. People coming together to accept one another for the greater good. What could be more special?

AW: There is not one most memorable moment for me. It was a lot of small moments.  We had a display set up which was the trunk and branches of a tree.  Our entire team had cut out colorful puzzle pieces and we asked people to sign them and add them to the tree.  I remember seeing the bare display, then one lone puzzle piece, then a beautiful, colorful tree full of pieces with signatures, little messages and the whole thing made me smile. I was so excited that people cared. Another memorable moment was stepping out onto the runway for our opening number and seeing the audience, the vendors, the pit, the sound team, and realizing this was actually happening. I learned so much about event planning, involving people, the positive impact of social media, how much work goes into a project like this and more. I learned that people will come together in support of causes that resonate with them, and together we can do so much.

When you look back and reflect on SSS, what has it taught you? How will you use what you’ve learned as you move further in your life?
AL: I learned that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to doing with love and discipline behind you. I’ll use that life lesson to keep going bigger!

AW: I am an aspiring pediatrician.  In addition to seeing patients and their families, many in the medical field are involved in fundraising.  It might be for equipment, research, an addition to a facility, whatever. I believe I am learning skills through SSS that will help me when I am in the medical field, both as a Doctor using communication skills with patients, and as a fundraiser helping the growth of a hospital.

What were some challenges both of you faced when planning SSS and how did you overcome it?
AL: Being the inaugural year, I believe this greatest challenge was getting participants to understand the vision as we saw it. I suspect that will get easier next year. But we had to be persistent, consistent and repetitive in our communication.

AW: I was just entering my first year of college and going to school in another state.  I was worried about the transition, school work, athletics, and fulfilling my part of the deal.  I am organized and manage my time well, so that helped.  But the real help came about through the participation of others.  Our families and the committee members who participated were key to back-filling times when I could not be as hands on as I needed to be. The first activity of every holiday weekend home involved seeing Alyssa and collaborating real time. We had a working session the day after Thanksgiving, held model castings during my December break, filmed an infomercial on January 1st, and so on.

How  have you both personally grown during the time you spent working on SSS? Where do you see the future of SSS over the next few years?
AL: I’ve grown in my belief that I’m on the right path in my life. I found my mission, my service work. I’ll never strop trying to make a difference. Since the formation of Hello, My Name Is…. 3 years ago, different things keep unfolding organically. I’m going to let them unfold and continue to support the mission. We recently established the Morgan, Marie, Michael Foundation, a 501c3, as an umbrella for Shop. Sell. Strut! and the service and fundraising work we plan to achieve. We have ideas about funding iPads for children with special needs and supporting life over 21 for the differently-able. We’ll just continue to be inspired by the difference and go bigger….and bigger.

AW: This was my first year in college and first year living away from home.  There is a lot of personal growth that comes from that experience. The fact that it coincided with our first year working on Shop. Sell. Strut! added another dimension to the experience.

Who are some people you would like to thank for making SSS a reality?
AL: Oh Goodness this question makes me nervous, I hope I don’t leave anyone out…ok here goes: My brother, Michael, my mom and dad, Dawn and Tommy Lego, Amanda and her mom Maria, the event committee, Autism NJ, Carol Stillwell, Tirusha Dave, PG Photography, Lake Terrace, Shefik, Erika Martin, the models and their families, designers, vendors, bloggers, auction donors, Ashley Rice, DJ Nick, Pearls Gone Wild, Cakes by Maria, Paul Mitchell, Siedah Garrett, Nyea’s Party, 98.5, Talisha White, and the village. And of course, His Blessings.

AW: Thanking people is always risky because someone may inadvertently be forgotten.  But it starts with each other and our families. We were not doing this alone.  There were contractual and financial commitments and neither of those were happening without our families. Our moms were especially important to this.  Both are business women and they had a lot to teach us on engaging others, etiquette, timelines, marketing, and more.

“Bravura” is an artistic word for exceptional; in which ways do you think what you’re doing with your personal platforms & community service work is “bravura”?
AL: When I think about exceptional people who have accomplished exceptional work, I think about Mother Teresa, Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Jr. Oprah Winfrey, Milton S. Hershey, Johns Hopkins, Carol Stillwell, Andrew Carnegie, Harriet Tubman….they are great humanitarians, philanthropists, and people I admire. To quote Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “I have a dream…,” I too have a dream about making a difference in our world. To be truly free and peaceful in your heart means to live without judgment toward one another. We are all here on Earth by the same great miracle. Each of us possess the ability to contribute something wonderful to our communities. Lifting people up, celebrating differences, and exhibiting patience, tolerance, and acceptance are my personal aspirations and passion. I hope through my work as an ambassador to the people that I am successful with impressing others to adopt the same attitude. For me that is what is means to be exceptional.
What lies in the future for SSS?

AW: In an ideal world there would be nothing exceptional about what we are doing.  It would be part of what everyone does. And I think more and more we are seeing people step up and do for others. It is easy and there are so many ways to do community services. I am a lifetime Girl Scout.  As early as first grade I was involved in food pantry collections and stocking the food pantry.  I have done this many times over the years through Girl Scouts, and other organizations.  I earned my Silver Award for developing a children’s reading garden with my troop at our local public library, which supported our community.  I also earned my Gold Award by leading an autism awareness campaign that has included skate-a-thons reading to younger troops about compassion and awareness, and speaking at pageants. Before I could even embark on these awards, I completed three leadership journeys and additional projects as prerequisites for Silver and Gold awards. While in high school, I had the opportunity for two years to participate with the Christian Appalachian Service Project in Kentucky. This is known as an Alternate Spring Break week. In this program, I helped renovate homes for the elderly poor.  I learned to build decks, stairs, and ramps to support the handicapped.  Also I participated in the Midnight Run feeding the homeless in NYC in the middle of winter.

As President of my school’s Key Club, I organized volunteer activities such as Teens for Jeans and coat drives for Big Brothers Big Sisters. In the fall of my senior year, my cheer-leading team formed a team we called Gael Gals to raise funds and walk as part of Making Strides which is a breast cancer awareness event.  As Key Club we held a dance with the proceeds contributed to Gael Gals.  In all we raised over $3400. This was the first of our monthly activities to do good works as servants to others.  We followed that with a November food drive that resulted in approximately 500 pounds of donations to the food coalition. Our second Teens for Jeans drive resulted in 165 pair of jeans, and a February Souper Bowl activity collection of canned soup for the food coalition was another success. I was the organizer and host of Autism Skates 2014 and the co organizer and co host of Autism Skates 2016.  These were skate-a-thons raising awareness and funds in support of Autism Speaks, New Beginnings for Tomorrow and the Special Avalanche. Now in college I am continuing with walks, runs, Zumba-thons and skating events in support of a range of causes. As a member of Delta Zeta I am participating in speech and hearing support to the Starkey Foundation and fundraising for the Painted Turtle Camp which is for terminally ill children.

What lies in the future for SSS?
AL: Season 2 for sure! But the rest, stay tuned!

AW: We plan to grow and expand our efforts.  We haven’t said much about it, but actually we set up a foundation as the overarching entity for SSS and the I Strut campaign series. Through the foundation we plan to raise funds and provide direct support to individuals who need it.  For example, one area of concern for us is the community of aging out youth.  The need to support doesn’t’ end at the end of school. Another is the need for therapeutic iPads and other learning devices that enhance communication skills. Planning is in the works for Shop. Sell. Strut! 2018, but we also have a few ideas on smaller, more intimate events.  And, we are lending our talents and tools to other groups who want to generate awareness and funds. We hope we have started a movement, and see this as one aspect of our lifelong commitment to help others.

Check out more images from the event, courtesy of P.G. Photography: