I want to offer my warmest thanks to all in my life who have supported me in my endeavors and have taken a personal interest in making this dream into a reality through your encouragement and praise. To everyone who has seen the products of my imagination and said, �That�s great! When are you designing for me?� I must even give thanks to those who have taken passive interest, if it is all they felt they could offer. However, that doesn�t get their names in the acknowledgements, and the following are those who have supported me from the beginning.
To Ma for encouraging me to continue to strive for the best in the presentation of my work, for giving innovative ideas, and maintaining undying enthusiasm. Thank you for believing in me and my ability to provide the public with a new way of addressing that beast called �style�. I thank you for the creation of a dynamic web page to introduce �Bouzhi by S.B. Dowell� to the public eye, because without it, I�d still be at the cutting board of marketing. You�ve put aside your projects and dreams long enough to assist me in realizing mine. Your Godly prayers and wishes for me are always a source of great strength and I thank you.
To Gary C. Acree II, my �Mister�, for loving me and believing in my talents and my dream. You have yet to stop supporting my advancement in this fashion world. And thanks for being my backbone when I become discouraged. I thank you for the praise and promotion of my �Bouzhi� name and for never tiring of hearing my ramblings about �fabric this and stitching that�. Though you knew nothing of the fashion business, you have taken ownership of this dream and plowed forward with me, by way of encouragement, research, and always asking �What can I do?� I know your prayers include me and I thank you for it.
To Teddy Lee, my big brother, for your encouragement and pep talks. For your belief in a dream and a bigger belief in the realization of the dream. For the push for me to stay the course and just move forward. Your prayers for me are being answered and I thank you.
To Grama Dowell and to Dorian Dowell, my Pop, for loving me and always complimenting what I�ve presented to them and for taking out time to listen to my plans, dreams, and goals without giving me the big, �Are you done yet.� For offering ideas and for believing in me and �The Bouzhi Air.�
To Kquiana Villanova, my niece, and Hope for letting me dress you both for your high school Homecoming and your Prom. This display of faith in my ability to create for you modern, stylish gowns means so much to me and allows me to showcase that my line goes across many generational gaps. Thank you for your faith and for letting me know that you were �the best dressed there.�
To Gail Lee, my older sister, and Dominic Dowell, my youngest brother, for your belief in my style and my ability to become bigger in this field. Gail, your continued glow about my progress always tells me to strive and never give up. Nic, you�ve given me ideas and you have believed in what I�ve created for the public. Thank you both for your continued support.
To Sandrine Panunzi for letting me dress you for the occasion and for always getting in my teeth telling me, �Girl! When are you going to put your stuff out there?� For always saying, �I�m telling you! We�re going to New York and we�re going to put your stuff out there. You have too much talent to go to waste and people like what you make. I�ve never gotten so many compliments on my clothes as when I wear your stuff.� You�ve been a lifelong friend and you�ve proven time and time again that, though the years may be many, great friendship endures all and for that I thank you.
To Cynthia Billingsly and Kavita Patel for your continued friendship and for believing in my talent and my eye for what it means to have "attitude" in your mannerism and, most of all, in your wardrobe. For always telling me that I have what it takes and I need to �get out there.� For letting me know that what I have to offer is what people want to wear. Most of all I thank you for letting me dress you in the events that mean the most to us and for defining with me what the true �Bouzhi Air� is all about.
To Michelle Coleman for being a lifelong friend and for serving as my first �victim� who enthusiastically allowed me to dress her for those �Bouzhi Nights.�
To Clarissa Jones, Ranita Thomas, and Leoni Chalisma who were there in the beginning when the sewing was nothing more than my machine and a notion. For always believing in my work and for bragging about my �skills.� Ranita, you were the first to give a diligent push for me to market, promote, and reach for bigger things. Clarissa, you�ve been a supportive friend and the prayers I know you�ve said for my success are not unnoticed. Leoni, you let me design one of your dance competition dresses in order to showcase my work and that was a great demonstration of your belief in me. I thank you both.
To Raina and Mike for being a constant source of friendship and support. You were there when I began tinkering with this notion and you've supported me even now. Thank you both for and may our friendship continue to thrive.
To Cousin-- Jen Briscoe, who I reunited with in the funniest manner, only to find that we share many of the same dreams. You've been there and supported me in this effort and in every other aspect of my life since you returned to it. When you are ready to ride this horse with me, I will readily help you aboard.
To Latea who believed in me from the minute I met you. You readily hyped up my skills, before I even realized I had them, and you pushed me to realize that I need to stop being stingy with my creations and share them with the Public. Thank you.
This is no longer a dream. This is now a reality. One that, although I might believe, sometimes, that it could have been realized by myself, on the contrary, I know it is not without the support, encouragement and prayers of loved ones around me. This is an attempt to share my passion with those who have not only asked for it but also with those who may have said that I could never succeed. However, clearly they Clearly do not know me and my support base. And they definitely do not know �The Bouzhi Way.�
