Ale’ne “Mimi” Fifer has been working and training young girls and ladies to be great dancers and entrepreneurs for the past 20 plus years. Some of her former students and mentees have started their own businesses in the field of dance, dance groups, and/or created their own community dance teams. These young ladies have become productive citizens that give back to the very communities that gave them a chance when they were young by assisting in community service projects and monthly parties for the youth of Memphis. She has started her own Candy Apple business over a year ago called Mimi's Divalicious, mimisdivaliciouscandyapples.vpweb.com, to help raise funds for the Mid-Town Divas, Pink Dolls, and Dance Moms. All of the proceeds go towards the purchase of uniforms, out of town trips, awards banquets, after school programs, or whatever they need to keep the program run smoothly. This woman is truly a gift from God. Mimi is considered the Network Specialist for the Community. She was nominated as being a Woman of Excellence by the Tri-State Defender for 2014. She volunteers her time at the Orange Mound Community with small community service projects and supports the Orange Mound basketball team. Every year her team donates food baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas. She helps to coordinate the food drive for the Memphis Food Bank. Her dance team has donated coats, gloves, hats, personal items to help the homeless especially during these cold months. She has worked with Bridges of Hope to donate food, clothes, money for the women who have been abused or battered for the past three years and counting. She has supported the Memphis Red Birds in their 5K Run/Walk at AutoZone Park. For the past five years, she has supported the Susan G. Komen Walk/Race for the cure. She helps the Melrose's Charmettes with the Feed the Need at the Convention Center for the past 2 years. She is a supporter of the New Hope Baptist Church and the Sassie Seniors of Memphis by assisting them with different fundraisers throughout the year. She assists and supports the Manassas High School's basketball & football team by donating items and assisting them in fundraisers. She has worked with the Peabody majorettes/drummers and step team for the past 8 years. She supports the Southern Heritage Classic parade here in Memphis every year and is a big supporter of small businesses by helping them with grand openings. She also works with kids in an after school/tutoring program at Orange Mound two days a week. She teaches life, leadership, organizational, and team building skills. She schedules monthly meetings with the youth she mentors to discuss any questions or concerns they may have such as peer pressure, building their self-esteem up, & teaching them to be a positive voice for their community by eliminating the negative thoughts and replacing them with thoughts of success. She is definitely an agent of change for our youth by educating them to give back to the community and showing them how to be positive leaders in their communities. Through this leadership program that is led by Ale’ne “Mimi” Fifer, she has been able to get her mentees’ parents more involved and they are now more active in their children lives. Her mentees’ parents have formed their own group called Diva Dance Moms and many have joined Mimi’s church along with their children. Mimi is making a positive impact in the community and in the homes of these children. Her positive influences are changing lives and because of this I believe she is truly a woman that operates in the spirit of excellence. It’s time for her to be celebrated for the great work and good deeds she is making in the communities throughout the City of Memphis. Nominated by Irene Ford.