Flower Power
"Earth laughs in flowers." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Spring is here—and with it, that unmistakable magic when the world bursts into color and scent. From the delicate bloom of flowers to the promise of fresh beginnings, nature reminds us how beautiful change and transformation can be.
When I was a little girl, my sister and I would sit for hours in the grass making clover necklaces. I’d pick the small white blossoms, slice the stems with my fingernail, and thread one flower through another until I had a chain long enough to slip over my head. I remember how regal I felt, like a fairy princess wearing jewelry I made from flowers.
“Do you have some white satin ribbon?”
“Here you go,” I say, handing the spool across the table.
The memory embellishes my creativity. It's Friday evening in April. I’m surrounded by a circle of sisters—an amazing group of women brought together by Vita Collective Vita to craft corsages and boutonnieres. This floral workshop hosted by Kristin owner of Little Shop of Horticulture Little Shop is a gathering for something very special: Prom Night! By the end of the “Happy Hour” we will have created 100 pieces!
Vita Collective, the brainchild of Hannah, Emilia, and Natalie, invites women to participate in events, educational sharing and volunteering for the benefit of enriching relationships and promoting our collective wellness. Vita is dedicated to fostering community networks and through the years has partnered with local efforts focused on the needs of women, children and families. Vita’s mission tonight? Helping to ensure that every student feels included and ready for prom night.
Hannah discovered The Prom Dress and Suit Giveaway while searching for a place to donate her own gown. She was immediately moved.
“Last April,” she says, “we teamed up with Luna y Sol Familia Center and several local agencies to support a Prom Drive for Santa Cruz County. Dresses and suits were collected as well as hair and makeup services were on hand. We also made the flower corsages and boutonnieres so Pajaro Valley students could have the prom of their dreams. It was so sweet to see their joy and anticipation for their special night!”
As Gina Castaneda, from the Santa Cruz County Probation Department and a founder and key organizer of the Prom Dress and Suit Giveaway explains, “It’s expensive to go to prom. But these graduating teens have worked so hard to get here. Prom is a celebration of who they are—and they deserve that special night.”
Prom is more than a party. It’s a rite of passage, a night many dream about—but not all can afford. The Prom Drive opens that door for students who might otherwise miss out. Prom gives students a memory to hold onto forever—one full of joy and belonging.
As our table fills with corsages, so too does the space between us—overflowing with creativity, love, and the promise of something beautiful. This is what flowers teach us: to bloom without boundaries, to give freely, and to exist for joy.
Yes—we celebrate prom for our youth. And we do it with flower power, together.