April 11, 2010: Uniquely You Girl's Summit

The National Alumnae Association of Spelman College hosted the first annual "Uniquely You" summit for over 450 girls in the Delaware Valley and Philadelphia area. Over the course of the weekend-long conference the participants were able to receive valuable insights into developing self- esteem and self-worth, education, relationships, achieving full potential and beauty/health/wellness.

Through participation in the Summit girls will be:

1. EMPOWERED to celebrate their individuality, uniqueness, amd worth.

2. ENDOWED with a drive to achieve their biggest dreams and reach their full potential.

3. EQUIPPED with the motivation to overcome obstacles and fulfill their purpose in life.

As a panelist, I fielded questions from the young women and offered words of wisdom from my personal experiences and professional background. In addition to the lovely ladies from Spelman, the program was facilitated by Philadelphia's first lady Lisa Nutter, Pennsylvania Senator Vincent Hughes-pictured, Tina Wells, DJ Beverly Bond, DJ Deja Vu (from NYC 105.9), the one and only Sheryl Lee Ralph-Hughes -pictured- and the multi-talented Pauletta Washington-pictured- (acclaimed pianist and co-founder of the Pauletta and Denzel Washington Family Gifted Scholarship Fund). I had so much fun with all of my Queens In Training and DIVAs, and I hope you all benefitted as much as I did!

Young girls are our most precious resource and we must protect them at all cost!

In His service...

April 10, 2010: Philadelphia Spring Clean-Up

Service is the rent we pay to be living. It is the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time.-- Marian Wright Edelman

The sun on your face, a light wind on your back, snacks, coffee and water: The perfect ingredients for an old-fashioned, early Saturday morning clean-up! Myself, along with the Wissahickon Civic Association cleaned up a neighborhood park in Philadelphia. We swept up debri, blew leaves, whacked weeds, sanitized playground equipment, painted fences and brainstormed fundraising ideas for the newly planned community recreation area--and all before 11:00am! **Whew** I enjoyed working alongside Philadelphians in the spirit of CIVIL SERVICE to help make this city the great place we know if can be! I encourage each of you to go through your community, or that of a loved one and figured out how you can lend a helping hand to help "restore the vision for our communities".

In His service......

April 7, 2010: The Philadelphia Military Academy at Leeds

Thank you Principal Wade for the distinct pleasure of spending the morning and early afternoon with 11th/12th grade students at the Philadelphia Military Academy. Each time I speak with high school aged students, I am reminded of just how crucial mentorship is. These students are intelligent, vocal and personable, filled with gifts and talents! But without leadership and support, these attributes could all go to waste. It is our SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY to teach our youth about the importance of pursuing an EDUCATION and taking ACCOUNTABILITY for their actions. Decisions can be life-changing and the consequences long-lasting! To all of the students who rotated through Ms. Jenkins' class, I remember each of you, I am rooting for you and I am expecting great things--EXCELLENT things! Especially from you Miss Lucretia ;-)

In His service....

April 6, 2010: Marian Anderson Awards

Born February 27, 1897, Marian Anderson encountered many challenges including poverty and denial to music schools due to her ethnicity, but surpassed them all to become a pioneer and the most celebrated contralto of the 20th century. She performed in operas around the world,was awarded several presidential recognitions, and was known as much for her commitment to help others as her trememdous artistic ability. As a result of her talent and extraordinary career, our broader culture has been immeasurably improved, and it is in the spirit of this unparallelled artist from Philadelphia that the Marian Anderfson Award was conferred. Founded in 1998, the Marian Anderson Award has been bestowed upon individuals who have used their talents for personal artistic expression coupled with a deep commitment to the betterment of society.*This year's recipient of the Marian Anderson Award was none other than the venerable Bill Cosby (or Heathcliff Huxtable as many of us know him!). Mr. Cosby broke television's racial barrier with a role in I Spy, becoming the first African American to co-star on a television series and win three consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a dramatic series. He continued on to contribute immeasurably to the fields of television, stage, music and education. I have long believed that arts education is a crucial part of the development of our youth. It teaches focus, commitment and creativity, all the while offering alternative means of communicating ones thoughts and emotions.

This ceremony proved to be quite the celebration with performances by the Philadelphia Orchestra; the stunning, highly acclaimed African American mezzo-soprano, Denyce Graves; the mesmerizing jazz vocalist Lizz Wright; the hilarious comedian and fellow Philadelphia native Dave Brenner; pianist Yang Bao; and -wait for it- Boyz II Men!! It was almost too much to take in--LOL! I was just getting over hearing Ms. Graves and Ms. Wright (both of whom I have followed for years) and then out walks Boyz II Men.... what an ensemble! Throughout the evenings festivities I found myself looking around and realizing how blessed I was to be able to take part in such an honorable event, in memory of a strong African American woman, celebrating an African American pioneer in the entertainment industry, as a representative of the State of Pennsylvania!

In His service...

* From the Marian Anderson Award Mission Statement

In Rememberance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As we remember the tragic anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 42 years ago, let us not forget the tenets of non-violence and love for which he fought. We must continue striving to progress humanity by EDUCATING ourselves about other cultures, engaging in CIVIL SERVICE to remind us of how blessed we are to have the privilege to serve others, upholding our PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY to ensure that we are always positively contributing to society and setting high standards for our behavior, and maintaining our sense of SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY so that we always reach back to support those following in our trail.


The tenets of Dr. King

1. Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.
2. Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding.
3. Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, not people.
4. Nonviolence holds that suffering for a cause can educate and transform.
5. Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate.
6. Nonviolence holds that the universe is on the side of justice and that right will eventually prevail.


In His service...

March 27 (Afternoon), 2010: Rising Stars Celebration and Fashion Show

Models, designers, seamstresses and intellectuals. And did I mention under the age of 16?! These ambitious girls took part in the Rising Stars Mentorship program. In this program, they learned the necessary skills to develop into strong, classy young women, focused on their goals and not afraid to say NO to negative situations. I was blown away when I saw each young woman glide across the runway and then I learned that the pieces they were modeling were designed, sketched and sewn by each model! Some of the girls were even awarded scholarships to the MOORE Institute of Design--talk about off to a great start! (Maybe they can design my pageant gown...hmmmm...) As a keynote speaker, I was excited to see emphasis on EDUCATION and PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY with students of such an early point in their lives. We must start instilling confidence in our girls from infancy and I was encouraged to witness the overwhelming amount of support these young women received from the mothers, fathers, grandmothers and extended friends and family.

It may take more than my year of service to "Restore the vision for our communities" and it truly takes a village to raise a child, but we can do it! It starts with one young woman, one person with a vision, one mentor, the commitment of one day a week, the faith of one mustard seed.... Let the restoration begin!


In His service...

March 27, 2010 (Morning/Afternoon): B.E.T Women's Health Symposium

I had the privilege of partnering with the B.E.T Foundation, the Association of Black Cardiologists and General Mills at the B.E.T. Annual Women's Health Symposium! This program encompassed every aspect of women's wellness, including physical fitness, beauty and hygiene, mental/emotional health, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS awareness and , of course, HEART HEALTH! As participants visited my station they were able to learn about the Miss Black USA organization, my platform during my year of service and the Heart Truth campaign. I distributed fact sheets, resource information and delicious recipe options to help kick start a healthier lifestyle!

As the symposium progressed I had the opportunity to visit some of the other stations to show my supprt for each presenter's contribution to improving women's health. Amid my "travels" I popped backstage to participate in the much anticipated fashion show. The models were gorgeous young women who I thoroughly enjoyed working with. I even had a chance to meet our fashion show Mistress of Ceremony, Bern Nadette Stanis (pictured above)--yes!- you guessed it, the multitalented actress who play the unforgettable "Thelma" on the sitcom Good Times! She was as pleasant and beautiful in person as I imagined!

Overall, I was extremely impressed with the organization of the Health Symposium and I was pleased to be able to educate so many women (and the men who love them) about the importance of recognizing risks and taking the proper steps to prevent Heart Disease. Heart health is of personal importance to me and I am pleased to be an ambassador for such a worthy cause!

In His service...