AHA Heart Walk

Pioneer Gala

Girl's Circle

NBCDI Banquet

Dam to Dam

Asian Heritage Festival

For 4 years I have volunteered at the Asian Heritage Festival. This was my first year in the Miss Black Iowa capacity. The festival draws over 20,000 people each year. I had a wonderful time greeting guests for all nationalities and walks of life.

Often times, as Americans, our first image of an Asian is one of a Chinese or Japanese individual. At this festival, over 15 countries are represented. Patrons have the opportunity to take their food, view, their art, and get a genuine authentic feel for their culture

This event exemplifies the purity of embracing diversity. I can't wait until next year.

Kingdom Seekers: Superwoman Conference

Women gathered in Johnston, Iowa to take part in an event designed to equip them to take their rightful place. I had the opportunity to be on a panel joined by Debra Carr-ISED, Shannon Rudolph-American Heart Association, and Des Moines Habitat for Humanity.

We fielded questions on saving, business ownership, spiritual and physical wellness, in addition to moral character.

City Pulse Interview

I had a wonderful time with the two fellas from City Pulse. They squeezed a 30 minute interview into a 10 minute second. The Miss Black Iowa Organzation has so much to talk about!! Check this link out!

http://jimbolism.com/tempolive/citypulse.html

YESS Duck Derby

Have you ever seen 25,000 ducks in a pond? Well, the YESS Duck Derby in Iowa makes that happen. I had the opportunity to volunteer on behalf of Bankers Trust. Hundreds of patrons gathered at Jordan Creek Mall for the event.

All proceeds go towards Youth Emergency Services & Shelter. (YESS) has been helping kids and parents be families since 1973. YESS provides emergency shelter, respite, crisis care, and counseling for children birth through age 17. They work with families dealing with a wide range of issues, including:

• Trouble at school (truancy, performance, relationships)
• Physical, sexual or psychological abuse in the home
• Runaways
• Drug and alcohol use
• Families in need of a support system
• Severe illness in the family
• Anger issues
• Homelessness
• Struggles resulting from divorce or a blended family situation

Beautiful Bulldog

Has April been a busy month for me or what! I would have never thought that I would be judging a Beautiful Bulldog contest. Thanks to Renee Hardman for putting me up to it. Over 50 bulldogs gathered in downtown Des Moines for a parade of beauty. They were each dressed in doggie costumes ranging from soldiers to princesses. They are were beautiful to me. And that's excactly why I had such a hard time judging them. Nevertheless, the winner wears his crown well!!

Drake Relays Parade

The Drake Relays is always a special time for me. For the first time, I had the opportunity to be in the parade. It was windy...but the many smiles kept me going!!! I'm ready for Relays!!!

Iowa AIDS Walk - April 18

Although the education for the AIDS virus is prevalent throughout our community, research for medicating it and hopefully curing it continues. The AIDS Project of Central Iowa is an organization continues to provide preventative education throughout the state in addition to being a source for care services for those who are inflicted. I was excited to be a part of their annual fundraiser walk at Des Moines University with Bankers Trust.

Benefit Gala in Mississippi

On March 28, I traveled to Mississippi to attend a benefit in honor of me. I am originally from Jackson, Mississippi and my family thought it was befitting to host a fundraiser for me. I had such a wonderful time. A special thanks goes out to all of the family members that helped make it a glorious occasion. And a special thank you to my parents, Draven, and Spensirr!

Ashford College

On March 5, I traveled all of the way to Clinton, Iowa. I had never been to Clinton before, but might I say the ladies of Creme de la Creme Sorority were quite a welcoming committee.

The ladies put on a campus wide program in honor of Women's History Month. It was an honor to share with them for the evening.

Open House

February 22 was my open house at Fort Des Moines Museum. I would like to extend a special thank you to all those who came out to support Alexis and I for the evening. Evette Fantroy, Miss Black Iowa 2008 had such encouraging words to say...she even brought me to tears!

Mt Zion Church

On March 15, I shared a very special Sunday with Mt. Zion Church in Council Bluffs. The youth were so engaging. I shared with them the story of David and how he began preparing for his purpose at such an early age. I urged them to give 110% in all that they did: whter it was at home, at school, at work or at church. They made my first time in Council Bluffs very welcoming.

I'll Make Me a World in Iowa

IMMWII is a diverse collaboration of Iowans, highlighting African-American arts, culture, and contributions through education, awareness, and preservation. The 11-year-old festival brings thousands of people throughout the state each year. This year Executive Director, Betty Andrews granted me the opportunity to be the hostess for the opening ceremonies. I must say the sessions this year were most appropriate for the times and the condition of youth in Des Moines. Nevertheless, schools from all over the state were represented.

I took part in a session on entrepreneurship put on by Debra Carr and the African American Business Association. I also had the opportunity to meet Nikko from American Idol and Luddy.

One of the most redeeming qualities of this date is that the corporate citizenship is fluid throughout the communities. An event like IMMAWII would not be possible without the support of sponsors. At the IMMAWII Gala there were over 20 major sponsors recognized. In a time when corporate greed is in the headlines, it’s good to know that some corporations continue to give back.

Washington, DC

1/15/09

So my journey as Miss Black Iowa has just begun and guess how I'm starting it… a ROAD TRIP! I'm going on my first road trip ever (family vacations don't count :))! I couldn’t be more excited. Tomorrow, at 3am I am headed to Washington, DC to take part in two of the most fabulous things happening in DC.

Number 1: The Miss Black USA Pageant has teamed up with the American Heart Association to promote their "Heart of Truth Campaign," an initiative that educates women on heart disease and diabetes. Each of the delegates will be a part of a photo shoot in conjunction with this campaign.

Number 2: The Inauguration of our 44th President, Barack Obama. I was honored to receive a ticket from Representative Boswell. It brings be joy that I will be present to witness the First Black President of the United States inaugurated. May God continue to bless America!

1/16/09

I conjured up a pretty convincing request to get a friend to drive along with me. So I was not alone on this 16 hour drive. It was icy in Indiana, but smooth coasting afterward. As we drove through the beautiful state Ohio, I saw traces of the recent economic whirl winds. Through my eyes, I felt the strength of Ohioans’ work ethic and determination. My short visit in Ohio meant more to me than the what the news has been saying for over a year. As my grandmother always says, "You have to go through to get to." We're getting there. After Ohio, we rode through the mountains and valleys of Pennsylvania. At 10:09pm, we arrived.

1/17/09

8:12am Rise and shine, was time to take on the day. I ate breakfast with Arizona, New York, and North Carolina. After eating and mingling, several of us went to a room to participate in a Mary Kay facial led by New York, a consultant. Even though I had sat through many of those, that one had to have been the most fun!

Later on in the afternoon, it was time for the photo shoot. I wore a red dress with black pumps and dangling ruby earrings. This was my very first photo shoot and it was a blast! The make-up artist was amazing, the hair stylist was wonderful, and the photographer was entertaining. They all did a good job keeping us comfortable and helping us put our best face on. I was happy with the pictures.

1/18/09

Well that task was complete. After all of the networking and good times, I'm glad I came. I’ve made some lasting connections. Tomorrow, I am going to do a dry run for Tuesday's events. It's very busy in DC due to the inaugural events. Over 3 million people are in the city.

1/19/09

It’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and President-elect Barack Obama has declared it the National Day of Service. I volunteered with Miss Black DC at an event put on by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and Feeding America. We fed the homeless of DC and gave them warm clothes for the winter. There I met guests such as Josh Groban, Herby Hancock, David Arquette, and Martin Luther King III. Thousands came through.

1/20/09

Today is the day that we will inaugurate the first black president of this country. I began at Congressman Boswell's office. I sat down with Mrs. Boswell and chatted about her experiences living in state of Iowa. She is such a kind and light hearted lady. The Congressman strategized for the afternoon.

After I received my tickets, it was time to go in the cold. We stood in lines for almost two hours, but it was fun. I met so many people as there were millions to meet. The spirit was wonderful. There were smiles on their faces despite them being a mile from the face of President Barack Obama. The crowds yelled "Fired up, ready to go."

When I reached the gates there was a feeling of accomplishment. I had arrived. And then it hit me. We were about to inaugurate a black president. I was overwhelmed when I gazed at the sea of people: Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, British, and all of the above were there…seeking something new.

My last stop was a reception for the Iowa Delegation. I met with other Iowan who shared my story. They traveled over 1000 miles to witness what many perceive to be a miracle. We shared a wonderful time.

1/21/09

It's 4:30am. Time to go home

Martin Luther King, Jr

My first official event as Miss Black Iowa was in partnership with the Iowa Commission on the Status of African Americans. I had the opportunity to assist the commission in honoring the recipients of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Achievement Award. This event was a special one in that we were honoring those who are continuing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. right here in Des Moines.