Women's History Month - Diahann Carroll

In honor of Women's History Month, I will be blogging and Facebooking about Black women in several fields whom I believe to be trailblazers and positive examples for us.

The first...Ms. Diahann Carroll.

Many people may not know, but I began my acting "career" in theatre, as did Diahann. Her achievements in theatre led to groundbreaking achievements for Black women in television, as well as film. Broadway roles for black singers were rare but at age 19, Diahann was cast in the Harold Arlen/Truman Capote musical "House of Flowers". Starring the indomitable Pearl Bailey.



In 1954 she and Ms. Bailey supported a riveting Dorothy Dandridge as femme fatale Carmen Jones (1954) in an all-black, updated movie version of the Georges Bizet opera "Carmen."

Little did Diahann know that in the late 1960s she would break a major ethnic barrier on the small screen. Though it was nearly impossible to suppress the natural glamour and sophistication of Diahann, she touchingly portrayed an ordinary nurse and widow struggling to raise a small son in the series "Julia" (1968). Despite other Black American actresses starring in a TV series Diahann became the first full-fledged African-American female "star" -- top billed, in which the show centered around her lead character. The show gradually rose in ratings and Diahann won a Golden Globe award for "Best Newcomer" and an Emmy

nomination.

The breast cancer survivor and Tony award winner is also an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. "I like to think I opened doors for other women, although that wasn't my original intention."

Thank you for opening these doors and helping shape roles for Black women in television and film! Diahann Carroll is flawless. Period. Point blank. When I think of modern-vintage I think of her. She has a timeless look and has always embodied the epitome of class and grace.

My Speech from the 2012 LSU Mr. and Miss Imani Pageant

I recently had the honor of serving as judge of the LSU Mr. and Miss Imani Pageant! I was allowed to speak during the course of the evening. During this time I felt it necessary speak on an issue which seems to constantly plague my Twitter and Facebook feeds....The Black Woman in the media.

The evening before the pageant, the reality television show "Basketball Wives aired", leading to an all-night commentary about the show and its stars. If my grandmother were alive today, she would say, 'Do you know your lesson as well as you know TV?" I could just hear her now! If I could meet any of the stars of the show, I would tell them to strive to use their position in the media for more positive means by lifting young Black women up.

So I took the time to focus my remarks during the pageant on my responsibility of ending the negative stereotypes of Black women in the media, instead of my platform:

"My name is Ashley Hebert, and I am blessed and honored to be Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012.

I am excited to represent my Alma Mater and the state of Louisiana in the Miss Black USA pageant this August as “The Bayou Beauty” and I intend to bring the national title home to Louisiana for the first time in history.

Like my fellow contestants, I am on my journey to the crown, traveling our great state to promote my platform of “improving that state of higher education in Louisiana.” I was blessed to have my platform published nationally in The Washington Examiner and USA Today.

The 2012 state delegates have elevated the status of The Miss Black USA Organization to an entirely new level. After having the honor of meeting my Sister Queens in January, I can honestly say, these women are phenomenal. They are driven, gorgeous, and EDUCATED – 80% of the 2012 contestants hold advance degrees. And we have even been nicknamed, “the next first ladies”.

Being a figurehead of The Miss Black USA Organization also puts me in a unique position. The image of the Black woman in the media leaves mainstream society under the impression that Black women are disrespectful, unkempt, low class, and sometimes, even worse. This negative image has even recently prompted First Lady Obama to go on record to debunk the notion that she was “an angry Black woman”.

As Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012, it is my RESPONSIBILITY to challenge these stereotypes by using my reign to EMPOWER women of color. It is my DUTY to show them they are more than their race…more than their gender…and more than their social status. I am in the position to be the example to show them that NO ONE can ever prevent them from walking into their own greatness. I want today’s Black woman to want more for HERSELF.

This is a cause greater than myself and I am proud to be the “new face” of the African-American woman! Miss Black USA is more than a pageant; it’s a MOVEMENT – a movement for women of color across this nation to stand up and prove that we are more than your lowered expectations of us…more than what is said in the news….and definitely more than what you see on reality television.

Ladies….my beautiful Black sisters….this is my CALL TO ACTION…it’s time to start leaving a legacy that our grandmothers and great-grandmothers would be proud of and as YOUR Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012, I am proud to lead the way!"



College Goal Sunday - February 26, 2012

As your Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012, I am devoted to improving the state of higher education in Louisiana. I want to find and highlight ways to get Louisiana students IN school and get them OUT on time!

Louisiana College Goal Sunday^SM is a FREE event that will help you melt away the tedious process of filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) in order to obtain financial aid. FREE on site assistance from college financial aid professionals will be provided.

This is the FIRST step to getting students financial aid for school. Free on-site assistance from financial aid professionals (and yours truly) will be provided.

This event is open to ANY student planning to attend ANY type of higher education institution in the state of Louisiana!

Don't get left behind! Register here: College Goal Sunday

Angry Black Woman

Recently First lady Michelle Obama went on record to challenge assertions she's forcefully imposed her will on White House aides and says people have inaccurately tried to portray her as "some kind of angry black woman." Many of the only Black images in the media portray Black women as angry, unruly, distasteful, or even worse. Any day of the week you can see drama on television series that reinforce these stereotypes to mainstream America.

As Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012, I join the 2012 Miss Black USA delegates as the new face of the African American woman. With 80% of my sister queens holding some type of advanced degree, we have been aptly dubbed, “The next first ladies”.

With that, it is my RESPONSIBILITY to nourish young women of color as much as possible by empowering them to see beyond their color or station in life by pushing them succeed. I want them to know they are more than their race, color, or gender. This cause is greater than myself, as I use my reign to challenge the image of Black women in the media from negative to positive.

I’m very proud to join the Miss Black USA organization on this MISSION. It’s more than a pageant, it’s a movement!

Join me on my journey to the national title! Donate here: FundRazr

Join the Miss Black Louisiana Heart Team!

Risk factors are conditions or habits that make a person more likely to develop a disease. A large risk factor of heart disease?? Being PHYSICALLY INACTIVE! As a Heart Truth campaign advocate, Miss Black Louisiana USA wants to encourage people to get moving! So we have ...a team participating in the Capital Area Heart Walk on 3/24/2012 and would love for you to walk with us wearing our official team t-shirt! Let's move!! The Miss Black Louisiana USA Heart Walk Team is proud to partner with the LSU Public Administration Institute Student Association for this great cause! We're devoted to taking a stand against heart disease, the #1 killer of women in the US. Join the team today!! SIGN UP TO JOIN OUR TEAM BY CLICKING THIS LINK: Join the Heart Team Here THEN BUY YOUR TEAM SHIRT! (designed by moi lol)   It's FREE to join our team and FREE to participate in the walk! Proceeds from the t-shirt will benefit the BR American Heart Association AND expenses to get me to nationals!

National Wear Red Day - February 3, 2012

On Friday, February 3, 2012, National Wear Red Day®, Americans will wear red to show their support for women's heart health. This observance promotes the Red Dress symbol and provides an opportunity for everyone to unite in The Heart Truth campaign's life-saving awareness-to-action movement by putting on a favorite red dress, red shirt, red tie, or Red Dress Pin. Together, we will continue to urge women to protect their hearts, as heart disease is the #1 killer of women.

Please join Miss Black Louisiana USA as we start National Wear Red Day with a bang at the National Wear Red Day Celebrity Date Auction, on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2 at 8pm at 600 Main!!

 

Miss Black USA Comes to Howard University Hospital to Promote Healthy Hearts on MLK Day

The following article was posted on the Howard University Health Sciences website about our visit this weekend in DC.

WASHINGTON (Jan. 12) – Eighteen of the nation’s most beautiful women, all dressed in fabulous red gowns, will visit Howard University Hospital on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to charm patients, talk with hospital staff and D.C. area residents encourage women to take care of their hearts.

The women, Miss Black USA contestants, are in town for the annual Red Dress Photo Shoot, when the ladies adorn beautiful red dresses for a special promotional pageant photograph promoting February as Heart Month. 

But the women, who hail from Minnesota, Tennessee, Virginia, Indiana, Michigan, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, the Virgin Islands and other states, said they to do something to help others while in D.C.

“These young ladies, as well as the organization, strongly believe that service is a part of who we are,” said Karen Arrington, who founded the organization in 1965.  “We felt it was fitting to do something in tribute to a man who through his service changed America.  We couldn’t think of a better place to do that than at Howard University Hospital.”

After visiting with hospital patients, the women will gather in Freedmen’s Hall for a chat with local residents and hospital staff.

One message that they particularly want to drive home is that of the importance of developing healthy habits to protect hearts.

Heart disease is the number one killer of women, Arrington said.  One in four women die from heart disease annually.  That is particularly true of African-American women, Arrington said.

So, for the past three years, her organization has partnered with the Heart Truth Campaign, an initiative of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“We want to encourage young women, particularly young black women, to live a healthy lifestyle to avoid heart disease in the future,” Arrington said.

“These women are not only beautiful, they’re highly intelligent,” she said.

Miss Louisiana has a master's degree in Public Administration.  Miss Maryland and Miss Michigan and have master’s degrees in public health.  Many of the women are undergraduates and Miss Nevada has a doctorate in physical therapy.

The event is free and open to the public.  Seats, however, are limited.  To register, call 202.865.1375 or email tdeyo@huhosp.org.

Miss Black USA....not a pageant, but a MOVEMENT!

The Miss Black USA Pageant and Scholarship Foundation, Inc., was founded in 1986 by Karen Arrington. With civil rights activist parents, Karen was driven to form this organization due to the lack of a positive portrayal of Black women in the media. When she opened a magazine, she did not see anyone whom looked like her. She saw the pageant as a vehicle to provide scholarship to women of color, to not only showcase these intelligent, beautiful Black women, but to CHANGE THE FACE of young African American women.

Today, the movement continues with the pageant becoming the "Who's Who of Women of Color". 80% of the 2012 delegates hold advance degrees including attorneys, doctors, and public administrators.

With service and a commitment to community at the heart and soul of this organization, I am proud to represent the state of Louisiana as your Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012. Aside from my platform of improving the state of higher education in Louisiana, I am also a voice of The Heart Truth Campaign, to raise awareness of heart disease as the #1 killer of women.

Please join me on my journey to the crown by making a small donation to get me to the national competition on August 13, 2012. The countdown is on and I cannot do it without your support. I am passionate about my approach to my platform, and believe education is the KEY! 

Click HERE to donate! Thank you!

My Mission as YOUR Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012

As YOUR Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012, I am on a mission to improve the state of higher education in Louisiana. It is my goal to adequately prepare Louisiana students for college, get them enrolled, and keep them there! And then keep them in the state of Louisiana as a contributing member to the Louisiana economy. I want to improve enrollment and retention rates of students, as they are a driving force behind the Louisiana economy.

Improving Higher Education in Louisiana

Improving the state of higher education in Louisiana does not have a simple, textbook answer. But one thing is certain, a child’s progression towards a college degree starts long before they ever set foot on a college campus.

Importance Statewide

Many fail to realize the economic power holding a college degree may have. Someone with a Bachelor’s Degree earns up to $25,000 more per year on average than someone with just a high school diploma (State Legislatures. June 2011. Bautsch. Page 24). A degree translates into more revenue flowing statewide in numerous ways:

• Average career is 40 years, so that extra $25,000 per year translates into $1 million more in career earnings
• Higher income translates into higher tax revenue for the state.
• College graduates generally pay more in income and sales taxes, while depending less on social service programs like Medicaid or federal assistance.
• College graduates are more likely to be employed.

The big issue facing the state of Louisiana is that at least two out of every five college students do not graduate – making risky investments for state programs such as TOPS. Weak academic preparation in K-12 is the fourth leading cause to college dropout (Bautsch).

The number of nationwide, jobs requiring some form of training or education beyond high school will continue to increase. By 2018, it is estimated that close to 33 percent of jobs will require at least a Bachelor’s Degree and 29 percent will require at least a certificate or associate degree (State Legislatures. June 2011. Colvin & Hinton. Page 12). With that being said, strengthening higher education will have a direct and positive correlation to a state’s economic, social, and cultural health.

People of Color being left behind

Tight budgets have handcuffed lawmakers into considering options that could change the face of public universities forever. How does higher education adjust so it can still flourish while facing massive budget constraints? – Tuition. Fundamental changes in the way the state operates and finance public universities must change if it will continue to offer high quality education to all students regardless of the socioeconomic backgrounds or ethnicity. The move to fund universities based on academic performance is starting to take hold with the passing of legislation such as the LA Grad Act and LA Grad Act 2.0. These pieces of legislation help the state set goals for colleges. They are performance contracts between the state and schools to detail what the state will provide, and what performance level they expect out of the university to continue to fund at that level. This trend is slowly draining the ‘public’ out of public education. State universities are beginning to run like private enterprises, and charging high tuition makes attaining a quality education available to only a certain sector of the population. This leads to market driven policies which increase economic and social stratification among students, a blow to the policy objective of equal educational opportunity for all (State Legislatures. June 2011. Bell. Page 21).

My platform for Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012 has a three prong approach:

1. Pre-K: High quality pre-school programs have long lasting effects by improving student outcomes well into adulthood. Research shows much improved educational skills and higher test scores. Evaluation of LA 4 shows student advancement within ONE year in language, literacy, and math skills when compared to peers not enrolled in a Pre-K program (Center for Child Development. “LA4 Longitudinal Report” La Department of Education. 2007). With weak academic preparation being the No. 3 reason college students fail to return for their sophomore year, the need of a strong foundation of early childhood development is one way to improve higher education success. As part of my platform, I will strive to inform citizens of the importance of early childhood development and how it affects their child and Louisiana’s future.

2. Improving Academic Success in K-12: The need for sustained support throughout a child’s K-12 years is imperative to their future higher educational institutional success. Failure to attain a Bachelor’s Degree could lead in the increase of jobless claims throughout the state as the percentage of jobs requiring at least a BA will continue to increase. With education levels and poverty rates running hand-in-hand.  I will continue to convey the importance of improving literacy levels in Louisiana poor communities to ensure our students are prepared for higher education. My platform will focus on finding ways to ensure our African-American students are prepared for college through mentoring programs or college-prep courses; I will strive to improve educational outcomes for students.

3. Political Participation: Finally, too many constituents are unaware of the laws made at the state Capitol and how they can affect educational programs. As part of my platform, I would like to convey the need of voter participation in the African American community and initiate a voter registration drive.

Please join me on my journey to the crown by making a small donation to get me to the national competition on August 13, 2012. The countdown is on and I cannot do it without your support. I am passionate about my approach to my platform, and believe education is the KEY! 

Click HERE to donate! Thank you!

The Voice of The Heart Truth®

In addition to my platform of improving the state of higher education in the state of Louisiana, I am also a voice of The Heart Truth® campaign of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to make women nationwide aware of the danger of heart disease.

The Miss Black Louisiana USA Team is currently planning TWO events in conjunction with The Heart Truth®:

National Wear Red Day

On Friday, February 3, 2012, National Wear Red Day^®, Americans will wear red to show their support for women's heart health. This observance promotes the Red Dress symbol and provides an opportunity for everyone to unite in The Heart Truth's^® life-saving awareness-to-action movement by putting on a favorite red dress, red shirt, red tie, or Red Dress Pin. Together, we will continue to urge women to protect their hearts, as heart disease is the #1 killer of women.

Miss Black Louisiana USA will be starting National Wear Red Day off with a bang by hosting a Celebrity Date Auction here in Baton Rouge at 600 Main! Celebs include New England Patriot Eric Alexander, critically-acclaimed author Cece Chapman, and Miss Southern University 2011-12 Chisolu Isiadind to name a few!

Capital City Heart Walk

Miss Black Louisiana USA is proud to join the American Heart Association's Heart Walk to promote physical activity to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. We have formed a team to participate in the Capital City Heart Walk on March 24, 2012 at 8:00am beginning at the LSU Old Front Nine here in Baton Rouge.

Help us reach this lifesaving goal! Join our team and purchase the official team shirt! Click this link to join us: Join the Miss Black Louisiana USA Heart Team!

Take a look at the MBLUSA 2012 Heart Team Shirt!

The Heart Truth®

The Heart Truth^® is a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Through the campaign, NHLBI leads the nation in a landmark heart health awareness movement that is being embraced by millions who share the common goal of better heart health for all women.

The Heart Truth campaign warns women about heart disease and provides tools to help them take action against its risk factors. It is primarily targeted to women ages 40 to 60, the age when a woman's risk of heart disease begins to increase. However, it's never too early—or too late—to take action to prevent and control risk factors since heart disease develops over time and can start at a young age—even in the teen years.

The campaign message is paired with an arresting visual—the Red Dress—designed to warn women that heart disease is their #1 killer. The Heart Truth created and introduced the Red Dress as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness in 2002 to deliver an urgent wake-up call to American women. The Red Dress^® reminds women of the need to protect their heart health, and inspires them to take action.

The Heart Truth campaign began in response to recommendations of more than 70 experts in women's health who met in March 2001 to develop a national action plan to reduce the toll of heart disease on American women. The campaign was developed with input from partner organizations and focus groups with women conducted across the country. This research revealed that most women underestimate their personal risk and do not fully understand the devastating impact that heart disease has on one's life and family. The research strongly supported the urgent need to tell women about their risk of heart disease and how to lower it.

For more information on ways you can prevent heart disease and/or stroke & info on The Heart Truth campaign click here: National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute

Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012 in the news...

The following is a Monroe News Star article written about me prior to my official crowning. Big thanks to Rob Landry for this awesome article! The link at the bottom will bring you to the Monroe News Star website. The comment section had me down in the dumps, but a good friend told me to keep pushing and do what I know is right, and I will!

"Changing a social cycle is always difficult to initiate, especially when that cycle deals with education.

But LSU graduate student and Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012 contestant Ashley Hebert hopes her pageant platform evokes the kind of change that she believes Louisiana's higher education system needs.

"My platform focuses on improving the state of higher education in Louisiana. Our students are failing, and our government and leaders are failing the students."

Hebert, a Lafayette native, has taken a three-pronged approach to changing the state of higher education for African-Americans in the state.

» Inform people about the advantages children that have a pre-kindergarten education get. The LA 4 Pre-kindergarten Evaluation shows children enrolled in pre-K classes test one year ahead in literacy, language and math skills from children not enrolled.

» Making sure mentoring and tutoring sessions are readily available to African-American children in grades K-12.

» Getting the African-American community informed and involved in the political process and the effects it has on education through voter registration sessions.

"I know I'm only one person, and I cannot 'change the world,'" she says. "... but I can most definitely try."

Hebert hosted her first community service project on Oct. 16 in Baton Rouge. Named, "Get Jazzed About Reading," it was a literacy rally and included celebrity readers, word bingo, a jazz band and information and sessions for parents.

"Education is the key, and I hope to affect the life of at least one child."

The Monroe News Star: Miss Black Louisiana Sets Sights on Education Reform

Please Share This Moment With Me!

Words cannot express how excited I am about this Saturday! On November 12, 2011 I will officially be crowned as Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012. This is my moment and I would love for you to be there to share it with me! You'll also get to see the "divas in training" compete in the Pretty Girls Rock Princess Pageant!

Purchase your tickets here: Official Crowning/Pretty Girls Rock Princess Pageant

Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012 Crowning & Pretty Girls Rock Princess Pageant

Louisiana State Police Training Academy

7900 Independence Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 

3 PM

See you there!

Third Annual Cosmos For a Cure

Hope you join the Miss Black Louisiana USA Organization tomorrow night for Cosmos For a Cure - Fundraiser Fashion Show. All proceeds benefit Susan G. Komen. three local New Orleans Women Business Owners will come together to host an evening of flirty pink cocktails, pampering massages and makeovers, fashion, light, glitz and glamour. The 3rd Annual "Cosmos for a Cure" is a night for ladies of New Orleans to come out and have a great time to network, unwind and raise money for a worthy cause!

With over 50 sponsors this year, the hosts say this will be the best year yet. TWIST Cocktails will be the venue of the big event this year with CIROC being the main sponsor for the signature Cosmo cocktail. Dozens of sponsors have donated silent auction prizes ranging from Pink Limo Rides to Pampering Spa Packages.

There will be no shortage of fun and fashion at this event. Johnny Wah Exclusive Shoe Boutique will have a raffle for a $600 pair of shoes out of their boutique and the fashion show will be styled by Hemline.

Every guest who is a breast cancer survivors will enjoy the most premier pampering experience out of all the guests. Each will have a special photo session with the professional photographer on site. Survivors will also have an opportunity to model some of the fashions and will have the floor to give personal testimonies of their experience and recovery.

The hosts have committed to raising $5,000 and hope to achieve that goal. Help them in achieving a notable goal by attending the 3rd Annual Cosmos for a Cure on Friday, October 21, 2011 from 5:30 - 9pm at TWIST Cocktails (628 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70130) Tickets can be bought at the door or online athttp://www.cosmosforacure.eventbrite.com/

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!

Continue reading on Examiner.com Cosmos for a Cure: Fashion show and Fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness - New Orleans Beauty | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/beauty-in-new-orleans/cosmos-for-a-cure-fashionshow-and-fundraiser-for-breast-cancer-awareness#ixzz1bMxyRLKR

"Get Jazzed About Reading" Literacy Rally is almost here!

If you'd like to donate a book to be used at this event, contact me at ahebe79@lsu.edu

OR

Drop them off at the LSU Student Union. Drop off box is in the Student Government Exec office!

"Get Jazzed About Reading" Literacy Rally

As a contestant in the Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012 pageant, I have been charged with directing a community service project that correlates to my platform. I have already partnered with several organizations to create the “Get Jazzed About Reading” Literacy Rally.

“Get Jazzed About Reading” Literacy Rally

Schedule of Events

1.      Local Celeb reading corner: local affluent individuals will read to children in small groups throughout the day. Guest readers: BESE Board Candidate Carolyn Hill, MAX 94.1 personality LaTangela Fay, Miss Orleans USA 2012 Brittney Rixner,  Mr. Ralph Johnson, Executive Director of Melrose East Community Association, & Mr. David Jones, COO of HowIsIt, LLC.

2.      Word Bingo

3.      The smooth sounds of "The S Factor" Band

4.      Picture corner: families will be able to pose with the characters from their favorite stories.

5.      Parent breakout: Info session/table for parents to learn the importance of reading at home to and with their children. Suggestions for making reading fun at home.

6.      Greater Baton Rouge Literacy Coalition Info Table

7.      Miss Black Louisiana USA Info Table

8.      Cake Walk

We will also be providing free food and drinks to patrons. The media will cover this event as well.  The jazz theme will be prevalent throughout the event.

Sponsors: LSU-NAACP, Greater Baton Rouge Literacy Coalition, HowIsIt, LLC, Baton Rouge Area Chamber, St. Paul Adult Learning Center

The Power of Political Participation

In his Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln called democracy “government of the people, by the people and for the people.” It means that we are not here to serve our government, but that our government is here to serve us — and we have the right to decide who will represent us and how we want to be represented. It means that we have one of the greatest rights any free people can have: the right to vote. 

Voting is a right that, throughout history, many have fought for and sacrificed everything to achieve. It’s a right that people continue to fight for and that millions of people throughout the world still do not enjoy. As Americans, we have the great privilege to live in a free society and voting is the right that makes us free. 

You must USE THIS POWER! Too many constituents are unaware of the laws made at the state Capitol and how they can impact their lives. As part of my platform, I would like to convey the need of voter participation in the African American community. By not voting, you give away your right to influence the government overall.

Here's some info on registering online to vote in case you missed it:

You MUST be registered 30 days before the election so the deadline for Oct 22nd election is SEPTEMBER 22nd, so DO IT NOW!

 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE

You may also apply in person to register to vote at any Registrar of Voters office or any of the following sites:
- Louisiana Department of Motor Vehicle offices
- Louisiana Department of Social Services offices and WIC offices, Food Stamp offices, and Medicaid offices
- Offices serving persons with disabilities, such as the Deaf Action Centers and Independent Living offices
- Armed Forces Recruitment offices

Online Voting Registration

You may recall my platform has a three-step approach:

• Access to Pre-K: As part of my platform, I will strive to inform citizens of the importance of early childhood development and how it affects their child and Louisiana’s future.
• Improving Academic Success in K-12: I will continue to convey the importance of improving literacy levels in Louisiana poor communities to ensure our students are prepared for higher education. My platform will focus on finding ways to ensure our African-American students are prepared for college through mentoring programs or college-prep courses; I will strive to improve educational outcomes for students.
• Political Participation: Finally, too many constituents are unaware of the laws made at the state Capitol and how they can affect educational programs. As part of my platform, I would like to convey the need of voter participation in the African American community and initiate a voter registration drive.

Thanks to my friends in Young Democrats of Louisiana, I have some online voting registration information for you guys! Click the link to be directed to the Louisiana Secretary of State website

ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION

You MUST be registered 30 days before the election, so the deadline for October 22nd election is SEPTEMBER 22nd, so DO IT NOW!

You may also apply in person to register to vote at any Registrar of Voters office or any of the following sites:
- Louisiana Department of Motor Vehicle offices
- Louisiana Department of Social Services offices and WIC offices, Food Stamp offices, and Medicaid offices
- Offices serving persons with disabilities, such as the Deaf Action Centers and Independent Living offices
- Armed Forces Recruitment offices

More Sashing Ceremony Pics...

Getting officially sashed by State Coordinator Tiffany D. Magee

Tiffany and I

Conestant Tambria Baker, 2011 Queen Nakina Eugene, and I

My baby brother Evan and I

Greeting Nakina

Talented Teen contestant Tori Turner and I. This girl is going places!

ME! #TakingTheReign

Official Sashing Ceremony

Last night was the official sashing ceremony for all contestants in the Miss Black Louisiana USA 2012 Pageant. The event was held at Drusilla's Seafood Restaurant. More pics to come! 61 Days until the pageant!! Let's get it!!!

2011 Miss Black Louisiana USA, Nakina Marie Eugene and I

Me and fellow contestant Tambria Baker