The Nation's Capitol

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending the District of Columbia International Pageant to watch as they crowned the 2011 Miss and Teen DC titleholders.  I was really pleased to see such a great the new ladies receive their crowns as well as the presentation of the newest D.C. International princesses!!!

Congratulations Ladies!!!

You never know "Who's Who"

 It is always quite thrilling to learn about the accomplishments of titleholders outside of the pageantry arena.  It continues to emphasize the fact that pageants are about much more than just looking pretty on stage and in a bathing suit.  Titleholders, every day, are doing so much in their communities and with their titles.  

Chelsey with the unveiling of the publication's cover

Miss District of Columbia International Chelsey Rodgers, Esq. can now count among her many accolades the distinction of being included in the 2010 edition of the “Who’s Who in Black Washington, DC”.  In an official ceremony, held in Washington on September 15th, Chelsey along with other honorees were treated to a preview of the publication after receiving their awards. This distinction places her in the amazing company of Washington luminaries like Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, former Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman, the Honorable Anna Blacksburn-Rigsby, Rev. H. Beecher Hicks, Jr. and BET’s Debra Lee who were also honored in this year’s list.

 Chelsey with Dr. Johnetta B. Cole, former dean of Spelman College

Chelsey is the Director of Business & Legal Affairs for Johnson Media, Inc. and managing attorney for the Law Office of Chelsey Rodgers, PLLC, which services clientele in New York, Maryland and Washington, DC. At Johnson Media, Chelsey oversees expansion strategies into other US markets, serves as event director for the annual Apex Society Power 30 Under 30 Awards, and manages the company’s legal affairs. An alumna of Howard University Law School and Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, she also serves as Chairperson of the District of Columbia’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Board. The Board advises juvenile agencies and ensures juvenile delinquency prevention programs meet the needs of youth in the District.
 

Chelsey with Cassandra Bozeman, COO of Who's Who Publishing

Chelsey with Mrs. DC's Classic American Woman 

Congratulations Chelsey Rodgers - Miss DC International 2010 on your latest honor!

Those Dreaded Questions

They say "practice makes perfect", "knowledge is key" and "how you practice is how you perform".  {Don't ask me who the proverbial THEY is, but you get the point}.  In any event, that is so true in any competition, and let's face it - a pageant is a competition.  It is so important for ladies competing in pageants to practice the skills they need to be successful in the interview, on-stage question or platform presentation portions of a pageant.    There are several ways to do this.  You can partner with other pageant friends to do a round robin type session, read one of the many web sites or publications with sample interview questions or take the route of hiring an interview coach like my personal favorite - Pageant Perks!!!

  Two Pageant Perks clients, Heather & Deanna (author)

Think about it, a pageant interview, shouldn't feel any different than a job interview.  After all you are applying to take on the role of Miss Turkey Leg America :-)  The biggest fear, I think, about interview and on stage questions are "Those Dreaded Questions"!!!  You spend all this time writing and critiquing your judges' bio, application and numerous other forms, only to have 4-7 people you've never met/seen ask you who knows what, about what they've read.  If you're like me, you've often wondered, where do they get those questions, why did they ask me that, what made them think of that?  The answers to those questions, cherubs, are never ending and may never be known.  Here's what I do know - the pageant interview and on-stage question portions aren't rocket science, in fact they're quite simple.  You don't have to do much really, simply smile and  1) Listen to the question  2) Think about the question and 3) Answer the question honestly, to the best of your ability.
  

Practice and preparation just help you apply the best methods for YOU to use after you've committed to mastering those earlier steps.  You must get to a point where you feel comfortable in front of varied audiences and you must learn how to think beyond to the stated question.  

Through it all just remember, you're interviewing with and talking to a human being.  Someone not much unlike yourself, with feelings, emotions, education, hobies and a family.  So be yourself and use your brain.  Oh, yeah, but don't forget - one day you may run into a judge who also happens to be a QUEEN herself.

Heather Thompson, Mrs. Virginia International 2010 and Deanna McCray James, Mrs. District of Columbia 2009 served as judges for the 2010 Miss and Teen District of Columbia International pageant.

 

Judges of the 2010 Miss and Teen District of Columbia International pageant with the new titleholders - Chelsey Rodgers (Miss) and Alexis Harvey (Teen)