Truly INTERNATIONAL

Nothing is more gratifying than seeing a title holder live up to her full potential.  I had to the opportunity to do that over the past two months as I watched Miss International Ciji Dodds and her circle of pageant friends and supporters prepare for her trip to Haiti. 

For the next week, Ciji will be hosted by the reigning Miss Haiti Universe Anedie Azael, the founder of Peace. Love. International - an organization she founded to bring betterment to her home country, especially following the devastating 2010 earthquake that destroyed parts of the Carribbean nation.  Miss Azael has promised to show Ciji the Haiti we DON'T see!!!

A dynamic view from Club Indigo in Haiti

Ciji has spent a lot time over the last 60 days requesting and securing donations of pencils, pens, crayons, books, construction paper and other supplies which she will gift to children in orphanages and schools during her one week visit.

Not only will she visit and gift children, she will be a part of a larger delegation including several 2011 Miss Universe contestants: Miss Guatemala, Miss Brazil, Miss Peru, Miss Mexico, Miss Singapore, Miss Netherlands, Miss Ireland, Miss Jamaica, Miss Denmark, Miss New Zealand and Miss Paraguay.

 Shakira Martin, Miss Jamaica Universe 2011

  Alejandra Barillas, Miss Guatemala Universe 2011

They will participate in many activities including helping to select the new Miss Tourism North and Mr. & Miss Carrefour.  I am sure she will have plenty of pictures and videos to share upon her return.

As Miss International, Ciji has promoted the platfrom - "Fighting Illiteracy Begins With Your First Book" throughout the country.  It is TRULY a pleasure to see her take it INTERNATIONALLY!!!

And in other news.....

Happy New Year folks!

I hope my silence on the M.A.O pageant speaks volumes about how I feel about THAT production!  After the wonderful event, in which Caressa Cameron joined the likes of my favorite Miss America - Vanessa Williams (1984) as well as the equally shocking, yet fun, event which brought us the youngest Miss America ever crowned - Teresa Scanlon, the powers that be sought fit to bring us THAT.

Have we not seen a resurgence in this country over the past twelve months about the DANGERS and traumatizing effects of bullying!?  What does the Miss America Organization go and do but BULLY some of the most talented, intelligent and charismatic young women in the country.  To say I was disappointed in their tactics would be an understatement.  On top of the fact that the WORLD knows Miss Florida should have been in the top 5, the sheer cruelty with which they treated those young women will not soon be forgotten.

What's done is done but I sure hope that all of my true pageant purists and fans write everyone they can so we don't have to witness this horror and injustice next year!

And in other news, before heading out to my MAO watch party with my fellow directors and "former" pageant girls, I had the pleasure to accompany some beautiful young women from the International, Black America and Black USA system to "Black Oppulence" - A VIP gifting suite which preceded the glamorous BET Honors taping in Washington.  The event was hosted by BET's 106 & Park Host Rosci Diaz and Minnesota Viking Visanthe Shiancoe  Enjoy the pics!

 Miss International 2011 Ciji Dodds, and BET's 106 & Park Host Rosci Diaz. 

 Miss International hits the red carpet

 Miss Black Washington USA 2012,  BET's 106 & Park Host Rosci Diaz and 

Miss Black America Baltimore 2012, Alexandra Morton

 

 Miss Black America Baltimore 2012 hits the red carpet