Universally Speaking

Congratulations Leila Luliana da Costa Vieira Lopes, Miss Universe 2011!!!!

 

The 25 year old Cape Verdean beauty, represented her home country of Angola, to win the crown out of more than 80 contestants.

She made her way to the national Miss Angola crown, by winning the Miss Angola UK pageant.

This is the first Miss Universe title for Angola.  1999 was the last year that a beauty from an African nation captured the coveted title - with Miss Botswana winning the crown. 

  Miss Botswana 1999 Mpule Kwelagobe, 19 becomes Miss Universe 1999

Watch Leila's crowning announcement!


More on the Miss Universe pageant tomorrow - "Perspective from a Pageant Mom" !!

Fairest of the Fair

Well, I don't know about you, but I have had enough of Mother Nature to last a good while.   I was so glad that this weekend was very moderate weather wise.  Sunday was even pleasant enough to enjoy a pre-Labor Day cookout/bar-be-que at a great family friend's home.

 
While sitting there chatting with her and some other friends, I realized that I have met some of my best friends through pageantry!  Who would have thunk it :-)  LOL.  You enter these competitions with one, maybe two things in mind - Do your best and of course WIN!  It's pretty rare that you go into them thinking you'll make lifetime, true friends.

All I can say is I am pretty darn pleased that my pageant journeys have made me cross paths and become intertwined with some pretty cool people.

And on that note, congrats to the new Mrs. Missouri America 2012 Tina York!!!!!  Yep, another great friend I made at the Mrs. United States pageant back in 2005!

Who says the fairest of the fair can't be friends!!!

Like Mother, Like Daughter

I love to read about pageant coincidences, especially when there's a really happy ending!   How cool is it to have a mother and daughter competing during the same week for two major titles :-)?  Well that happened just last week.  While Anedra Million, Mrs. Ohio was off in Las Vegas trying to become the next Mrs. United States, her beautiful daughter, Aunjanna, wowed the judges so much that she was crowned Miss Teen Galaxy 2012 in Chicago, Illinois!

 Aunjana Million, far left

 

Aunjana is no stranger to pageantry having already held the titles of Miss Ohio High School America and Miss Black Ohio USA Talented Teen. 

I bet there's a lot to talk about at that dinner table, congratulations Aunjana and Anedra!

Ain't No Stopping Her Now....Ms. America

This was so inspirational and uplifting I had to share.  This partial blog re-post is courtesy of AMS Vans, Inc.

Mother of 2 Crowned Ms. America after 11 Years in Wheelchair

After facing many obstacles in her life, including a hit and run accident in 1996 that left her in a wheelchair for 11 years, 36 year old California mom Tracy Broughton won the 2011 Ms. America title. Broughton will go on a twelve month tour with her crown making personal appearances and promoting awareness for disability rights.

As a busy single mother of twins, Broughton still makes time for her modeling career, heading a legal aid business, and donates her time to charity. Ms. Broughton plans to use her title to bring awareness to disability rights and be a role model for all those who use wheelchairs every day. Disability rights has been an issue close to Ms. Broughton’s heart since she was paralyzed in an accident from which she is still recovering.

Winner of the Miss Black California pageant in 2003 while still confined to a wheelchair, Tracy Broughton hopes to use her new Ms. America crown to target disability rights.   Read the rest..

On Sunday, January 30, 2011 (there's that day again) at the Doubletree Guest Suites Anaheim Resort in Anaheim, CA, finalists from across the United States competed in Interview, Sportswear, Evening Gown and the finalist On-Stage Question.

The Ms. America ® Pageant is for women 26 years of age and up who are single, divorced or married. Over $40,000 in gifts and prizes will be awarded at this year’s pageant which includes a $25,000 crown designed and crafted by Newport Jewelers of Newport Beach, CA.

To make the evening even more special for Tracy Broughton, 36, from Ladera Ranch, California, she can now consider herself positive addition to Black History Month notes as she is the first African American to be crowned Ms. America !!!!!!

 

Sunday, January 30th

Perhaps I missed the memo because on this particular day, things were pretty busy for married women in the southeastern corridor of the country!!!  I think the staff at Mrs. America will be very pleased with the representatives who will wear the crown and represent their states at Greenbriar Resort in April.

This blond beauty showed up and captured the crown and title of Mrs. Tennessee America 2011 after two previous tries.  Thankfully, Melody Usdan wasn't afraid to try again after placing 2nd runner up in the 2010 pageant and fourth runner up at the 2007. 

Beautiful Allison Whitstine, an English teacher, won the title of Mrs. Louisiana America 2011.

Third time was a charm for the stunning Tiffany Marshall who practically swept the pageant to become Mrs. Georgia America 2011.   In addition to winning the crown, Tiffany also won Most Photogenic,  Best Evening In Gown and Most Physically Fit at the pageant. 



Mrs. Mississippi .......again! Michelle Cole captured the crown after competing against nine other beauties and representing Warren County.  Answering to the title won't be hard for Michelle as she competed in Las Vegas the summer of 2005 as Mrs. Mississippi United States.




Best of luck Ladies !!!

Miss Alexandria (VA-MAO) 2011

Congratulations to Delesia AmandaWatson, the new Miss Alexandria 2011.  Delesia competed against seven amazing beauties in this local preliminary for the Miss Virginia America pageant system.

She is no stranger to the tough competition within the state, having competed in last year's pageant as Miss Greater Springfield 2010.

Quite the pageant queen, Delesia has also held the titles of 2009 Miss Virginia {National American Miss} and 2008 Dogwood Queen of the Charlottesville Dogwood Festival.  She also made it to the top 12 of the 2011 Miss Virginia USA pageant.

Delesia has an exciting few month ahead of her as she prepares for this year's Miss Virginia pageant.  I am positive her directors Angel McCoy, the former Mrs. Maryland International 2010, Miss Chesapeake Bay 2008 & Miss Howard County 2007(MD-MAO), and Kevin Mohorn will fine tune this already polished lady in no time!

It's Snowing........Again!!!!

Yep, it's definitely winter in the Mid-Atlantic region!!!  After spending two days at home with my family, and several hours shoveling and moving about 12 inches of snow (not bad considering last year's fiasco), I returned to work, on a Friday no less, only to look out my window and see that .......it's snowing...AGAIN!    Personally, I find this humorous, but I know there are some that are loosing it!

In any event, I figured this was a great chance to highlight a wonderful children's pageant produced by the ladies at Pageants R Fun.  In full disclosure, I should probably tell you that I am one of those said ladies :-).

The event was the Winter Snow Queen Pageant and it was held at the Black Box Theatre in Ellicott City, Maryland on Saturday, January 15th.  Eight young ladies, between the ages of 2 and 12, competed in categories such as formal wear, talent, winter wear and photogenic to win four divisional titles and one overall Supreme Winter Snow Queen title.

The four divisional titles are based on age on the day of the pageant.  Baby is 3 mos. - 3 years old, Tiny is 4 - 6 years old, Little is 7 - 9 years old and Preteen is 10-12.  There is also a category for girls ages 13-15 - Junior Miss.  The audience was treated to a wide range of entertainment through the talent division.  We heard a violin solo, a monologue, a song and two dances.  What a joy to watch the girls express themselves.

The beauty of the Pageants R Fun productions, is that every child who participates has a chance to pick a prize from the "gift" table after competing their formal wear segment, so no one goes home empty handed.    

Do you think our pageant had any influence with the weather lately???   I didn't think so either.  Stay warm folks!

There she is.....

Once again, that famous "tune" was sung as Miss America 2010, Caressa Cameron passed the crown to the next distinguished woman.  After a world wind year of excitement and appearances, it was time to say goodbye.  On this 90th anniversary of Miss America, more than 40 past Miss Americas returned to Las Vegas took to various stages to remember highlights of their reigns.

With a welcoming of Pink's "Raise Your Glass" the top 15 were announced:
 1) Miss Oklahoma  2) Miss Nebraska  3)Miss Texas (always a crowd favorite!!!)  4)  Miss Rhode Island (total crown shocker), 5) Miss Utah, 6) Miss Washington, 7) Miss Arizona, 8) Miss Hawai'i  9) Miss Virginia ( I was surprised - so much for prelims) 10) Miss Arkansas (my pick for Miss America - even though the whole racially ambiguous comment let me know you were black) 11) Miss California.  You/America chose the additional semi-finalist:s 12) Miss New York & 13)Miss Delaware. Finally, for the first time in MAO history, the contestants had the opportunity to select finalists, they were (to join the swimsuit competititon) - 14) Miss Kentucky & Miss Oregon.

The competition dwindled down to the top 10, followed by top top 5.  All of the girls looked absolutely lovely during the fitness (formerly swimsuit) competition although I was AMAZED by the big hair and the lack of color in the top 15 but eh- what do I know.

In the end, Teresa Scanlon, the youngest ever at 17 years old, was crowned Miss America 2011.   Congratulations Miss Nebraska 2010!!!!!!  Take the crown and run with it!

A Mid October's Dream - "For Success"

Yesterday, I had the honor of serving on the host committee for the Baltimore chapter of Dress for Success's annual fashion show fundraiser.  The theme was "Hidden Dreams", a reflection of the organization's commitment to bringing light to the forgotten and underserved women of Baltimore, affectionately known as Charm City and it's surrounding areas!    The models of the show were a wonderful array of shapes, sizes and hues, including the reigning Mrs. Maryland Galaxy - Adrienne Watson Carver.    My guests for the evening were Yolanda Makle, Ms. Galaxy International 2011 and Tracey Jamison, Mrs. All-American Classic Woman 2010.  We were treated to a pre-show reception, full of fabulous light fare and deserts provided by one of the evening's sponsors Sullivan's Steakhouse, as well as champagne, soft drinks, tea and coffee.

This organization is very near and dear to my heart as it assists women in gaining some of the positive self-esteem and confidence attributes we often spout in our pageant endeavors.   In case you are not familiar with the mission of Dress for Success, let me share.  According to the national website "The mission of Dress for Success is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life."   While that is technically what they do, the inspiration and motivation they give women - by providing them with some of the tools they need to reclaim their status as employees and productive citizens proves they really do so much more.    The Baltimore chapter serviced more than 500 women last year alone!!!  It is my hope that the pageant community of Maryland will continue to assist this organization in any way possible!!!