Hello world!!!
I hope you and yours are doing well. I'm doing well, thanks be to God! On April 27th commemorating 53 years of Sierra Leone's independence from British invasion and domination, I attended the Sierra Leone Diaspora Forum and Reception brought by the USA Sierra Leonean community and the Embassy of Sierra Leone in the United States. This was a very productive and empowering event, I was honored to have been one of the special guests, and I enjoyed my time there.
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| I LOVE MY GREEN.WHITE.BLUEMiss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
The Forum and Reception was held at the Silver Spring Civic Center in Maryland, USA. This event was hosted by Mr. Daniel Koroma and Mr. Sam Ford. Mr. Koroma is the Community Outreach Manager and Liaison to African and Caribbean Communities at the Montgomery County Office of Community Partnerships. Mr. Ford is a general assignment reporter for ABC7/WJLA-TV, and a previous correspondent for CBS News.
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| Honorable Mabinty Daramy (Sierra Leone's Deputy Minister of Finance) and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
Honorable Mabinty Daramy, the Sierra Leone Deputy Minister of Finance, came all the way from Sierra Leone for this event. She responded to the many questions that some folks in the diaspora had, and I learned so many interesting things from her ranging from new mining laws to initiatives being set in place for Sierra Leonean diaspora in Sierra Leone. It was such an honor to have her at the event, and my pleasure meeting such a phenomenal woman.
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson and His Excellency Bockari Kortu Stevens (Sierra Leone's Chief of Mission and Ambassador to the United States) |
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| Mr. Daniel Koroma (African and Caribbean Community Outreach Manager at the Montgomery County Office of Community Partnerships) and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
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| Perks of being Miss Sierra Leone USA? Getting to seat at the high table with dignitariesLeft-Right: Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson, Ambassador Ibrahim S. Conteh (Sierra Leone's Deputy Chief of Mission in the United States), Ambassador Bockari Kortu Stevens (Sierra Leone's Chief of Mission to the United States) |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson and Ms. Emira Woods (Co-Director of Foreign Policy In Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies) |
Ms. Emira Woods is co-director of Foreign Policy In Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies, and an expert on U.S. foreign policy with a special emphasis on Africa and the developing world. She has written on a range of issues from debt, trade and development to U.S. military policy. She serves on the Board of Directors of Africa Action, Just Associates, Global Justice and the Financial Policy Forum. She is also on the Network Council of Jubilee USA. Ms. Woods was an amazing speaker on all the relevant triumphs and constraints in Sierra Leone and the African continent, as well as the need for the inclusion of women in all decision-making in nation-building. One of the many things I admire about Ms. Woods is that she's always wearing afrikana, something I'd love to do if I could afford or sponsored with clothing. Don't believe me? Google her and see all her images,
EVERYTHING AFRIKANA!!!
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson and Mrs. Isatu Isha Sillah (Head of Chancery in the Embassy of Sierra Leone in the United States) |
One of the important segments of this event was the presentations, Question-and-Answer, and breakout sessions led by three Sierra Leonean individuals: Mr. Jesmed F. Suma, Mr. Michael P.F. Akpan, and Dr. Ibrahima Diallo. Mr. Suma led the "Setting the policies and regulatory framework for Diaspora inclusivity: Diaspora as the 5th Region of Sierra Leone" session. Mr. Suma is the Executive Director of
Sierra Leone Policy Watch, and independent public policy think-tank supporting transformation development in Sierra Leone; he is also the President/CEO of Business Research and Investment Corporation (BRIMCO) Consulting based in Princeton, New Jersey providing investment advisory and management services for US businesses investing in the continent of Africa. Mr. Michael P.F. Akpan led the "Knowledge management as a means to strengthening capacity, knowledge transfer and information sharing to restore brain gain" session. Mr. Akpan is the President/CEO of Brooklands International Group, Inc.; he is the Founder of Brookland Development Organization, a 501(c)3 corporation; he is also a Human Resources Management Specialist.
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson and Dr. Ibrahim Diallo of EZ Rehab Solutions (event presenter) |
Dr. Ibrahima Diallo led the third and final session titled "Establish sound and effective regulatory framework to promote Diaspora investment vehicles in public, private and public-private institutional settings." Dr. Diallo is a medical doctor and the Owner/Director of EZ Rehab Solutions, a privately-owned rehabilitation and physical therapy clinic in Greenbelt, Maryland. Dr. Diallo was recently in Sierra Leone and conducted a research study on developing "Engagement Diaspora Framework in the healthcare sector," in which he worked with the Ministry of Health and the Office of Diaspora Affairs. Dr. Diallo is also the husband of Mrs. Hawa Barry Diallo, Owner/Director of the Miss Guinee North America Pageant.
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Selfie with my favorite girl!
Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson and Miss Janet Baindu Lagah-Bona (former Junior Miss Sierra Leone USA and NAM Miss Virginia Pre-teen) |
Janet was Junior Miss Sierra Leone USA 2008-2012 and National American Miss Virginia Pre-teen 2010. You may have read in my past blog posts and/or heard me speak fondly of her in-person because I absolutely adore her. She's very intelligent, hardworking, and oh so humble. In addition, she was very instrumental in my preparation for the Miss Sierra Leone USA pageant and I'm forever grateful for her continuous love and support!
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson and Mr. David Buakei Vandy of Voice of America |
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| Ms. Jacqueline Williams-Coker (Owner/CEO of First Mile Travel, LLC) and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
Ms. Jacqueline Williams-Coker is the Owner/CEO of
First Mile Travel, LLC., a traveling agency that provides affordable airfares worldwide. Meeting Ms. Jacqueline on this day was special to me because she first saw me last month hosting the
Big Voice of Salone Awards and sent me a message few days later expressing that I did a great job hosting the show, words of encouragement, and lots of well-wishes. Her message really touched my heart, and all I had wished at that moment was that I had had a chance to give her a hug and express my gratitude in person. Fortunately for me, she was present at the event on Sunday, and at the end of the event she came up to me and said hi. She's just as sweet and friendly in person, I finally got my hug (well actually multiple hugs), and I met her intelligent and beautiful daughter, Gabrielle! I love moments like these when I get to connect with genuine people from social media and then in real life!
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| Miss Gabrielle and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
With Miss Gabrielle (daughter of Ms. Jacqueline Williams-Coker, owner/CEO of First Mile Travel, LLC). This sweet and awesome young lady will be starting university next Fall. In addition to our chat about academics and her university choices, we talked about prom dresses and natural hair. From chatting with her for the first time on Sunday, I know her future is "excellence and nothing less." Intelligent and beautiful, she continues to make her mama proud, and I truly admire her big dreams and talents. This is the definition of Sierra Leonean Girls Killing It!  |
| Mr. Mohamed Lamrana Bah (Fullah Progressive Union president) presenting an award to Ms. Nadia Bangura (Secretary to the Ambassador of Sierra Leone in the United States), and Mr. Aiah Fanday (Friends of Sierra Leone). |
Three special awards were presented to individuals committed to the betterment and positive promotion of Sierra Leoneans and love for Sierra Leone. The special awards recipient were: Ambassador Bockari Kortu Stevens, Ms. Nadia Bangura, and Mr. Sam Ford of ABC7/WJLA-TV.
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| Mr. Salifu Kamara of World Bank (motivational speaker and Sierra Leone advocate) and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
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| Mr. Edward 'Bizo Da Mayor' Kargbo (African Radio Salone) and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson and Mr. Ken Lowe (African Radio Salone) |
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The Queen and Her BodyGuards!
Mr. Salifu Kamara, Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson, and Mr. Edward Kargbo |
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| Sierra Leoneans and friends of Sierra Leone in the audience |
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| Sierra Leoneans and friends of Sierra Leone in the audience |
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Unu le wi it
Yummy Sierra Leonean food!
Click photo to enlarge |
At the end of the Forum, there was a reception and this foodie truly enjoyed and appreciated the food. Food served were: rice bread, jollof rice, fried plantains, akara, meat pie, fish balls, fruits,fried fish, fried chicken etc. Drinks included were water, soda, fruit juices, and ginger beer; but in typical Sierra Leonean fashion, the ginger beer was the first to finish since we love our ginger beer so much! The lovely ladies that were serving the food told me that they want to really feed their Miss Salone and if I was even on a diet, that was the day I'd ignore it and eat as much as I can, and reminded me of how Sierra Leoneans appreciate curves in their women. So your Miss Sierra Leone USA went home left the event
belful and I couldn't think of a much better way to end my Independence Day.
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
HAPPY 53RD BIRTHDAY, MAMA SALONE!!!
I strongly believe that education of any sort is the key to dispelling darkness from young minds...I believe that even a child can change the world through a creative, peaceful process. - Salifu Kamara
Ruby B. Johnson,
Your Miss Sierra Leone USA.
Follow me on Instagram
@MissSierraLeoneUSA
Photo credits:
Ken Lowe
Usiff Sesay
David Vandy
Jacqueline Williams-Coker
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