Hello world!!!
I hope you and yours are doing well. I'm doing great, thanks to the Almighty. On July 18th, I volunteered with the United States Embassy of South Africa at the So Others Might Eat (SOME) homeless shelter for Mandela Day. The annual Nelson Mandela International Day, July 18, was launched in recognition of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela’s birthday on July 18th, 2009. It is more than a celebration of Madiba’s life and legacy. It is a global movement to honor his life’s work and act to change the world for the better. The message behind Mandela Day is simple – each individual has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better. My personal platform as Miss Sierra Leone USA is
Advocating for SHERO, and S stands for service; therefore, a Day like this is very near and dear to my heart. Also, I've always admired the work and seen Tata Madiba as my honorary great grandfather.
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
Mandela Day is a global call to action that celebrates the idea that each individual has the power to transform the world, the ability to make an impact. It was
inspired by a call Nelson Mandela made in 2008, for the next generation to take on the burden of leadership in addressing the world’s social injustices when he said that “it is in your hands now”. Since the late Nelson Mandela fought for social justice for 67 years, it is recommended that individuals utilize 67 minutes on Mandela Day and make a positive contribution in their community. Mandela Day is not meant as a public holiday, but as a day to honor the legacy of Nelson Mandela, South Africa's civil rights leader and former President, and his values, through volunteering and community service. I may not be South African but because of Papa Mandela, an African girl like me grew up in a nation like Sierra Leone in peace and freedom with lots of African pride. Because of Africans like Papa Mandela, I can.
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
On Mandela Day, individuals in South Africa and around the world rallied together in community service in honor of Tata Madiba's birthday and lifelong service to the world. In commemoration of this Day, I teamed up with the Embassy of South Africa in the United States to do my 67 minutes of service. Multiple programs were set up by the embassy, and I had the opportunity to serve at the SOME homeless shelter. As some of you may know, I've been volunteering at the SOME dining room over the
past months. However, for Mandela Day I got to volunteer at the SOME affordable housing shelter in a different location. For Mandela Day, activities involved: cleaning the shelter, gardening, planting flowers, cleaning the playground, and many more.
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA Ruby B. Johnson and Ms. Anne Cornelius (Embassy of South Africa staff member) |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson and SOME staff member |
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| SOME staff member and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson and SOME staff member |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson with Embassy of South Africa and SOME staff members |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson with Embassy of South Africa and SOME staff members |
Overall, I had a great time serving with these wonderful women and men as we continue the legacy of Tata Madiba. While cleaning up, the South African embassy staff and individuals taught me some words in Xhosa (one of the official languages in South Africa) and I taught them some words in Krio. As we kept talking and getting to know each other, we realized how much similar we all are as Africans regardless of the artificial regional boundaries in our continent. In addition, they admired my dedication to service and proud that young folks are still energetic about giving back. A couple of them even recommended I pay a visit to Africa's "rainbow nation," and by God's grace I plan to do that in the future.
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson with fellow Mandela Day volunteers |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson with fellow Mandela Day volunteers |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
There is nothing I fear more than waking up without a program that will help me bring a little happiness to those with no resources, those who are poor, illiterate, and ridden with terminal disease. - Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
Ruby B. Johnson,
Your Miss Sierra Leone USA.
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