I hope you and yours are doing well. I've been really busy but happy, thanks be to God! Due to my busy schedule, I've been behind on a couple blogs but I plan to make it up starting NOW! On August 30th, I attended the 2014 edition of the Annual Miss Tanzania USA pageant to serve as a judge. The inaugural edition was last year, in which I also served as a judge, and it felt great returning as a judge this year in support of this wonderful African diaspora pageant. The Second Annual Miss Tanzania USA was hosted by the always entertaining Gil Ingles, who is always a blast to watch in action.
Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
Returning Judges: Designer and Actor Mr. Peter S. Walden and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
Red Carpet Host Ms. Veronique Blay and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson and Congolese Singer/Dancer Patience Ibembo |
East and West African Queens: Miss Tanzania USA 2014-2015 Aycha Cheyo and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
Miss Tanzania USA 2014 Miss Congeniality Grace Mtingi demonstrating the skills of a construction worker during talent presentation |
One of the memorable moments for me at this event happened during the talent presentation. Before I get into this, let's rewind a bit. I'm currently a final year student in Mining and Minerals Engineering and attaining a minor in Women's Studies Leadership at Virginia Tech. My personal platform as Miss Sierra Leone USA is advocating for the recruitment and retention of girls and women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. With all that said, let's come back to this event. During the talent presentation, one of the Miss Tanzania USA 2014 contestants came out in a hard hat, reflector vest, boots, etc. and I got so excited inside of me (it took a lot out of me not to start jumping in joy and tears when she got on stage). This contestant, Ms. Grace Mtingi, mentioned that she's a construction worker and would be demonstrating one of her tasks and its purpose in this job. This is something I have never seen done before for talent and was so excited to see something so unconventional and unique in a pageant. My goal in life is to acknowledge and promote the diversity of girls'/women's passions, and that women truly can do anything. Girls and women can have beauty AND brains! Watching Grace on stage was watching my platform of advocating for girls/women in STEM on stage, my dream was coming true. Grace was crowned Miss Tanzania USA 2014 Miss Congeniality, and observing her performance on stage and the volume of screams from folks in the audience for her, I'm sure she's very deserving of this title.
CONGRATULATIONS to the Miss Tanzania USA Class of 2014. These ladies did a phenomenal job on stage, and presented themselves with confidence and poise, and of course African elegance. They are all remarkable, and I hope they will continue to live out their dreams, maintain their passions, and be women of substance in their various communities. Once again, congratulations my African queens.
Miss Tanzania USA 2014 Court and Judges |
AFRICAN QUEENS Representing Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone |
My dress for this event was designed by my lovely grandmother, Mrs. Bola Johnson, in Salone. Fambul den na Salone. Are you looking a seamstress that can make the best afrikana designs and many more in Freetown? Well worry no more and visit Leslen Ventures Tailoring and Boutique at 58 Dundas Street. Mrs. Bola Johnson sabi so en ple an wit matirial, in kayn no de. For example, she created my afrikana look for this event and several other outfits I've worn during my Miss Sierra Leone USA appearances. She's not only the best designer in Sierra Leone, but my lovely and amazing grandma. For more information, contact +232 77763001 or leslenventures@yahoo.com. Tell her I sent you!!!
Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
This world was not created piecemeal. Africa was born no later and no earlier than any other geographical area on this globe. Africans, no more and no less than other men, possess all human attributes, talents and deficiencies, virtues and faults. Haile Selassie
Ruby B. Johnson,
Your Miss Sierra Leone USA.
Photo credit:
Life Depicted Productions
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