Miss Black Missouri USA Pageant had the crowning of Miss Black Missouri 2011 at Clayton High School auditorium on November 21.
Four contestants competed in the pageant: Miss St. Louis, Maikieta Brantley; Miss Chesterfield, Chavon Curry; Miss Black Jack, Jenelle Nelson; and Miss Kansas City, Jessica Britt.
Hot 104.1 radio personality Janee emceed the event and was glad to participate in an event that would help empower African-American women.
“There is more of a need of positive things for our young woman, like this,” Janee said.
The Miss Black Missouri USA and Miss Black Missouri USA Talented Teen Scholarship Pageants are not beauty pageants. The pageants focus on scholastic achievement, leadership development, community outreach and personal enrichment programs.
Each contestant from Missouri got to showcase themselves in four categories: talent, gown, fitness and interview.
Miss Black Missouri USA 2010 Raeneecia Johnson learned so much from winning last year.
“My communication skills got better, and realizing you’re becoming a positive role model from your peers to little girls,” Johnson said.
Each contestant won another pageant to get to compete in the Miss Black Missouri USA.
Brantley is a sophomore student at University of Missouri majoring in accounting. Brantley’s community activities include Dream Outside the Box and A Way with Words and Numbers.
“Ten years from now I hope to have explored the world, own several businesses, and earned not only a PHD, but a JD as well,” Brantley said.
Curry graduated from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville with a bachelor’s of science in mass communications. Curry’s community activities include volunteering for Dress for Success, Haven of Grace, Race for the Cure, Conqueror’s Christian Center Youth Group and 20/20 F.O.C.U.S. Mentoring Program.
“I aspire to provide youth and communities with necessary skills to be self-sufficient in educational and financial platforms,” Curry said.
“I aspire to equip men, women and children with the skills and tools that they need to succeed in everyday life and a global economy. I hope to do that through the current roles that I have and also by developing and maintaining my own mentoring organization.”
Nelson is a graduate student of Lindenwood University majoring in marketing. Nelson has a bachelor’s of arts in mass communications from Lindenwood University and volunteers with STL Television Station and the Phyllis Wheatley Committee on Administration. Nelson works for the YMCA of Greater St. Louis as a program coordinator working with youth.
“I aspire to be the best me I can be,” Nelson said.
“I want to be a singer/songwriter/actress and successful entrepreneur. I want to help assist with the problem of homelessness in St. Louis and find innovative ways to assist with obstacles they face on a daily basis.”
Britt is a sophomore student at Metropolitan Community College Penn Valley studying nursing. Britt volunteers at Angela’s Precious Ones Daycare and tutors math students.
“I plan to finish the RN nursing program and go to medical school for pediatrics to become a pediatrician,” Britt said.
“After I begin my own private practice, I plan on donating money to Africa and making sure my mom and grandma are financially stable.”
The winner was Brantley who won paid expenses to compete in the next level and a $1,000 scholarship award, the official Miss Black Missouri USA state crown, sash, trophy, and paid entry fee to the national competition. Brantley will also go on to compete in the national Miss Black USA competition, August 1-9, 2011 in Washington, D.C.
Vycky Perkins, director of Miss Black Missouri USA Scholarship Program, said the program’s goal is “to empower, inspire, encourage and support young girls and women by providing opportunities and experiences to excel academically, socially, professionally, and personally.”
Perkins said, “I would also love to gain the support of businesses and individuals in the form of sponsorships which would allow the program to award larger and more scholarships.”
The Miss Black Missouri USA and Miss Black Missouri USA Talented Teen scholarship pageants are the official state preliminary pageants to the national Miss Black USA and Miss Black USA Talented Teen pageants produced by the Miss Black USA Pageant and Scholarship Foundation, Inc., a non-profit corporation recognized under the 501(c) 3 Code of Internal Revenue Service.
For more information go to http://missblackmissouriusa.com.
