Miss Black USA

When I said that I would post everyday in nationals, I definitely underestimated how exhausted I was going to be everyday! Miss Black USA Pageant week was such an awesome experience. Being able to meet 27 other beautiful, intelligent, and accomplished young women from across the United States was an experience I will never forget. I have returned from Washington, D.C. more energized to continue to help young women uncover their potential, while discovering more and more of mine.

Preliminary Talent at THEARC Theater

Heart and Soul Prayer Breakfast

Of course my hope was to win the title of Miss Black USA, but I knew that if it was not meant for me - then God had better things in store. I was blessed to be named a semi-finalist in the Top15 in order to re-compete for the title of Miss Black USA; which was so great because my family was able to see me perform on the stage of the Lincoln Theater.

Opening Number! Can you spot me to the left? :)

The new Miss Black USA 2011 is Ocielia Gibson from Texas! She is very much deserving of the title and will do a phenomenal job representing us as black women and representing the Miss Black USA organization. Congratulations, Ocielia! So happy for you!

Day 1 - Wednesday

Blog Post - Thursday

Wednesday was a long, busy, fun day for us! We had breakfast at the Cinnebar restaurant in the hotel. Next was a fabulous orientation coordinated by Kimberly Brown, a former Miss Black Alabama. It had a great theme of water as a nourishment and a very special tribute that we did for "she-roes" from or related to our states. The keynote address by Clarissa Leater-Kenty was like a sermon and it was great to hear the word from a woman of God. Mrs. Kenty was Miss Black South Carolina USA when she won the title of Miss Black USA 1990, so it was very special for me to be able to meet her. After orientation we were able to have a lunch break before rehearsal. Rehearsal was hard work as I expected, but definitely fun! I am so excited for the opening number. We're learning the fitness routine today. Following rehearsal, we had the Red Dress VIP Reception. Representatives from The Heart Truth Campaign (one of our partners) as well as Calgon (our presenting sponsor). Each of us was also able to share what heart disease means to us - all of us were put on the spot for this, but you wouldn't have known from how prepared everyone appeared to be. Next was dinner and debriefing and then a good night's rest! 

I woke up this morning to not one, but TWO articles covering my journey to become Miss Black USA 2011! Here are the links: 

The State- 
http://www.thestate.com/2011/08/04/1921078/miss-black-sc-ready-to-take-the.html

Post and Courier - 
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/aug/04/stratford-grad-sets-sights-on-crown/

Please keep me in your prayers as this week progresses and especially today for personal interviews.

xoxoJordan Addison, Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011

Arriving in D.C.

My one word if advice for plane travel after yesterday - check your bags, don't ever carry-on! Carrying bags and wearing heels up an escalator is no fun - definitely a memory, but no fun! Yesterday I arrived in D.C. and the adventure began. I met some of the delegates and we travelled via the Metro to the Pentagon City Mall. We later went to see the White House! We arrived at the White House 20 minutes after the man who jumped the fence - so crazy! I know it doesn't sound like I did much, but my body sure felt like it did. I'm loving meeting everyone!

I wish I could upload pictures on here, but unfortunately I can't so check my twitter page (@MissBlackSC2011) for Twitpics and my Facebook (Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011) for updates!

xoxoJordan Addison, Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011

I'm Leaving On a Jet Plane

Maybe I'm not really leaving on a jet, but it is a plane! Today I am heading to the DMV area for Miss Black USA 2011 Pageant Week! I am flying from Charleston to Reagan National Airport, then I will board a shuttle to our sponsoring hotel, The Hyatt Regency Crystal City, in Arlington, Virginia. Today is a "travel day" for all of the delegates to be able to arrive at a time that is best for them between 12pm and 6pm. It's going to be a relaxing day - exploring the hotel, unpacking, getting to know my roomie (Miss Black Iowa USA 2011), enjoying the Miss Black USA Lounge, and meeting all of my #sisterqueens (Teens and Princesses, too!). I'm glad to have a day to get myself orientated, but I am very excited to get to work starting Wednesday. Here is a rough outline of Pageant Week starting with Wednesday!

Wednesday
Breakfast
Orientation - This is being oordinated by former Miss Black Alabama 2008, Kimberly Brown and I'm really excited about it! The Keynote speaker will be Miss Black USA 1990, Clarissa Lester-Kenty, who was Miss Black South Carolina - how cool!
Lunch
Rehearsal - So excited about everything I've heard about the choreographers that we have!
VIP Red Dress Reception with members from the Congressional Black Caucus

Thursday
Breakfast
Rehearsal
Lunch
Interviews (15%)
Dinner
Delegate De-Briefing

Friday
Breakfast
Rehearsal
Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise Tour
Reception with the Urban League of Virginia

Saturday
Breakfast
Preliminary Competition 1 - Fitness (15%) and Evening Gown (15%)
Dinner
Preliminary Competition 2 - Question & Answer (20%) and Talent (35%)

Sunday
Heart & Soul Prayer Breakfast
Rehearsal
VIP Smiles Workshop
Talented Teen Competition
Dinner

Monday
Visit and tour of the national office for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children with Breakfast
Lunch
Rehearsal at the Lincoln Theater
FINALS AND CROWNING at the Lincoln Theater!! (Top 15 are announced at the beginning of the show)
VIP Reception 

Tuesday
Departure Day for everyone except Miss Black USA 2011 and Miss Black USA Talented Teen 2011

This is definitely going to be a busy week, but so much fun! I promise to keep you in the loop of how things are going each day.

Don't forget that you have until Sunday to vote for me for the People's Choice Award! $1 = 1 vote, you can vote as many times as you want or in a lump sum.
 
Right now, I am hopefully landing at Reagan National Airport and getting ready to start one of the most exciting experiences of my life!


xoxoJordan Addison, Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011

Black Girls ARE Beautiful!

Last night while doing what else but packing, I was watching SCETV and was able to view the second part of a two part series on the show "Connections". The two part series was discussing the beauty of black girls and women. I don't want to tell you everything about it because I really think you should watch it, but I do want to share my thoughts. It was great timing that I was able to catch this last night! It is so closely related to Miss Black USA and why I wanted to be part of this organization. For those that might question the relevance of Miss Black USA or who are "nervous" to say "Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011" - this is solid proof why this organization is in existence. Young black girls, and even black women,have issues with defining and accepting our beauty. It is so easy to say that all women have the same standards of beauty to live up to. If this was true, then people would not say "You're so pretty for a black girl". Think about it ladies and gentlemen!

Here's the link to the video for part 1: http://t.co/9h5JDrq
Part 2: http://t.co/ii63k6m

Hopefully this will be a small step to help the understanding of the plight of standards of beauty for black women - within our own race and among others.

It is important to show young black girls that they are beautiful inside and out! They have talents, achievements, personalities, and morals that make them beautiful. We need to teach that this is where our beauty as black women begins. Once our young girls understand this and feel confident in their abilities, they will undoubtedly have more confidence to find the beauty in being a young woman of color.

xoxoJordan Addison, Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011

Let's See How This Turns Out

This post is a little bit of an experiment. I'm writing this blog on my iPhone! The hotel charges $9.95 for Internet access, so all of my pageant week blogging will be coming from my beloved iPhone - figured I'd test it out. Hopefully I'll be able to upload videos on here, too! If not, I'm sure Facebook or Twitter will work.

When people ask me when I'm leaving for nationals, it's surreal to say "TUESDAY" instead of The usual "August 2nd".

Like this post, Saturday was a day of experimenting. Figuring out which liquids I could not live without, practicing my talent makeup, re-vamping my talent costume (THANKS MOMMY!!!), and trying on every outfit to make sure I have all the right shoes and accessories. I want to try and be an efficient packer for once and I think it's been successful! I have lots of versatile accessories and shoes that I've packed which helps free up space in my suitcase for other outfits!

I'll admit, this packing and such is so bittersweet. Next week is going to be such an awesome experience! I am excited to show the judges, audience, and everyone I meet in D.C. how amazing Carolina Girls are amd meet 29 other amazing women from their states. Of course I want to win, but just to have this experience, be part of this group of women, and part of HISTORY is such an honor! After Nationals is over, I'll still be out in the community and attending events, but my time will be winding down. This has been a great experience so far and given me a great perspective on life - I can't wait to see where it takes me next.

xoxoJordan Addison, Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011

We Shopped Til We Dropped

Yesterday my mom and I did what we do best - shopping! I had a long list ranging from outfits, accessories, gifts, and makeup.We left around 10am and didn't get back home until 5ish!

Our first stop was to Downtown Charleston. Downtown is one of my absolute favorite things about living in the Charleston area! We parked by the Charleston museum to take advantage of the free parking and then walked to the market. The hunt was on for gifts to purchase for my MBUSA Roommate (Miss Black Iowa) and for the outgoing Miss Black USA 2010 (Osas Ighodaro). I found two really neat things that are totally Charleston-y and will travel well without getting broken on the plane. 

Next stop was West Ashley. We quickly stopped at two stores that had some things I needed for my dance. I love to shop, but more than that I love a good bargain! We were on the hunt for an opening number outfit for me as well as a shrug to complete my interview outfit. We found a dress for opening number for $12.99 - what a steal! It's super cute, a great color, comfortable for dancing in, and is going to look great on stage with my fabulous shoes and jewelry. SO EXCITED. We also found a shrug for $16.99 compared to the $40ish one that I originally found at Dillard's - proof of why it pays to shop around before buying. Since we were on such a roll with finding great deals, we had to check out the home furnishings section to see if there was anything to add to my slowly growing accumulation of things for my new apartment. This was not on the list, but it was worth it! We found a nice set of sheets and two great laundry hampers that match the pattern of my bedding. The hampers were only $20 each! This wasn't meant to turn into a promotion for Ross, but I had to tell y'all the great deals I found. 

Last on the list was Summerville. We were looking for some Charleston/South Carolina additions for my gifts and ran into my second grade teacher, Ms. Burdick! It was such a great surprise because my mom and I were just talking about her earlier that day when we were walking to the market. It was so nice to catch up with her - we talked about college, how she's enjoying retirement, my future with teaching, and of course the pageant! My mom also ran into someone that she graduated high school with.

Finally we were finished and we grabbed some dinner and went home to relax. After a quick run to Walmart, this morning, almost everything on my list will be crossed off. All of this could have been an overwhelming experience, but it was such a blessing. God helped us to find everything that we were looking for at reasonable prices and in a pretty decent amount of timing considering that we went to three different cities in our area. Today I am feeling a great combination of things - excited, prepared, anxious, tired, and so blessed.


xoxoJordan Addison, Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011

Eat A Treat and Help Bring Hope!

On August 11th, Dairy Queens everywhere will be participating in Dairy Queen Miracle Treat Day. 

Before last week, I had no idea that this even existed! I received an email from the General Manager of the Dairy Queen Grill and Chill Restaurant in Ridgeland, South Carolina inviting me to participate in their Children's Miracle Network Treat Day. Proceeds from the Treat Day I will be attending will go to the local Children's Miracle Network Hospital, Memorial University Medical Center, in Savannah, Georgia.

I am excited about this opportunity to meet the people of Ridgeland, South Carolina. When  I spoke with Ms. Cat (the General Manager) this week, she told me that while I'm there, she wants for me to able to speak with the recent high school graduates from their area and encourage them to go after their dreams. This is exactly why I am so proud of having this title! Yes, this traveling keeps me busy and sometimes tired, it is so worth it!

No matter what happens in Washington, D.C. next week, I have had and will continue to have impacts like this. It's not about going somewhere, standing there and looking "pretty", but having intentional conversations, encouraging those just beginning on their journey, and bringing hope to children that are fighting for the opportunity to get there someday.

Use the Treat Day Website to find a Dairy Queen near you and help bring hope!


xoxoJordan Addison, Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011

I'm Headed Home!

Today after my last day of work, I am finishing up the last bit of school work for my summer class, laundry, and then hitting the road to head home! I am so excited to have some time at home with my mom before heading to Washington, D.C. for Miss Black USA. It will be nice to squeeze in some last minute shopping trips and also have some girl time.

Miss Black USA Pageant week came so much more quickly than I thought it would, but I am so excited for this adventure. It is going to be awesome to meet and connect with 29 other young women from across the country that are doing great things professionally, educationally, and in their communities. It truly is an honor to be part of this group of women. I am going to leave from this experience with 29 brand new friends and sisters that I will have for the rest of my life!

In case you haven't heard about it from me via my Twitter or Facebook accounts, here is another plug to vote for me for People's Choice! I'm not in the top 5 right now, but if all of you give at least $1, I could definitely be up there. Voting lasts until August 7th - so spread the word and VOTE! (It's $1 per vote and no limit on voting!)

Remember to check back here everyday for a post at 12:00. Tomorrow's post is going to be about an event that I'm excited to be attending and volunteering with on August 11th!

xoxoJordan Addison, Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011

Be the Change, Make History!

I love to see women doing powerful things for themselves that help shape history - especially minority women. The organizations we join, life decisions, and career choices that we have today will open doors for those coming after us. We really are making history. I was watching CNN yesterday and heard a story about four women in Afghanistan making some history of their own.

Read their story.

These women have created a path for other women in their country that many thought would never be possible. This could not have been done by anyone - they had to be strong, level-headed, and I'm sure grounded in their faith. This is not going to be an easy process for them during or after training.

What history are you making? What will you be remembered by?

Come one, Come all!

Tickets for the Miss Black USA final night competition and crowning are now on sale! Yay! 

Anddddddddd.....our presenting sponsor is now revealed! 

It's so awesome that Calgon is the presenting sponsor for finals night. They have great fragrances that are affordable and that many women easily have access to.

SIDE NOTE: Something I thought was really neat that they have on their website is a fragrance quiz! My fragrance came out to be Tahitian Orchid - I'm going to have to check it out when I go pick up Beyonce's album this afternoon! :) 

Click here to purchase your tickets before they are sold out! Remember, only the top 15 delegates with the highest scores will compete at finals night. Click here for tickets to all pageant week events.

xoxoJordan Addison, Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011

Who Run the World? Girls!

Even though Beyonce is one of my favorite artists, I don't particularly like this song - it is super catchy though! I am so excited about an upcoming opportunity presented to me that will help me reach more girls who can run the world!

Does anyone remember having one of these? I still have mine in my room at home.

On Friday, October 28th, I'll be a guest panelist at the 2011 Empowering Girls Symposium. Even though this isn't until October I get excited just thinking about it! I'm very passionate about female empowerment and mentoring young women. Beginning this fall, through the Leadership Scholars Program at USC I'll be starting a leadership program for young girls called FABULOUS - the name was inspired by my mom Laverne who is never anything less than FABULOUS. FABULOUS will cover many of the topics that the Empowering Girls Symposium as well as leadership, community service, education, and health. Hopefully if I become Miss Black USA 2011 this is something that I will be able to carry across the country!

 xoxoJordan Addison, Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011

The Road to the Crown!

Time is quickly approaching for me to head to the 2011 Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant in our nation's capital of Washington, D.C.!!! I am so grateful to have this opportunity to be your Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011, I have been afforded multiple opportunities and have been able to meet some great people along the way. Serving this state and the amount of love I have been able to give and receive has been phenomenal. There is no one word that can describe the mix of emotions that I feel. I am excited to meet all of my sisterqueens! We are an accomplished and talented group of young women that I am proud to be a part of.

I have an awesome opportunity in front of me my being able to be Miss Black USA 2011! Being Miss Black USA 2011 will allow me to take my gifts across the United States in order to spread the history of this dynamic organization, provide encouragement to young women, while also earning a scholarship in order to further my education. 

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to represent each of you! I have truly seen the power of prayer throughout these months. I am still accepting love offerings to make my trip to Miss Black USA 2011 possible. Under "My Links" to the left, click on Donate to Miss Black SC USA 2011 and enter any amount for your donation, all amounts are greatly appreciated.

Special thanks to Fokas Photography for doing this fantastic shoot of me! You can find their website to the left listed under my sponsors.

 
If you are interested in attending any of the Miss Black USA Events, tickets can be purchased here.

Again, thank you for your continued support. Feel free to email me directly at missblacksouthcarolinausa2011@gmail.com if you have any questions. 

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart" - Psalms 37:4.

xoxoJordan Addison, Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011

Busy, Busy Bee

The end of the semester is a busy time for any college student - end-of-the-year events and banquets, going away dinners, tons of papers, and the dreaded exams. Being a full-time, working, college student and a title holder is no easy task! While it's not easy, it is definitely a fun and worth-while adventure along the way.

Those of you that keep up with my Facebook and Twitter pages, you know that I have been ripping and running all over the state in the past few months. Here are some updates of what I've been up to. The title of each event will take you directly to the Facebook album for that event.

Charleston Black Expo
The Charleston Black Expo was a great way to meet and interact with people from all over the Charleston and surrounding areas. Great way to make connections and just have a great time with food, friends, and entertainment.

Charleston Kid's Fair
The Charleston Kid's Fair is such a fun event for children and families all over the city of Charleston! This event is organized by the Jewish Community Center and has tons of events and fun things for children and families to enjoy. I went to this event every year when I was younger. Mayor Joe Riley even attends and greets everyone!

Reading at C.E. Williams Magnet School
I was able to go and read to the 6th graders at CE Williams and had a fantastic time. They had some great questions for me about college, life, and what it's like to be Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011.

Grand Strand Forget-Me-Not Ball
The Grand Strand Forget-Me-Not Ball is one of the galas of this type that benefit the South Carolina Alzheimer's Association. The Grand Strand Ball is held in Myrtle Beach, S.C. I had the honor of presenting the Professional Caregiver of the Year Awards and the Personal Caregiver of the Year Award. It was a grand time!

 MCAS Beaufort Air Show
I attended the MCAS Beaufort Air Show and had an awesome time. Myself and Miss South Carolina Teen USA, Keyla Childs, were able to interact with various military personal, play some games, meet families, and meet the Blue Angels - what an honor! It such a fun day!

Hopefully these pictures help you to see how busy the end of the semester has been. The approaching summer is bittersweet for me; I absolutely love summertime and I am so excited about the upcoming Miss Black USA 2011 Pageant, but I cannot believe that at the end of this week I will be a junior in college. Where has the time gone?

Be sure to add my Facebook and Twitter pages for daily updates!


PS - Add these dates to your calendar. Ticket purchasing information is coming soon!

 

xoxoJordan Addison, Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011

Forget-Me-Not

For my platform as Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011 I have chosen Alzheimer's disease Awareness. I believe that this a disease that is overlooked in general, but especially by my generation. As a young person it's sometimes easy to forget about the older generation of baby boomers and their needs; which is why I saw this as the perfect fit for my platform.
 

By selecting Alzheimer's disease Awareness as my platform I knew that I would be able to work closely with various organizations to bring awareness to the disease, raise funds for research, and educate others while also learning more about it myself. Already with less than three months of working very closely with the South Carolina Alzheimer's Association I have been able to learn so much about the services that are available to those affected by this disease.

Volunteering at The Welcome Wagon Conference held by the Midlands Chapter of the SC Alzheimer's Association. AT this conference for caregivers, attendees learn more about resources available to them and their loved one. 

What a great turn out they had!

One thing that few people know is that my paternal Grandmother has Alzheimer's disease. That is a large part about why advocating for this cause is so important to me. I want to be able to better understand what she is experiencing while also learning about the services available for her and the rest of my family. This disease is extremely difficult for people to accept, deal with, and talk about; you're watching someone that you have known your entire life transform before your eyes while you disappear from their memories.

It is my personal mission as well as for my title that I do whatever I can to assist with this great cause! I have some great opportunities coming up where I'm volunteering and working closely with the South Carolina Alzheimer's Association. One in particular that I'm very excited about is their upcoming Forget-Me-Not Balls!! At each of the four balls happening across South Carolina there is going to be an auction, dancing, food, and fun all for an extremely deserving cause! I'll be participating in three of the four balls - what an honor!

In the Grand Strand and Charleston Balls I will be presenting the Caregiver Awards which are nominated by people from those areas. For the Midlands Ball I am "Dancing for the Stars" with Lexington County Sheriff James Metts. There are ten teams and each team has a fund raising goal of $2,500. Click here to vote for me and Sheriff Metts and help us win while also helping to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease. 


xoxoJordan Addison, Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011

Getting the Ball Rolling

Me wearing my sash and holding my crown during a photo session in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

 
The past few months have been such a whirlwind with getting used to my title - Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011. I've been doing a lot of planning, emailing, calling, and researching. It's been sooo much work, but so exciting, too! :) During these months of planning, emailing, calling, and researching I have been able to meet some great people who are on board with my vision for the year. It's so exciting to find people who want my help and want to help me in return. I am excited to get my blog up and running in order to keep you in the know with weekly updates about what I'm up to as well as things that catch my eye!

It's only fitting that my first post discuss the Miss Black USA Organization. :)

The Miss Black USA Pageant and Scholarship Foundation, Inc., was founded in 1986 by Karen Arrington. The first Miss Black USA Pageant was held on June 6, 1987 in Washington, D.C. where twenty-one contestants competed for the coveted title. Tamiko Gibson, Miss Black Maryland a 21-year-old professional model, was crowned Miss Black USA 1987.

The Miss Black USA Organization Logo

The Miss Black USA Pageant and Scholarship Foundation, Inc., is a non-profit corporation, recognized under the 501(c)3 code of the Internal Revenue Service. It's mission is to provide educational opportunities to high achieving women of color while developing the mind, body, and spirit. The organization celebrates scholastic achievement and promotes education and leadership by providing scholarship opportunities to its winners.

The organization is also driven by community service. They are committed to addressing health and education, which are two leading social issues in the African American community. The Miss Black USA Organization has partnerships with The Heart Truth Campaign as well as The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The winner of the title "Miss Black USA" will use her title to promote these worthy causes as well as her own civic platform during her reign.

The Heart Truth Campaign Logo

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Logo

I'm excited that these opportunities are in front of me for the taking! This is going to be an awesome journey and I'm grateful for all of the people that are taking it with me - especially those of you who will be keeping up with my blog! :)

Be sure to check my Facebook page and Twitter account for daily posts as well as to know when I've posted something new on here. Also feel free to leave a comment with any suggestions for the blog or requests for posts about certain topics!

xoxoJordan Addison, Miss Black South Carolina USA 2011