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