Miss New York - the last 100 days

It was an honor to serve the Empire State as Miss New York 2018. Overall, the title served as a liaison between several communities throughout the New York State and I. Serving as an advocate for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, sharing my voice through the social impact initiative, It Only Takes One, and partnering with nonprofits and corporations was unforgettable.

My reign included a multitude of highlights, such as: traveling from Niagara Falls to the Concrete Jungle where dreams are made of; collaborating with brands to create content; crafting a social media strategy to grow the Miss New York social media page; establishing new Miss New York sponsors and partnerships; speaking at the United Nations as a public health practitioner with Drug Free World; attending New York Fashion Week (#NYFW19) and sitting front row; meeting a multitude of celebrities and dignitaries throughout the state and nation; advocating for my social impact initiative in our Nation’s capital; helping to pass the Living Donor Protection Act in New York State with my fellow kidney liaisons; receiving invitations to attend numerous galas as a VIP guest, speaker and presenter to raise money for good causes; hosting events and serving as a panelist; and being featured in campaigns powered by Devacurl, Headcount, Candytopia, the National Action Network, the NAACP, the National Kidney Foundation, BET, NBC and Pix11News.

I’ll always cherish this character building moment in my life. We must always carry a crown before we can wear one. It’s no secret that being Miss New York state requires self-sufficiency. It’s also no secret that my reign was one filled with transitions in leadership at both the state and national level. Needless to say—because of those transitions, I took advantage of leeway and flexibility to set the tone of how I wanted my year to go. It was my goal to leave a lasting legacy and to bring the title in spaces and places it hadn’t yet been. With the help of my Miss New York sisters, and strong social networks established prior to gracing the title, almost every goal set back in September 2018 was met.

I would like to thank my Savior for giving me the temperament and the tools to seize blessings and opportunities brought my way. This past year taught me the true meaning of my favorite Bible verse, Romans 8:28. All things work together for the good of them that love God, and are called according to His purpose. I am thankful to everyone who made my journey substantial—whether it was through prayers, phone calls, mock interviews, mentorships, kind gestures, sponsorships, or volunteering time and/or money towards a fundraisers and just causes. My heart is extremely full to have so much support from my tribe. I’m grateful to be surrounded by genuine folks who never had personal agendas or sought after clout—but volunteered their time to sew into me out of the goodness of their hearts. My prayer is that you and your seeds receive it 100-fold in ways you won’t have room enough to receive.

New York State will always be home to this “transplanted” New Yorker. I look forward to continuing my professional work in Clinical Research, and public health as I strive to continue in the fight against kidney disease in more ways than one. I look forward to spending my spare time as a story-teller, motivational speaker, advocate, and brand ambassador worldwide. I want all women, people of color, children, and people living in underrepresented communities that they are capable, they are more than enough, they are valuable, and their voice matters. I want more people to take action as it pertains to their kidney health. 30 million Americans have kidney disease and 90% don’t even know that they have it. My mother was one of those people back in 2004. Since the 1980s, we have advanced in technology and in medicine as it pertains to kidney disease, but the number of people battling it have more than doubled. In my lifetime, I hope to see a change in that, and this millennial is dedicated to making it happen—because It Only Takes One to influence positive change.