Hello September!

Hey there! Things sure have been busy for me lately! I have been traveling back and forth attending drills in Perrine, FL. I love that I get a get-away every month! It was so nice to see my battle buddies. It was the first time I had seen them since the end of our deployment to Afghanistan and everyone is doing well in the civilian world. We completed a 3 mile company run during the weekend. A solider asked me what sports I played. I laughed it off because as much as I would like to be, I am not athletically inclined at all! My supervisor stated that my sport was pageants! He is so right! =)  I also started the paperwork process for becoming an officer! I'm really excited about it! At the end of the drill weekend I was awarded the Medal of Good Conduct at drill. It was a pleasant surprise =). It felt great to know that my superiors recognized how hard I work to be an excellent solider. 

My semester at Nova Southeastern University has also kept me busy! I am taking 3 classes which equates to a full times work load. There is no denying that my classes are tough but I enjoy how challenging they are. I'm shooting for a 4.0 GPA so I do a lot of research and I take my time when completing my assignments. My first 2 research papers are due in 2 weeks!  I’ve been slowly but surely completing them and I am anxious to get feedback from my professors. 

School is back in session here in the Virgin Islands so its time to start my volunteer efforts again! I’m looking forward to working with S.P.A.R.K.S, Habitat for Humanity and My sorority Delta Sigma Theta!

I have a surprise for you but I won’t tell you what it is just yet! =) In my next post I will be sure to let you know all about m next endeavor! I promise =). Until then Live. Laugh. Love.

A new journey!

Hello everyone! The last few weeks have flown by so quickly! Miss Virgin Islands was held on the 23rd of July. I won the Interview award, Fitness award, and Community service award. At the end of the night I walked away as the 1st runner up and with $6,000 in scholarships to use to further my education. Not bad if I must say so myself! =)

Since the pageant I have heard nothing but great things about my performance. I am extremely pleased about that because I worked very hard!!  People with the community saw my talent and suggested that I try the Miss Virgin Islands Collegiate Pageant or the Miss Florida Caribbean Pageant.  I'm currently doing the research on both pageants so I will be sure to keep you all posted on my next show! =)

Now that I have accomplished that goal, I move on to starting graduate school. I am attending the Nova Southeastern University in Ft.Lauderdale,  FL. Classes begin on the 22nd of August so I am very excited and eager to begin my M.S. in Leadership. That gives me some time to find a great career in the area. I'm saddened to be leaving the Virgin Islands so soon, but its time that I focus on my career and with the recent 8% cuts on government salaries and rising unemployment rate; I know that there are better opportunities in Florida. I am excited to be reunited with my battles and classmates in FL. =)

No matter where I am I will always continue my volunteer efforts and advocating higher education. Service and education has helped me to become a well-rounded citizen and I hope that all will see the benefits of both. 

I promise not to take so long to right again *pinky promise*! But until I write again remember to always Live, Laugh and Love!

Busy Bee = Me!

The past couple weeks have been hectic but so much fun! Here is a few of the events and service activities I have participated in:

06/26 -My fellow contestant Camila Daniels and I attended the Miss St.John Festival Queen Pageant. The pageant was entertaining and Ms. Kinia Blyden was very deserving of the crown.  Even though the pageant ended at 12 my night, well morning was just beginning. I was off to the Charlotte Amalie High School to participate in the Relay for Life fundraiser Cancer Awareness. Because of my military training and deployment I had missed the last 2 years of this event so I was extremely elated to finally get a chance to raise funds for such a worthy cause. I participated with my sorors of The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. I stayed until 6am! I was exhausted by the time I got home but it was worth it!

07/02- I am the eldest of 7 siblings! I was the only girl until my little sister was born 3 years ago. She adorable so I don’t mind sharing the spotlight! =)  I called all of my siblings and informed them that it was time to go through our personal belongings and compile all of the things that we hardly or no longer use/wear to donate to The Salvation Army.  This is sort of a tradition that my mom and dad would go through with us twice a year; its one of the many activities that instilled my high regard for service.  After we went through our thing we had 6 bags of gently used but hardly worn items! The staff at the Salvation Army was extremely grateful and I know that there are others who will benefit from our kind act.  

07/07- I currently work at the Department of Labor as the Administrative Assistant to Summer Employment Program Director.  My boss is gracious to allow me to work through my work  lunch hour oh Thursdays to allow me to leave early to go and fullfill my role as a mentor and advisor to the Students Promoting Awareness Responsibility Knowledge and Service (S.P.A.R.K.S) organization. We completed another successful year a few weeks ago and so now I spend my Thursdays as a mentor to my friend- Chilly. She's off to the fourth grade and so I spend time with her reading at the public library or we pick a recipe we both like and create delicious meals at my home. That day we made a chicken pot pie. It was really good. Spending time with Chilly is always a blast!


07/09- The Miss Virgin Islands Scholarship Organization coordinated a fashion show at the Tutu Park Mall for the contestants! Not only was t fun, but it also gave the contestants and I great exposure to the community as well as informed them about the organization itself. Halos the Miss VI board for such a great event!


07/10- The next day I attended a wardrobe workshop. We also discussed in detail the pageant rules and the goals the organization have for the next year. I think we all realized that one of us at the table will be Miss Virgin Islands 2011! It’s very exciting. What I enjoyed most at the workshop was hearing the plan for a Mentorship Program.  I thought about how I could assist in promoting and developing the programs as well as ways to get other non profit and service organizations involved. With my creativity and event planning skills the possibilities are endless!!


Well, that leads up to today, another day at work and then rehearsals.  There is no denying that my schedule can exhausting, but everything that I am involved in is important to me and so even when I am tired the passion keeps me going! So until the next post, remember to be the change you wish to see!

From Civilian to Solider

 I can vividly recall the look the receptionist’s face when I walked into the Army Reserve recruiting station. The receptionist thought I was there to pick up one of the young men. It never crossed her mind that the young woman standing before her in heels and lip gloss, would be there to enlist in the military, but that was what I was there to do.  Initially my recruiter was just shocked, but as he got to know me he felt that I would make an excellent solider. My scores qualified me for the best jobs and with my degree I could be an officer. The next day I returned knowing that I wanted to be a civil affairs specialist- yes a specialist- I did not want to be an officer, not just yet. He was stunned because an officer made more money but my explanation of wanting to experience the military as an enlisted solider so that I can see what makes a great leader put him at ease with my decision. As much as I thought I was ready for the military life, I also knew that I wanted to be a great leader when the time came, but I needed to follow and learn first. 3 weeks later I was off to Fort Jackson for Basic Training. It was here that I realize that I had much more physical strength than I had imagined and that my attitude, my mental strength was second to none.  My family and friends flooded me with letters since we had no internet or mobile phones. While most of my battles were growing weary of the distance between them and their families, I was growing more comfortable day by day and knew that this was where I was supposed to be. After 8 weeks I moved on to Advanced Individual Training at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. We earned our cellular phones back over time and it really was a battle of the brains with tests that pushed our mental and physical beings.  I graduated with a 98% average and earned my title as a civil affairs specialist and was assigned to the 478^th CA Battalion in Perrine, FL. 

I was back in the civilian world ready to pursue my Masters degree and excited to have moved into my 1st apartment when I learned that I had 2 weeks before I started training for a 12 month deployment to Afghanistan. Words can not describe what I felt in that moment. In a daze I called my loved ones and informed them of the journey I was about to embark on. In a flash I was tears and a few minutes later I was proud because it was my turn to go out there and do something great.  The first few weeks of training I had so many mixed emotions. Finally I prayed. I asked God to give me the courage and strength not only to return home safely with my comrades, but also to complete my mission honorably and successfully. It was after I finished that prayer that I was ready. I was calm and knew that God would never put be through anything he wouldn’t see me through. And it is with that faith that I embraced the journey to Afghanistan.  The experience in getting prepared for Afghanistan required me to be fit, physically, mentally and spiritually and it was a true test of faith, strength and courage. I am elated to say that I passed! =)

Miss Virgin Islands 2011

I have been working diligently to accomplish the goal of becoming Miss Virgin Islands 2011.  This is the state pageant for the Miss America pageant system and I am so excited for the opportunity to earn scholarships to further my education as well as promote a cause that I am passionate about.  The day before the pageant we have a personal 10 minute interview with the judges.  Then on July 23rd,  3 contestants and I will compete in the lifestyle and fitness segment (swimwear), talent, evening wear and on stage Q&A. I am so excited! I have about 5 weeks left before what is bound to be a great night! 

So many people find it difficult to believe that a solider in the military could also be a pageant girl!  But the two fields actually have a lot in common. The Miss America Organization is not your ordinary beauty pageant.  It is a scholarship program! Just last year the organization awarded over 45 million dollars in cash and tuition assistance to young women in the program.  Similar to being a solider, pageantry takes self discipline and requires you to an ambassador. Fitness is important and public speaking skills are a must if you wish to represent others.  It is my opinion that enlisting in the military is thee ultimate act of self less service, but even with out the uniform, titleholders in the Miss America system make a difference within their communities by choosing an issue that is near and dear to them and advocating that cause.  My platform is entitled Serving Your Country by Helping Your Community". It's all about encouraging individuals to volunteer and participate in community service activities. 

And so it is with great honor that I inform you of my goal to become the next Miss Virgin Islands. I believe that with my drive and creativity I can make a difference in my territory by serving as a liaison for community service organizations, implementing fun community service challenges for the youth, and using social media networks and other forms of media to spread the word. I am excited about this mission and it is my plan to get my entire community just as motivated to help others as well! 

Live, Laugh, Love

Live, Laugh, Love

These 3 words are my personal motto for everything that I do in life.  

Live: So many people are alive and yet they are not living. They take for granted the time that they have and put off doing great things in hopes that they will recieve another oppurtunity when the sun rises again. One thing that I have learned in my 23 years of life is that there are no absolutes, there is no guarantee that you will see that sun rise. And so with that in mind, I am motivated every day because I am blessed to see another day and to work diligently to leave my mark on this world. For when that day comes that I am no longer here on earth, I want people to know that I was here.


Laugh: Have you ever been in a not so great mood, but found yourself smiling and laughig around people who were joyful. That just goes to show that humor is infectious! The sound of roaring laughter is far more contagious than any cough, sniffle, or sneeze. When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy.  In life things change so often and many times it is out of your control. However what you are in control of, is your reaction to that change.  Let go of the worry and the stress, and focus on the solution as issues asrise. Laugh as often as posible. Laughter is a priceless medicine and it is  fun, free, and easy to use. So laugh every and any chance you get!  It does the body mind and spirit good!

Love: Love is the driving force behind all of my goals aspirations. My love for thee Almighty, my family and friends keeps me, grounded and humble. My love for my neighbors keeps me serving those around me. My love for our country has made me an even more self disciplined and motivated person. And my love for the world has helped me to learn tolerance for those whose opinions may be different from mine, respect for those who do things differently from me, and determined to help those who can not help themseleves.

Be the change you wish to see!

There are so many times that we wish things in our neighborhoods, communities, countries, things in our world were better. That disease had cures, that everyone had a place called to call home, and possessed the basic necessities to survive. But a harsh reality shows us otherwise. As harsh as that we reality is there is a glimmer of hope, and it is within us. We can truly make our reality a lot brighter through service.

An individual who volunteers his or her time is worth anywhere between 18-21 dollars an hour. For someone who is specially trained in the service act they are providing the amount per hour shoots up to a remarkable 40-50 dollars an hour.  This is how much we are saving our local governments and social agencies when we lend a helping hand. And so with the economic issues that we face, volunteering becomes even more important is combating the grassroots issue that we face.


What I love about volunteering is that one can choose any cause and truly make a difference. Different life experiences cause us to champion different causes, and no matter what that cause may be, it is a worthy one. Community service is great for the community but also highly beneficial for the volunteer themselves.  Volunteers gain and develop skills, are able to network, gain new life perspectives and leadership skills just to name a few. 

I can go on and on and on about the benefits of service but I want to more than just tell people about it, I want to motivate them to go out there and be the change they wish to see. So how am I going to do this? By being and doing just that- being the change I wish to see! I am an avid participant with various organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the Students Promoting Awareness Responsibilty Knowledge and Service (S.P.A.R.K.S) organization. Within these organizations I serve as a mentor, an event planner, a laborer and a fundraiser. I advocate for numerous causes that I am passionate about which includes but is not limited to: the importance of a healthy lifestyle, HIV awareness, cancer awareness, veteran issues, and the importance of service and education. I am also competing for the Miss Virgin Islands pageant (state pageant for Miss America) in July, with the hope that the position will allow me to inspire and motivate more people than I would on own.  I have also taken what I believe is the ultimate step of service, by enlisting in the US Army Reserve and serving in Afghanistan from 02/10-03/11.

I am only one person but I will always do whatever I can to make a difference. I pray that in reading this post you will be inspired to do the same; to make a difference through service.

Who Am I?

I have finally done it!  I have created a blog to keep my community members, friends and family members aware of my adventures, my successes, my lessons learned and my goals.  Maybe you just stumbled upon my page so; let me introduce myself to you. I am Taiesa Lashley. A 23 year old young woman, born and raised in the United States Virgin Islands on the island of St.Thomas.  Very joyful, optimistic, motivated and goal orientated is how I would describe myself to others. I have a passion for fashion, community service, education, planning events, traveling and reading. I am a Civil Affairs Specialist in the US Army Reserve, a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (OO-OOP!), a graduate of the Johnson and Wales University in North Miami FL, with a B.S. in Hospitality Management, and a pageant girl! The life I lead has me walking in many different shoes and at times, combat boots, but I love it and wouldn't change who I am, what I have done (mistakes included), because then that might alter the path that I am on now, and there is no chance I am leaving this path leading me to success!