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!