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! =)