By
19 February 2009

The Miss Black U.S.A. Pageant and Scholarship Foundation, Inc., is a non-profit corporation, whose mission is to provide educational opportunities to outstanding young women of color and to develop the "whole woman mind, body, and spirit."  The National Pageant this summer allows the newly crowned Miss Black USA to receive a $20,000 scholarship and a host of other opportunities. 

Young Money got the chance to speak to one of the contestants: Maya Williams, a sophomore from Spelman College and Miss Black New Jersey USA 2009.

YM: How did you become Miss Black New Jersey USA 2009?
MW: In the Miss Black USA Organization, there are two ways to become a delegate and compete in the National Competition Pageant.  One way is to compete in pageants in your local county, then compete with the other winners in your state from different counties.   The winner from the different counties would then become their state delegate. 

The way I became Miss Black New Jersey was different, however.  In the Miss Black USA Organization they have a procedure for delegates to become at-large delegates.  In this process, there are no pageants to compete in within your state.  Instead, if your state is not hosting any form of pageants, your state becomes vacant.  New Jersey was one of the many vacant states, so in this situation, I applied online and then went through a formal interview process. The applicants that became delegates online, are called “at large delegates."  Officially, I am an at large delegate, and out of the pool, I was selected to represent New Jersey in the Miss Black USA Organization!

YM: Tell me about your platform.
MW: My platform is entitled, “Save the Arts."  The “Save the Arts” mission is to promote positive, encouraging, and uplifting messages in the art, entertainment, and multimedia industries. 

One program that I plan to initiate on my campus next school year is to have a “Save the Arts” after school program.  This program will target local elementary, middle, and high schools that do not have any artistic after school program, and will provide various art programs, including visual, multimedia, and performing arts.  College volunteers will teach these programs in whatever area that they can contribute to the school.  For example, if a particular school wants a dance program, this program will match college volunteers who would like to teach dance to the students.  This program is a mutual project where the volunteers will be able to gain experience and practice these skills, and also the students will be able to gain insight in art that they are interested in.  This program compliments the overall mission of the “Save the Arts” platform, to provide a positive and uplifting stance in the art industry. 

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YM: What does “Save the Arts” mean to you personally?
MW: To be honest, it was sort of difficult for me to choose what I wanted my platform to be.  Since I stand and help so many causes and organizations, I was torn to what specific platform to choose.  Then, I really thought to myself, “What keeps me going?  What keeps me happy?  What am I truly passionate about?”  I came to the conclusion that it was art, whether in performing arts like dance, or listening to music, or doing visual arts like drawing and painting.  It seems so obvious to me because I am always doing it, that I tend not to notice how passionate and committed I am. 

From an early age, I have always had art as an outlet to creatively express myself.  My mom allowed me to do dance at an early age, she brought me paint tools at an young age, and I joined various choirs and after school organizations to keep my passionate momentum in the arts.  What I noticed when I reflected from this is that there are some youths that do not have this fortunate outlet to express themselves.  I have become so used to always having that place to go to “let loose" and  to create something new, or to truly express myself.  Knowing that there are children that do not have this outlet baffles and saddens me. 

Art is more than just drawing a still-life, it helps you bring out your unique personality, where words sometimes can not express enough.  Also, art, in whatever arena, has been proven that is has improved test scores, keep children motivated and focused in school.  Without any of these extraordinary benefits, I feel that I should step up and help enact new after school programs where students can have a place to go to and be themselves, and let loose.  Since the media these days have a lot of negative messages, focusing their energy to find positivity in art and entertainment would just give students such motivation.  That is what “saving” the arts is, and why I would like to secure positive and helpful message within it.

YM: Tell me about the Heart Truth campaign?
MW: The Heart Truth Campaign is a campaign that is partnered with the American Heart Association, where its objective is to raise awareness that Heart Disease is the Number 1 killer among women, especially among women of color.  This campaign is allowing each delegate of the Miss Black USA organization to be spokespeople, where we help increase the awareness in our community.  Being that I go to an all black women college, women of color, I am putting on events around my campus to increase the awareness.  One program is that I am going to have a fashion show, where all the models will wear red to display the awareness of Heart Disease.  Since National Wear Red Day is February 6th, created to increase the awareness, I would also like to increase the awareness in a fashion show.  There are numerous events and programs in the Heart Truth campaign, like the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week having a show signifying the Heart Truth Campaign.  Also, Mrs. Laura Bush is the ambassador of the campaign, where she has been leading the federal government to effort to increase awareness among women. 

YM: Tell me about the 50 Million lb challenge?
MW: The 50 Million Pound Challenge is a challenge where Dr. Ian Smith, one of the judges on Celebrity Fit Club, and State Farm Insurance Company are teaming up to motivate African Americans to lose weight, and live healthy lifestyles.  People in the African American community are continually passing away from receiving preventable diseases, due to not living healthy lifestyles. 

Dr Ian says, “The aim is to save lives by changing the lifestyle choices we make. We want people to give up the pounds, not give up the fight.”  This challenges helps unite the African American community to help strive together to live healthy, shed off excess weight, learn more about our bodies, and to prepare and teach youths to make healthy lifestyle decisions.

As a spokesperson for this challenge, I am making it aware about this challenge both in and out of my state.  Helping host walks around New Jersey is one plan that I am going to do this year, and offer people to join the 50 Million Pound Challenge.  There is also a scholarship challenge in the Miss Black USA Organization to whichever delegate receives the largest amount of registrants to sign up for the challenge, wins a $5,000 scholarship!  So please sign up for Miss Black New Jersey!!

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YM: Why is becoming Miss Black USA important to you?
MW: Miss Black USA is so important to me because it is a organization that is encouraging me to really stand up and being a leader. It helps bring out the full potential that I have as a leader and motivator by pursuing me to challenge myself.  To be honest, I used to be such a shy and quiet girl in high school.  Sure, I had friends, been an honor student, involved in school, but I was never opening myself up fully. Public speaking used to be such a fear of mine, that it held me back from taking on opportunities.  However, maturing and realizing that this fear is holding me back from success and happiness just made me want to take the challenge on.  Being Miss Black New Jersey USA is allowing me to openly practice public speaking and continually challenge myself in order to be the best of me. 

This organization has allowed me to see that I always had the potential within me, but I just needed to really believe in myself and fully commit to public speaking.  This organization is allowing me to believe to just go for it and be the best I can be, regardless of titles, but to really develop myself to becoming the best leader I can be. 

YM: Do you think it is important to have a separate Miss Black America (from Miss America )? If so, why?
MW: I feel that having a separate Miss Black USA is important, in the sense that it is outlet for young women of color to recognize the diverse beauty within our culture.  What many people don’t notice is that there are so many varieties of beauty in the African American culture.  Being a student at Spelman College, I learned about this by seeing that everyone has there own unique identity, within the large array of black women.  In conclusion, I feel that Miss Black USA magnifies the dynamic leadership, achievements and diverse beauty of black women, which makes this contest unique like no other.

YM: Is it hard fulfilling your Miss Black New Jersey 2009 duties while going to school?
MW: I thought it would be difficult fulfilling my duties as Miss Black NJ USA 2009, and having school obligations.  However, I have always been used to balancing school, activities in and out of school, volunteering, and working. Right now, I am blessed to have a flexibility internship with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship as a fundraising assistant, and also with a flexibility job as a Dance Assistant/Instructor at the Children’s Dance Program at Spelman College.

In addition, I stay focused on school by staying as an honor student and committing my team in leadership positions in organizations in school.  Having this title is allowing me to continue these activities, and allowing me to push forward a lot of new events within the organizations I’m already involved in. In other words, being Miss Black New Jersey USA 2009 is a commitment, however, there are ways to incorporate your title in everyday activities and provide new initiatives. 

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YM: When is the Miss Black America contest?
MW: The Miss Black USA contest is a weeklong event this summer in late July/early August.  There is no set date at this point, but I will keep you posted!

YM: Can anyone vote? If yes, how (website, etc)?
MW: So far, I don’t believe there is a voting process to chose the winner.  However, you all can vote and register for me within the 50 Million Pound Challenge Scholarship Competition, and help me reach the $5,000 scholarship!

YM: What are your plans for the future?
MW: I have so many plans, and people can tell, being that my classmates at Wake Forest University Summer Program “It’s All About Business” voted me as “Most Likely to be an Entrepreneur." Really, my aspirations are to promote positive and uplifting messages in the art, entertainment, and multimedia industry. Doing so by having my own production company for movies, helping promote Gospel Music Channel or initiating my own programs as an Event Planner, running my own dance studio and company, having my own Christian record label with versatile music, writing my own inspirational book and continuing to act, dance, do art in the midst of all of this.

Short term goals are to initiate the "Save the Arts" program next school year in the Fall 2009.  I hope to continue motivating others to go for their dreams by mentoring youth. 

YM: What will you do if you win?
MW: First of all, if I won I would first and foremost thank the Lord!  Also thank the people who have helped me prepare as well. After the thank you’s, my goal is to make the Miss Black USA Organization receive more awareness from the public.  While achieving this, I am going to continue promoting my platform of “Save the Arts” because I will be interacting directly with entertainment people in the industry, whom can help promote positive awareness in the industry.  In addition, I am going to continue campaigning for the Heart Truth Campaign and also the 50 Million Pound Challenge.  Finally, and most importantly, I am going to serve as a role model to show that dreams can come true if you really fully commit to them, and take on the challenges that may be holding you back from success!

YM: Tell me anything about yourself you would like my readers to know!
MW: I am going to be honest.  I am such a normal, down-to-earth girl, but I am girl that is super ambitious. I want to pass on the knowledge that anyone can go for their dream, and not let any external and internal hindrances hold you back.  The only thing holding you back is yourself!  One of mentors that I met at Wake Forest’s “It’s All about Business Program," Mr. Nigel Alston, co-wrote a book, entitled Success and Happiness.  In his section, he talked about getting off a nail.  At first, I was like, “Okay… those are weird choices of words!”  Then when I began to read, I understood that his metaphors reflected what I was going through. 

Getting off of your personal nail means lifting yourself off of whatever hindrance, personal challenge, fear, or anything that is stopping you from pursuing your dream and goal.  For me, I felt like I was always in the middle of that nail and was sitting on or off it fully, which really hurt!  Seriously though, I was in the middle and didn’t fully commit myself of getting off of that nail, and wasn’t lifted off of it and walking to my dreams.  So I encourage all the readers to do a self-reflection, and find their personal nail that is holding you back.  Figure out what you need to do in order to fully get off of the nail and walk to your dreams. 

Anything is possible, and I motivate you all to go for your dream, and don’t let the nails hold you down from success and happiness.