Whoa, what a wonderful time we all had in Vegas! Last week marked the beginning of the 2008 Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant, and the decisions for judges are getting more difficult each year. Everyone worked really hard to make things come together for the preliminary competitions and the final night of competition in which the new Miss Black USA was crowned. The production was absolutely amazing!
Even more amazing than the production is the young lady chosen to represent black women in the USA over the next year of her life: Miss Black Georgia USA, Kristen Elizabeth White! :) Congratulations, girl! I am so excited about the opportunities you'll have in the coming year. The organization couldn't have asked for a better queen this year. I know you'll uphold the legacy and make us all proud!
After attending the reception in honor of Kristen, I went to my room to take my crown and sash off for the last time and got a little misty-eyed. In a final farewell, I'm signing off for the last time in my Miss Black USA blog. This year has been phenomenal, and I am honored to have been able to serve as Miss Black USA 2007. Goodbye for now. :)
God Bless,
Kalilah Allen-Harris
Miss Black USA 2007
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Farewell Speech
I cannot even begin to form a thought without first recognizing the glory and graciousness of God, my Savior and Protector. Thank You so much, God, for all that You have been to me and all that You will continue to be!
Life as Miss Black USA 2007 has allowed me to acquire a myriad of experiences and realize many personal goals. I have grown both spiritually and emotionally in profound ways. If I could boast of only one reason to be grateful for my reign, my personal growth alone would be enough to prove this experience priceless. However, I have many more reasons to be grateful. God has an awesome way of ordering the steps of His children. Being granted the opportunity to travel to Gambia to compete for and win the title of Miss Black USA has been nothing short of a dream come true. I have had the privilege of meeting truly remarkable people and touching the lives of young people, one of my greatest passions.
Everyone needs help along the way to success. This lesson becomes more apparent with each passing day. Thank you, Mom (Dr. Beverly Allen), family, and close friends for being unfailingly supportive of me. I am so blessed to have you in my life, and I love you dearly. Without you, I would not be able to withstand many of the challenges I face. Because this lesson carries over into all aspects of life, I cannot neglect sending special thanks to Karen Arrington, the founder and acting executive director of the Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant Organization. Gratitude is also in order for The Sanders family and the Miss Black Tennessee USA Scholarship Pageant Committee for your support in preparation for the Miss Black USA 2007 Scholarship Pageant in Gambia, West Africa.
To the young ladies vying for the title of Miss Black USA: dare to dream big! Dr. Henry Grayson put this idea very eloquently when he said, “who and what we are is so magnificent that it far exceeds our wildest imaginations and dreams.” Although only one will leave with the title today, all can aspire to make significant contributions to our communities. Marianne Williamson said, “…You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you….We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.” Choose not to shrink. You are to be commended for being upstanding, intelligent, beautiful Black women. Congratulations on making it this far.
To the young lady who will be crowned the next Miss Black USA: make your reign spectacular! Prayer will be your greatest ally. Be patient, kind, and understanding, but most importantly, be proactive. You will often encounter difficulties; those are the things that test our preparedness for our blessings. You can conquer the world!
No matter where I go in life, I will always remember this experience and all it has taught. I hope I was able to make you proud. I am honored to have been able to serve as Miss Black USA 2007. Thank you for supporting the empowerment of talented young women.
Sincerely,
Kalilah Allen-Harris
Miss Black USA 2007
“…we as human beings are indeed spiritual beings and as such are quite limitless in our potential to be happy.” –Henry Grayson, Ph.D.
Life as Miss Black USA 2007 has allowed me to acquire a myriad of experiences and realize many personal goals. I have grown both spiritually and emotionally in profound ways. If I could boast of only one reason to be grateful for my reign, my personal growth alone would be enough to prove this experience priceless. However, I have many more reasons to be grateful. God has an awesome way of ordering the steps of His children. Being granted the opportunity to travel to Gambia to compete for and win the title of Miss Black USA has been nothing short of a dream come true. I have had the privilege of meeting truly remarkable people and touching the lives of young people, one of my greatest passions.
Everyone needs help along the way to success. This lesson becomes more apparent with each passing day. Thank you, Mom (Dr. Beverly Allen), family, and close friends for being unfailingly supportive of me. I am so blessed to have you in my life, and I love you dearly. Without you, I would not be able to withstand many of the challenges I face. Because this lesson carries over into all aspects of life, I cannot neglect sending special thanks to Karen Arrington, the founder and acting executive director of the Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant Organization. Gratitude is also in order for The Sanders family and the Miss Black Tennessee USA Scholarship Pageant Committee for your support in preparation for the Miss Black USA 2007 Scholarship Pageant in Gambia, West Africa.
To the young ladies vying for the title of Miss Black USA: dare to dream big! Dr. Henry Grayson put this idea very eloquently when he said, “who and what we are is so magnificent that it far exceeds our wildest imaginations and dreams.” Although only one will leave with the title today, all can aspire to make significant contributions to our communities. Marianne Williamson said, “…You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you….We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.” Choose not to shrink. You are to be commended for being upstanding, intelligent, beautiful Black women. Congratulations on making it this far.
To the young lady who will be crowned the next Miss Black USA: make your reign spectacular! Prayer will be your greatest ally. Be patient, kind, and understanding, but most importantly, be proactive. You will often encounter difficulties; those are the things that test our preparedness for our blessings. You can conquer the world!
No matter where I go in life, I will always remember this experience and all it has taught. I hope I was able to make you proud. I am honored to have been able to serve as Miss Black USA 2007. Thank you for supporting the empowerment of talented young women.
Sincerely,
Kalilah Allen-Harris
Miss Black USA 2007
“…we as human beings are indeed spiritual beings and as such are quite limitless in our potential to be happy.” –Henry Grayson, Ph.D.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Long Time No Chat
Heyyyyyyy!!
Whew! I'm really glad to be blogging again. Lots has been going on lately, and I've nearly lost my mind at least a time or two! JK. :) I'm finally, back, though...with a vengeance. I'm getting back into the groove of things now and have pretty much caught up with a few things that have been back logged in my day-to-day existence. It's pretty late right now, though, so I'll have to give updates from the last 2 months of my life a little later. Just wanted to say, "hi, I'm still here." :)
God Bless,
Kalilah
Whew! I'm really glad to be blogging again. Lots has been going on lately, and I've nearly lost my mind at least a time or two! JK. :) I'm finally, back, though...with a vengeance. I'm getting back into the groove of things now and have pretty much caught up with a few things that have been back logged in my day-to-day existence. It's pretty late right now, though, so I'll have to give updates from the last 2 months of my life a little later. Just wanted to say, "hi, I'm still here." :)
God Bless,
Kalilah
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Just Thinking: Written Nov. 28, 2007
Being able to encourage people is such a blessing. Knowing people who are easily encouraged is even better. :) Unfortunately, nothing in the world that anyone can ever say can change the way one feels about himself or herself. If a person feels bad about or dislikes himself, no one but God can turn that around. Self worth is something that you can only gain from learning about how much God loves you and how truly unique and special you are.
We were all put here for a purpose ordained by God far before we were ever conceived. We are beautiful, and we are all miracles! Can you imagine a love so strong? That’s amazing to me! Just think of all the things in your life that you have yet to accomplish and all the dreams that you have yet to realize. You are in for a special treat! Sometimes I am brought to tears by the overwhelming happiness I get from thinking of the successes and meaningful relationships that I know God will provide. Wow!! How did we get so lucky (the more appropriate word would be “blessed”)? I can’t answer that, but I thank God for all that He is and all He continues to do in my life EVERY night.
This was just something on my heart that I felt I needed to share for anyone needing any encouragement. I have to go back and re-read old encouraging messages sometimes because I need it every now and then too! :) We all have times of disappointment and doubt. Thank God we can be delivered from these feelings! We grow from each experience we live through.
I feel you.
God Bless,
Kalilah
We were all put here for a purpose ordained by God far before we were ever conceived. We are beautiful, and we are all miracles! Can you imagine a love so strong? That’s amazing to me! Just think of all the things in your life that you have yet to accomplish and all the dreams that you have yet to realize. You are in for a special treat! Sometimes I am brought to tears by the overwhelming happiness I get from thinking of the successes and meaningful relationships that I know God will provide. Wow!! How did we get so lucky (the more appropriate word would be “blessed”)? I can’t answer that, but I thank God for all that He is and all He continues to do in my life EVERY night.
This was just something on my heart that I felt I needed to share for anyone needing any encouragement. I have to go back and re-read old encouraging messages sometimes because I need it every now and then too! :) We all have times of disappointment and doubt. Thank God we can be delivered from these feelings! We grow from each experience we live through.
I feel you.
God Bless,
Kalilah
Kansas City, MO Promotional Weekend
Kansas City…woo-hoo!! :) Friday morning, I flew from Los Angeles to Atlanta to Kansas City, MO. Although the trip was a little rough, the weekend was well worth it. I was privileged to have met Miss Black Nevada, Kansas, Missouri, Arizona, Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois and spend some time getting to know them this weekend. They’re such awesome young women! Friday night when I arrived, I addressed the delegates about life as Miss Black USA and answered questions concerning my experiences. After that, we headed to Sue’s house (Sue is the director of the Miss Black Kansas and Miss Black Missouri USA Pageants) to have a birthday party for Miss Black Michigan (she turned 21 Sunday). Happy Birthday, Kyona!! :) We had a ball playing games, sharing funny stories, and eating snacks and cake.
We participated in a radio show hosted, produced, and created by high school children Saturday morning called “Generation Rap” on 103.3FM at 8-9am. It was very interesting. The topic was beauty and the perception of people in the world of pageantry. At first, the young radio show team had an overall negative view of pageants and women who compete in them, but by the end of the hour, we were able to address many issues and concerns the teens had expressed. This lead them to have a better understanding of the purpose and benefit of competing in pageants, and they seemingly were more readily able to accept the idea of pageants as positive entities. I was so impressed by the young people we interacted with while broadcasting “Generation Rap”. They asked thought provoking questions and were very brave in expressing their opinions. After that, we had a photo shoot at Artis Studio. It was fun and went very well. Everybody looked so lovely in their pictures! From there, we went to an autograph signing event at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Lunch at Harper’s Restaurant followed the autograph signing. The last event of the night was a banquet honoring the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The speakers at this event were phenomenal! One particular thing I heard stuck out to me: “the people who will steal your dreams are not your enemies; they are people who you call friends, and they can often times live under your same roof!” Those are words to take heed to. Live your dreams! Do not allow yourself to be discouraged by dream stealers!
So, right now I’m sitting on a plane headed to Atlanta from Kansas City and attempting to learn to play poker for a charity poker tournament in which I’m scheduled to participate in Scottsdale, Arizona. It’s not going so well. I thought I would learn pretty quickly because it is, afterall, just a card game. I was wrong. In fact, I think I officially stink at playing poker. :( I need help!!
We participated in a radio show hosted, produced, and created by high school children Saturday morning called “Generation Rap” on 103.3FM at 8-9am. It was very interesting. The topic was beauty and the perception of people in the world of pageantry. At first, the young radio show team had an overall negative view of pageants and women who compete in them, but by the end of the hour, we were able to address many issues and concerns the teens had expressed. This lead them to have a better understanding of the purpose and benefit of competing in pageants, and they seemingly were more readily able to accept the idea of pageants as positive entities. I was so impressed by the young people we interacted with while broadcasting “Generation Rap”. They asked thought provoking questions and were very brave in expressing their opinions. After that, we had a photo shoot at Artis Studio. It was fun and went very well. Everybody looked so lovely in their pictures! From there, we went to an autograph signing event at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Lunch at Harper’s Restaurant followed the autograph signing. The last event of the night was a banquet honoring the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The speakers at this event were phenomenal! One particular thing I heard stuck out to me: “the people who will steal your dreams are not your enemies; they are people who you call friends, and they can often times live under your same roof!” Those are words to take heed to. Live your dreams! Do not allow yourself to be discouraged by dream stealers!
So, right now I’m sitting on a plane headed to Atlanta from Kansas City and attempting to learn to play poker for a charity poker tournament in which I’m scheduled to participate in Scottsdale, Arizona. It’s not going so well. I thought I would learn pretty quickly because it is, afterall, just a card game. I was wrong. In fact, I think I officially stink at playing poker. :( I need help!!
Atlanta, GA Promotional Weekend
During the weekend of January 11-13, I visited Atlanta to attend festivities surrounding the Miss Black Georgia USA Scholarship Pageant, a photo shoot with Jerris Madison, and the 2008 Trumpet Awards. When I arrived Friday night, I attended a dessert reception and was able to meet all the contestants in the Miss Black Georgia USA Scholarship pageant. The desserts were absolutely delicious! I fell in love with the oatmeal pecan cookies and ended up taking 6 or 7 back to the hotel with me. Apparently, I am not strong enough to completely abstain from eating sweets. :( Therefore, I must revise that particular goal for this year to allow for a few sweet indulgences occasionally. Yes, that will fix things…. :)
The Miss Black Georgia USA Scholarship Pageant held on Saturday, January 12 was awesome! Congratulations, Kristen White, Miss Black Georgia USA 2008! You looked absolutely gorgeous, and it was truly a pleasure to meet you and spend a little time getting to know you. I know you will do wonderful things for the community and represent the Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant very well.
On Sunday, January 13, 2008 I was honored and delighted to have the opportunity to attend the Trumpet Awards in Atlanta, GA. The 2008 Honoree is Halle Berry. I had a wonderful time. The winner of the Miss Black Georgia 2008 pageant as well as Miss Georgia Teen attended the event. We were a royal trio strutting around taking pictures with anybody who would allow us to. :) It was my very first experience walking the red carpet. That was quite an experience. I was a little confused at first, but after awhile I caught on to the protocol. Obviously, when I am on the red carpet, photographers and reporters don’t care as much as when a star or celebrity walks, but everybody I met was nice. I learned very quickly to stay out of the way when the “important people” were coming. ;) That’s it for now….
God Bless You,
Kalilah
The Miss Black Georgia USA Scholarship Pageant held on Saturday, January 12 was awesome! Congratulations, Kristen White, Miss Black Georgia USA 2008! You looked absolutely gorgeous, and it was truly a pleasure to meet you and spend a little time getting to know you. I know you will do wonderful things for the community and represent the Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant very well.
On Sunday, January 13, 2008 I was honored and delighted to have the opportunity to attend the Trumpet Awards in Atlanta, GA. The 2008 Honoree is Halle Berry. I had a wonderful time. The winner of the Miss Black Georgia 2008 pageant as well as Miss Georgia Teen attended the event. We were a royal trio strutting around taking pictures with anybody who would allow us to. :) It was my very first experience walking the red carpet. That was quite an experience. I was a little confused at first, but after awhile I caught on to the protocol. Obviously, when I am on the red carpet, photographers and reporters don’t care as much as when a star or celebrity walks, but everybody I met was nice. I learned very quickly to stay out of the way when the “important people” were coming. ;) That’s it for now….
God Bless You,
Kalilah
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Happy New Year! :)
Happy New Year!!
Wow, I can’t believe that 2007 is finally over, and we all can have a chance to make things right in 2008. Although 2007 was tough at times, I am thankful for all the experiences that came my way. Overall, it was a magnificent year, and I learned more about life and love (although I wasn’t in love) than ever before! I am truly excited to experience all that will unfold in 2008. I have decided to be less afraid of saying “no” to people this year. I think the newfound freedom that I will gain from this will be of great benefit.
On Friday, January 4, I went to 102.3 KJLH Radio Free (Stevie Wonder’s Radio Station) in LA and was able to speak a little about the Miss Black USA organization on-air. I even got to perform as the “Jock in a Box” (guest DJ) for the Guy Black Morning Show. I had sooooooo much fun!! I might need to switch my career ambition to becoming a DJ…somebody pass the turn tables!! :) I’d probably get in trouble as a DJ, though, because I would only play the songs I like to listen to. Anyway, the highlight of my visit to the station was being able to speak with “THE” Stevie Wonder over the phone! I was so terribly excited to speak with such a talented, musical genius that I really couldn’t come up with much to talk to him about, so I’m not sure if I made much of an impression on him. If not, at least he was glad to have me at his radio station for that short period of time. ;)
My first reading material of the new year is going to be The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier next week. If Oprah says the book is great, it must be true. LOL. On February 1, 2008, I will begin learning French. I’d love to have suggestions regarding the kinds of software and text books that are most helpful! I’ve got lots more to say this year, including a few “no’s” along the way. :)
Wow, I can’t believe that 2007 is finally over, and we all can have a chance to make things right in 2008. Although 2007 was tough at times, I am thankful for all the experiences that came my way. Overall, it was a magnificent year, and I learned more about life and love (although I wasn’t in love) than ever before! I am truly excited to experience all that will unfold in 2008. I have decided to be less afraid of saying “no” to people this year. I think the newfound freedom that I will gain from this will be of great benefit.
On Friday, January 4, I went to 102.3 KJLH Radio Free (Stevie Wonder’s Radio Station) in LA and was able to speak a little about the Miss Black USA organization on-air. I even got to perform as the “Jock in a Box” (guest DJ) for the Guy Black Morning Show. I had sooooooo much fun!! I might need to switch my career ambition to becoming a DJ…somebody pass the turn tables!! :) I’d probably get in trouble as a DJ, though, because I would only play the songs I like to listen to. Anyway, the highlight of my visit to the station was being able to speak with “THE” Stevie Wonder over the phone! I was so terribly excited to speak with such a talented, musical genius that I really couldn’t come up with much to talk to him about, so I’m not sure if I made much of an impression on him. If not, at least he was glad to have me at his radio station for that short period of time. ;)
My first reading material of the new year is going to be The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier next week. If Oprah says the book is great, it must be true. LOL. On February 1, 2008, I will begin learning French. I’d love to have suggestions regarding the kinds of software and text books that are most helpful! I’ve got lots more to say this year, including a few “no’s” along the way. :)
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