May 2015 Issue Preview

Sista’s Keeper

I AM my Sista’s Keeper

May 2015 Vol. 3, Issue 3

Mother/Daughter Relationship Tips EmpowHERment Inc. Ban Bossy...Be A Leader

Spotlight: Black Girls Rock M.A.D. Girls Plus: Leadership & Happiness Leadership Checklist Sistas Who Lead Black Girls & Leadership

Kylee Johnson

2015 Delta Debutantes

Miss Black USA Talented Teen promotes black beauty

Leadership Issue

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Spotlight

Black Girls Rock!

M.A.D. Girls

Get to know these M.A.D. Girls on a mission to “Make A Difference”

CHENTAL-SONG BEMBRY She is the creator, author and illustrator the Honey Bunch Kids series. She has since used her platform to speak to youth about the importance of literacy, goal-setting, and the impact of reading on academic success.

“It is so important for girls to read because with reading comes confidence. That’s when I feel my best! When you read, it’s setting yourself up for a greater future.”

GABRIELLE JORDAN Our January 2015 issue cover girl is the founder of ExCEL Youth Mentoring Institute, an entrepreneurship program for youth, and the owner of Jewelz of Jordan.

She is also an author and she’s the youngest member of the Great Black Speakers Bureau.

“To be a M.A.D. girl means that you’re doing something special for your community and you’re helping girls to embrace their beauty.”

KAYA THOMAS Kaya Thomas is a techie, vlogger, creator & advocate for tech education. She currently runs a tech vlog giving coding tutorials & has developed a literacy/cultural literacy app that helps readers find literature for & by people of color.

“To be a M.A.D. girl means that you’re using all your energy to help a community that means a lot to you. I’m using my skills to help the communities that I care about & pave the way for other young girls to enter technology.”

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California Queen Kylee

Miss Black USA Talented Teen 2014 Kylee Johnson is the first contestant from California to win the national title & she brought the crown home to the West Coast.

J

ohnson was inspired to do the Miss Black USA Talented Teen pageant because showcases AfricanAmerican women & girls. “This pageant celebrates black beauty of all shapes, sizes, skin complexions and everyone has a place,” she says.

She had done pageants in California before but they were prodominately white. “I just wanted to do a pageant where my type of beauty was celebrated.”

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West Coast Crown The California franchise did really well this year in both the Miss Black USA and teen divisions.

“I won and Miss Black California won 2nd runner-up so we were all really happy and proud of ourselves to be able to bring those accomplishments to the west coast,” she says.

“It was pretty exciting because California had never won at the national level previously so a lot of people in the pageant community from my state were very proud of me and supportive.”

Black Is Beautiful

Johnson’s platform was “Black is Beautiful” where she teaches and sends the message of self-confidence and self-beauty. She was inspired by the current African-American cultural movement.

“In the past, black social clubs had a paper bag test that you had to pass by having a certain type of light complexion. Also, women would get perms and straighten their hair, not

to look nice or to make them feel good but to be closer to white,” Johnson says.

“African-American beauty is often held to a European standard. I want women to enjoy the fact that they are black and beautiful instead of trying to be accepted into another cultural standard. Be proud of being black because black is beautiful. and we deserve to have our beauty valued.”

“My reign has been good. I have been able to extend my platform and talk to different groups of girls from elementary schools and YMCAs as well as going to different events and meeting different kinds of interesting people,” she says.

She has also been mentoring girls who want to pursue the pageant at the state and national levels to help them be successful.

Arizona Bound

Johnson is a graduating senior at North High School in Torrence, California. She is on the dance team, in the YBE (young, black & educated) club, and is the president of the Dance Club & Hip Hop Club.

Mother’s Day Message “Thank you for being a great mom, providing for me and helping me to acheive my dreams.”

-Kylee 30

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May 2015

(left) Johnson with her mother, _____

About Kylee

Age: 18 Birthday: February 21st Hometown: Torrence, CA Favorite Food: Pizza Favorite Color: Maroon Hobbies: Pageants, dancing, listening to music What’s on your iPod? Jazz music, classical music, older R&B (Temptations-era), 80’s pop (Whitney Houston & Michael Jackson) For more information about the pageant or to connect with Kylee, visit the Miss Black USA Talented Teen Pageant Facebook page.

She plans to attend Arizona State University and wants to major in broadcast journalism.

“I want to let people know that everyone has a voice and I want to give them a platform to use that,” johnson says.

“A lot of the ways that African-Americans are perceived in the media are negative because we don’t have enough people to represent us, to speak out and use our voice to go against those images,” she says.

Her Mother’s Support

Johnson’s mother is also the executive director of the California franchise. Her favorite experience has been spending time and getting closer with her because this pageant system is very important to her.

“I was really glad that I was able to bring home the title for her, epecially since it was her first time going to nationals.”

Leadership Roles

On her dance team, Johnson is the warmup leader so her responsibilities include

getting her team prepared for performances, organizing stretches and choreographing dances. She tells young girls who want to be leaders to not be afraid to have your own ideas.

“Even if it is something unconventional or something that you don’t typicallysee, it’s your idea and it’s important. The best innovators are the ones who have the best ideas so don’t be afraid to be different,” she says.

Being Her Sista’s Keeper

Johnson has an older sister named Britney and a younger brother. Her sister is eight years older so she can go to her for advice.

“She teaches me not only to learn from experience but to also look up to her and her experiences so that I can see what she did right & follow in her footsteps.”

Johnson provides her personal definition of being her sista’s keeper.

“To me, it means not only to look out for them but inspire and encourage them to achieve their greatest potential and to be the best they can be.”

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By eighth grade, only half as many girls as boys are interested in math, science, and engineering careers.

If each of us gives a girl our time and support today, she can find the courage, confidence, and character she’ll need to build a better tomorrow.