After being crowned Ms. Maryland 2011, Tiffany Parker has included Washington Area Women’s Foundation and its mission in her platform.  As she prepares to go to the national competition this month, she reflects on being a role model for girls and conquering her fears.

And the countdown begins….  On July 7^th I will set “sail”, so to speak, on my journey to Las Vegas, Nevada to compete for the title of Ms. United States© 2011.  This may come as a surprise to some, but even after all my public speaking events, and numerous encounters with prominent members of DC and Maryland’s society, I’m a bit nervous.  I should be prepared, right?!  Well, it’s not that simple; in my hometown I’ve found a level of acceptance and a family of supporters.  Heading to Vegas is a bit frightening because I will be around all new faces, in a new territory, and each day I’ll have to wake up and bring my “A” game with me wherever I go.

I know that the old saying  is to  “show no fear” or “never let them see you sweat”, but I feel it’s important for people to know, especially my young female constituents,  that even people in the public eye — those who appear to be polished, put together, and always “on point” — well, we’re still human, too.  So this write up today is for all the young girls I met along my journey as Ms. Maryland, all the beautiful faces that look up to me and said they are rooting for me.  I have my fears, just like many of the other role models they may have.  I’m learning many lessons as the years go by and one is that admitting your fears doesn’t make you weak — it gives you hte strength and courage to face and conquer them.  So whatever may come on the evening of July 14^th, whether I return to Maryland as Ms. United States 2011 or just as Ms. Maryland United States 2011, I am heading to Las Vegas and returning from Las Vegas  as a champion.

The closer the day gets and I fret about wardrobe, hair, makeup, workouts and my interview skills, there’s  a voice in the back of my head that keeps telling me that  “I’ve already won”.  And each time all of you decide to take the road less traveled and follow your dreams, you, too, have already won.  It’s not always how you end the race, it’s having the courage to even start it.  My courage has led me to opportunities that have created memories that will last a lifetime.  So I encourage all of you to find the bravery to step out on faith.  Who knows where it may lead you…

Viva Las Vegas, here I come!!!

With All my Love, Ms!!!

The United States pageant will be held from July 7 – 15th in Las Vegas.

Recently, I attended a fundraiser for FAIR Fund, a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner.  The event was appropriately called “Pearls of Purpose.”  FAIR Fund’s mission is to stop the human trafficking of woman and children and help with their recovery.  Also featured at the event was an auction of custom made jewelry by the young women  who were recovering from this type of abuse (I picked up a cute bracelet).

Human trafficking is an epidemic and until recently I was unaware of how wide spread the problem actually is.  At “Pearls of Purpose,” there was a young woman named Biljana who bravely stood up and told her story.  It was a story of tragedy that began when she was sold at the age of 11; now that she’s in her 20s, her story has turned into one of triumph with the help of FAIR Fund.  It was a humbling experience to stand before her and listen to what she endured to now be able to encourage other young women who maybe have a similar background.  What I learned from this is that you never know the stories of other people.  There she was before being called to stage, dressed in a lovely black cocktail dress.  At times we passed each other and greeted each other with a smile.  Me, not knowing the story of this powerful young woman.  It made me wonder how many times we have all met or came in contact with a “Biljana.”

We may go about our day sometimes oblivious to the atrocities that others face; sometimes they’re the people that are standing right next to us.  FAIR Fund reminded me of how important it is to be brave and speak for victims.  Sometimes dark secrets in our communities remain hidden until someone is brave enough to speak up and shed light on them.  Sometimes it just takes one person to step up and speak for victims who can’t speak for themselves.

It wasn’t until I reached out to Washington Area Women’s Foundation and received the report Portrait Project 2010 (which highlighted some of the grim statistics that women face, from poverty, to education, and housing) that I was aware of the challenges faced by women and girls throughout our community.  Now, I have the opportunity to raise my voice and raise awareness about these issues.  I do believe that change starts with one person — it might as well be me and you.

Tiffany Parker is Ms. Maryland 2011.  She has partnered with Washington Area Women’s Foundation to raise awareness of the issues faced by women and girls during her reigning yea

I recently heard a quote that I would like to share: “It was a time when I believed the most valuable asset I could have was information, but now what I realize is that ‘Time’ is actually the most valuable asset anyone can ever possess. You can never buy more of it, and you can never go back and replace it, once it’s gone it gone.”

This statement made me pause in my tracks, because the truth of the matter is “time” really is the most valuable and important thing any one person has.  When I decided that becoming Ms. Maryland was something that I wanted to do, I realized that this would be a serious sacrifice of my resources, those resources being money, sleep (lol), energy and of course my time.

Recently, I volunteered at the Annual African American Family Celebration at the Washington Nation Zoo.  I was jumping in the hay with the kids as they searched for eggs and helping hand out prizes as they finished.  What was amazing to me is how happy and excited they were to be doing the simplest things; I realized children don’t require much to be content and happy.  It kind of makes me wonder how much different the world would be if we all took that same approach that children do, using our time to do more of what we found true peace and happiness in, instead of mundane things that often leave us empty.

I currently work for a company that has made a commitment to donate 5% of their net profit earning to non-profit organizations throughout the world.  I am not yet in a position to give 5% of my net earnings away, but what I can do is dedicate the resources that I have the most control over — my time and energy — to helping causes within my community.  Thus, what I have found is that there truly is more happiness in giving then receiving; a cliché, I know, but in my case true.

I suppose one of my biggest fears in life is to one day reflect back on my life and regret having not spent my time more wisely and perhaps wasted it on chasing selfish pursuits  instead of pursuing endeavors that helped  others in my community, and thus helped myself. Maybe it’s time that we all challenged ourselves to spend more of our most valuable asset on the things that really matter… helping others.

Tiffany Parker is Ms. Maryland 2011.  She has partnered with Washington Area Women’s Foundation to raise awareness of the issues faced by women and girls during her reigning year.

Thursday March 24th, 2011 is a day that will always live vividly in my memories.  It was my Inaugural Cocktail Party as Ms. Maryland United States 2011. Not only was it special because so many came out to enjoy this wonderful occasion and wish me well, but it was dear to me because each non-profit partner that I reached out to was in attendance.

Washington Area Women’s Foundation, Mary’s Center for Maternal & Child Care, and Literacy/ Leadership Cares PG County Reading Initiative all stood proudly to represent their organizations.  Representatives provided a brief background of their organization and let attendees know first-hand what they could personally do to contribute to each cause.

As I was standing before my guests I couldn’t help but notice a row of teenagers sitting against the back wall.  They all had the largest smiles on their faces and the biggest gleam of hope and innocence in their eyes.  Looking at them took me back to a time when the world too, was at my feet, and the only thing I wanted to do was go out and conquer all of my dreams.  They were students from Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, who are a part of the Literacy Cares program.  They also have a passion for mentoring and voluntarily spend their Saturdays reading to elementary students.  When the event wrapped up each of them came to greet me and told me how  proud they were to be in my presence; but I had to tell them how proud and humbled I was to be in theirs.

That night wasn’t about me; sure like any girl, I love the glitz and the glamor of dressing up, wearing a crown, and meeting people, but that night belonged to them and to each non-profit organization that proudly and tirelessly fights for their causes.  Speaking to each of the students reminded me of the speech given at my undergraduate commencement ceremony. To sum it all up, the speaker said “It’s no longer about you any more, it about them”.  Meaning we as college graduates had reached a point in our lives where it was time for us to step out into society and contribute and recycle the blessings that had been bestowed upon us.  We had received the fruits of labor of our parents, mentors, & forefathers, and now as we left college and stepped out into the real world, it was time for us to return the favor.  That favor being to Inspire, Mentor, & Contribute to “them.”  “Them” being the next generation of Leaders, of “Ms. Maryland’s’”, of “Non-profit Founders”, and “Dream Conquers”.    Thank you to Washington Area Women’s Foundation for doing your part to Inspire, Mentor, and Contribute.

Tiffany Parker is Ms. Maryland 2011.  She has partnered with Washington Area Women’s Foundation to make women’s empowerment part of the conversations she has with the community during her reigning year.

Photo Credit: Gedalia Vera, Mundovision Media Productions.

Tiffany Parker is Ms. Maryland 2011.  As she moves toward competing in the Ms. United States pageant, she has included Washington Area Women’s Foundation in her platform.  Read on to find out why women’s empowerment is so important to her and why she chose The Women’s Foundation.

There are many misconceptions about beauty pageants and what they truly mean to our society.  Many people develop their impressions from watching weekly reality shows with overbearing mothers and miserable participants being forced to perform like circus animals, but the truth is, adult pageantry is a different realm all together.  Gone are the days when a beauty queen was only expected to show up and wave with a smile on her face.  Today many state delegates are activists within their communities, advocating for those who don’t have a voice, and many of them have taken on the role of state and local ambassadors.  My goal is to use my voice and crown for great things this year, not only for myself, but for other women in my community.

One of my first tasks as Ms. Maryland was to find and partner with an organization that shares my beliefs and platform, the empowerment of women.  A Google search led me to the Washington Area Women’s Foundation.  So many times as women we forget our power, and we give up our voice so easily.  An old proverb says that “a home’s foundation does not lie on concrete, but on women.”  We are the foundation of homes, communities, and nations, and it’s important to instill that belief in every little girl.  When I read The Women’s Foundation’s mission statement, I knew my search for a foundation to partner with for my reigning year was over.  I humbly submitted my request to partner with The Women’s Foundation to continue to spread the message, and it was accepted.  I am so proud to say that I am affiliated with an organization that is fighting for women and making a daily impact.

My Great Grandmother lived to be 103 years old.  Born in 1900, she would tell us stories of how she wasn’t allow to vote and other injustices we couldn’t imagine taking place today.  So to live in time where I have freedom of speech and can actually make an impact, I believe that it would be a disservice to any woman that came before me, to not use this opportunity or to take it lightly.  So with this I say “Thank You” to Washington Area Women’s Foundation for this opportunity, and I say “Chello” (my version of Hello) to the readers of this blog and the supporters of the Foundation….  This is going to be wonderful year, and I can’t think of anyone else I would rather share it with, than you.

Check back for updates about Ms. Maryland’s reigning year.  And if you’d like to meet Ms. Maryland, her next public event will be her inaugural cocktail party on Thursday, March 24th, from 5:30-9:00 p.m. at Jin — 2017 14th Street, NW.  RSVP on Facebook by clicking here.