College student Alicia Lewis takes 2nd place

by Joshua Garner and Mississippi Tribune Staff Reports

The Miss Black USA Pageant has come home, to Prince George’s County. After years of having the pageant bounce around the globe in places as far away as west Africa as well as big-name cities like Las Vegas, the Miss Black USA pageant is making its first appearance in Prince George’s County, where it was founded.

Throughout the last week, some 25 contestants from across the U.S. settled into the Aloft Hotel in the National Harbor development in Oxon Hill. “I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else than in Prince George’s County,” said Karen Arrington of Upper Marlboro, who founded the pageant, which entered its 22nd year. Contestants performed most of their events, including talent competitions and personal fitness at the Harmony Hall Regional Center in Fort Washington, battling it out for the top prize: a $5,000 scholarship.

But for some contestants, the pageant had a deeper meaning in showing a range of positive images for African-American women. Most of the contestants are pursuing graduate degrees, while some are college instructors. The pageant “reaffirms everything that I already knew about African-American women,” said Kimberly Brown, 25, Miss Alabama. “I see [the pageant] as more of a sisterhood and a networking experience.”

For others, the pageant was a chance to feel like a celebrity, as when the contestants visited restaurants in National Harbor, patrons stop and stared, and the women posed for pictures. “I’m from Canada and we don’t have these kinds of competitions [with black females],” said Karhia Newtons, 35, of Toronto, Canada, who was busy snapping photos of the contestants. “These ladies are gorgeous!”

But for many contestants, the road to Miss Black USA hasn’t been easy. As the economy slid, about six of the contestants — including Miss Maryland — were not able to compete in the pageant because their sponsors, who fund travel expenses and gowns, couldn’t pay for the cost, which can total thousands of dollars.

As with any pageant, there were mishaps along the way. During the talent performances Saturday, music stopped mid-way through a rendition of “Lean On Me” by Miss Washington, Tiana Townsell, due to technical problems.

But there were also surprises. Miss Pennsylvania, Shayna Y. Rudd — who would later take the crown — performed a crowd-pleasing dance to the gospel song “Lord, I Know I’ve Been Changed.” Other contestants played instruments or performed monologues or classical dance, including 1st runner up, Miss Mississippi, Alicia Lewis, 25, who performed ballet.

“I love it — I danced since I was 5 years old,” Lewis said. “It’s very rare that you see a black ballerina.” Lewis is currently attending University of Alabama School of Law, Juris Doctorate; University of Alabama at Birmingham, Master’s of Public Administration.

Her achievements include: Marshall scholarship nominee, Golden Key National Honor Society, Top fifteen percent of graduating class, Pi Lambda Sigma Pre law Society, Auburn University Academic Scholarship, Alabama Department of Homeland Security Legal Intern, Nelson Mandela Scholar. Her Platform for the pageant: Educate to Eliminate -- Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness