It’s easy to look up to successful celebrities adorned in clothes we’ll never be able to afford when we need a role model for inspiration, but, perhaps we should be celebrating the empowering women walking amongst us on campus each day. Princess Brown, a junior Psychology major, is my personal source of inspiration, and I’m eager to share her story and her black girl magic with all of you!
Princess carries a strong sense of self and wears her invisible crown at all times. She is a natural born leader in the flesh, and when she speaks, something just makes you want to listen. She’s a busy woman- a member of de Haute Allure Fashion & Modeling Troupe, President of Student African American Sisterhood, a SRI Tutor, and most notably, she holds the coveted title of Miss Black and Gold for the 2016-2017 academic school year.
But this Washington D.C. native doesn’t just have a commendable resume, she has an admirable spirit. She has plans to build her own mentoring program as she pursues a career as a motivational speaker. We have the opportunity to see Princess live her truth, as she utilizes her talents and leadership to make a difference in someone’s life. It’s an honor to walk the same campus as a woman with so much humility, so much drive, and so much wisdom!
Describe your journey to becoming Miss Black and Gold: My journey to become Miss Black and Gold was definitely a learning experience. It taught me the importance of overcoming adversity and it showed me the importance of believing in yourself. I would not trade my journey for the world! There were many times I wanted to give up and to throw in the towel but perseverance, prayer, and support kept me going.
How has being Miss Black and Gold impacted your college experience thus far?
Being Miss Black and Gold has presented many challenges that have helped to strengthen my communication skills, my self-confidence and my path into womanhood as a whole. Embarking on this journey as Miss Black and Gold gave me the ability to use my story to impact other women.
What does being a Campus Queen mean to you? Being a campus queen goes beyond the crown and the sash, it is the ability to make sacrifices and to endure obstacles in order to lead women on campus.
What are some of the most important things you’ve learned in college? In college, I have learned that every semester you will discover different versions of yourself. Every week you will discover different opportunities, and although things are always shifting that is truly what is supposed to happen. True growth requires the ability to be transparent and to adapt to the changes around you.
What is Girls with Vision and what does it mean to you? Girls with Vision, is my brand that I am currently working on. God truly just placed that on my heart as something that I will contribute to the University and to the community. Girls with Vision is a brand that encourages women to use their stories in order to empower other women. As a woman who has endured heart breaks and disappointments, I am blessed enough to empower women every day and I just want to utilize my platform to encourage other women to do the same.
How do you practice self-care? Honestly, self-care is an area I need to work on. Often times we lose ourselves in the service of others BUT when I do practice self-care I find myself in my kitchen baking cookies, drinking a nice glass of wine and even reading books to slow jams in my room. Yet, other times I find myself listening to loud Trap music, dancing in the mirror with my phone on do not disturb and singing in the shower. These are moments during the week that I cherish because despite what may go on around me this freedom is what makes me WHO I AM. I mean. If you aren’t yourself then who are you?
What do you like to do in your free time? As expressed beforehand I like to sing, dance, and eat cookies. I also love to read, write poetry and just spend time with friends and family. I am very family oriented and I just love being able to have game nights with friends, Sunday dinners and intimate conversations. Oh yes, and I love to sing obnoxiously in the mirror.