Jasmine Fain is a 20 year ol Junior here at Oklahoma State University Majoring in Professional Writing with a Minor in Linguistics. Jasmine is from Red Oak Texas, a suburb of Dallas. She also happens to be the President of HerCampus here at OSU and our 2016-2017 Miss Black OSU!
What made you decide to compete in Miss Black OSU?
I wanted to compete in the Miss Black OSU pageant, to get out of my comfort zone. My fear was to be visible, even though I have been a student leader all of my life. So I decided to finally break this fear, and compete for the pageant. Besides what was intimidating me, I knew I wanted to make a difference in young women’s lives. Constantly, I saw the pressure social media was putting on our generation of women. At times, I had taken, and continue to take breaks from social media, because the pressure becomes to negative at times. Then, I realized that myself, and others should not have to live in a society where we are pressured to be other people, than our true selves. So, I decided to use the Miss Black OSU platform to finally make a difference.
What was your crowning moment like since you did not get crowned at the pageant?
My crowning moment was more of a spiritual moment for me. The day I found out that I was Miss Black OSU, was probably one of the toughest mornings I’ve had in my entire college career. That morning nothing was going right, and then my pageant advisor called me into her office. I thought she had called me into her office, to apologize for my audio messing up during my talent portion, but she had a bigger apology to tell! That I was in fact Miss Black OSU. I cried of course, and then called my whole family to tell them the great news!
Do you have a platform? If so, what is it?
My platform is Think. Feel. Define, which is to alleviate the pressures of social media and society from our young adults. I chose this, because I believe that everyone has a purpose in life that is tailored to him or her. An often time social media shows us someone else purpose and tells us we need to follow what they are doing to make it in life. I want young adults to know that this idea is false. Be yourself, love yourself, and accept who God has made you to be, and nobody can stop that. When I explain my platform, I tell people all the time, you have to think about how you want to change the world, then you can begin to understand and feel who you are at your very core, then you can define your purpose in life!
What do you hope to do with this title?
Honestly, I don’t look at the title when it comes to the work I am doing within the community. At the end of the day I am Jasmine Fain, making a difference for the black community here. The title of Miss Black OSU is just the platform I use to reach more young adults, and to network with different people to bring benefits back to my community here at OSU. Of course the title comes with appearances, speaking engagements, and more social events, but when I approach these events, I always keep in mind, you are here to benefits others, not to benefit yourself.
What have you done during your reign so far?
So far, I have developed a partnership with Payne County Youth Services, in which my platform will be displayed in most of the Intermediate Schools across Payne County. With this, I have developed a Leadership Council filled with six promising OSU students, to help me run the program within the schools, but I also want to give them as much leadership experience and education as possible!
Also, I am currently in the works of a women’s conference, so stay tuned for this program in the spring!
What is your favorite part of being Miss Black OSU?
My favorite part so far of being Miss Black OSU is the love and support I have gained from across the university. I truly realize that I have a family here at OSU that I can rely on; an they will be here to support me when times get hard. I thank God for the all the support the Black Faculty and staff have showed me during my reign, and also to my black community for keeping me aware of the issues, and needs, and how I can best benefit them. Most of all I am most grateful for the people that compete alongside me this past year. Our bond, and their willingness to support my programs, and help me out in whatever I need, ultimately reminds me that competing for Miss Black OSU was the best decision I have made.
What Are Your Future Career Plans?
I want to be a non-profit grant writer, and to continue my platform after my reign, and develop my program into a non-profit organization. Within all of this, I plan to pursue my Masters and PhD in rhetoric and composition, therefore in all using my education to benefit the students within my non-profit!