Healing Heels Dance Fundraiser

The Sophisticated Affair has partnered with Mrs. LaQuisha Hall, Mrs. Maryland Galaxy 2009 in a fundraiser for Stop the Silence: Stop Child Sexual Abuse.

Location:

Studio A Modeling, Etiquette and Dance Academy

http://www.studioa-modelingetiquetteanddance.com/

3520 Brenbrook Drive

Randallstown, Maryland 21133

(Inside the Shopping Center)

Time:

6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Ticket Cost:

$15

(Proceeds to benefit Stop the Silence:Stop Child Sexual Abuse)

Ladies wear your Hottest Heels and Gentlemen wear your smoothest dancing shoes!!!

Support an important cause while learning line dances and enjoying refreshments. Prizes will be awarded to the ladies with the "Hottest High Heels" and to the Best Dancer. If you cannot attend this event, consider giving a donation. RSVP in advance at LHalla@stopcsa.org.

Enlarging My Territory

My territory is definitely being enlarged. I have been blessed with many gifts and I'm finally starting to put them to use. I have officially launched my event planning business, The Sophisticated Affair Event Planning http://www.thesophisticatedaffair.com/. Check out our blog and read about the great things we are doing http://www.thesophisticatedaffair.blogspot.com/. This was something that I have talked about for a while but never made the steps to begin. After prayer and many talks with my husband and mom, I finally stepped out on faith and started my own company.

I have been planning events for over 10 years. I started out assisting my mom and then I started to branch out on my own and so far it has been going well. One of my greatest accomplishments was planning my own wedding. I know some people thought I was crazy for planning my own wedding, but I loved every minute of the planning process. My mom and I worked well together as a team to make sure my day was flawless and it was. I couldn't have asked for a better wedding day.

I am now in the final stages of planning my sisters destination wedding in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. This was not the usual planning process because I had to deal with vendors in another country, but thank God for the Internet and e-mail! These forms of technology made the job a little easier. I am very eager to see how the wedding day is going to unfold, especially since I'm also her Matron of Honor. I guess I won't get any rest, the first few days I'm there.

My business is also the Official Autograph Card Sponsor for the Stop the Silence Ambassador Pageant http://www.stsambassadorpageant.weebly.com/ and the Mrs./Miss. Maryland, D.C., and Delaware Pageants http://www.reachforthecrownpageants.com/! I am so excited about my new endeavors and I thank God for blessing me with my gifts.

Mrs. Maryland America Pageant

On Friday, June 26, 2009 I competed for Mrs. Maryland America 2009 and I placed 2nd Runner Up! Although I did not win, I was very happy with my placement. I had a great time and I met some amazing women. Special thanks to God for allowing me the opportunity to compete, to the most supportive husband in the world, Keno Brown, for being their by my side the entire time and making sure I stayed focus, to my family, friends and Pageant Sisters for always encouraging me. A special thanks to my "Personal Trainers" the Singletons for helping me with my workout routine. :-)

Contestants getting ready to go on stage.

Swimsuit competition


Evening Gown Competition

Mrs. Maryland America Contestants

2nd Runner Up!

Curing Breast Cancer One Step At A Time

On Saturday, my husband and I participated in the Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure in Washington, DC. This was such an awesome experience. I was able to meet several breast cancer survivors and families of breast cancer survivors. Although it was early in the morning, everyone was extremely excited about walking/running for the cure. Some people had banners, some had T-Shirts and some had signs for the relatives they were walking for. There were also those who had their babies in strollers pushing them along, so that they could be a part of the race.

Keno and I walked for my grandmother, Mrs. Dorothea Smith, and several of my family members who are and were victims of Breast Cancer. At one point, I found myself getting emotional and thanking God for allowing my grandmother to survive as long as she has. I know that if it was not for Him, she would not be with us today.

Thank you to all who supported my on this volunteer act and to those who made financial contributions. With our help, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Foundation is now a step closer to helping those who are Breast Cancer victims.

Support Susan G. Komen Global Race For The Cure

On Saturday, June 6, 2009, I will be volunteering for the Susan G. Komen Global Race For the Cure. http://www.nationalraceforthecure.org/

Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is the global leader of the breast cancer movement, having invested more than $1 billion since inception in 1982. As the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, we’re working together to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®, and generous contributions from our partners, sponsors and fellow supporters, we have become the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.

I am so excited about volunteering. Breaset Cancers is a disease that has affected several members in my family. My grandmother, Mrs. Dorothea Smith, is a 25 year breast cancer survivor. Last year her cancer returned, but with many thanks to God and technology, she was able to combat the disease.

Please join in with me in the fight against Breast Cancer Awareness and make a small donation to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. You can do so by visiting my Race for the Cure website. Click here to visit my personal page.

Check Out My Design

Domestic Violence Awareness

Did You Know That:

• One in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.


• An estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year.


• 85% of domestic violence victims are women.


• Historically, females have been most often victimized by someone they knew.


• Females who are 20-24 years of age are at the greatest risk of nonfatal intimate partner violence.


• Most cases of domestic violence are never reported to the police.

Children Who Witness Domestic Violence:

• Witnessing violence between one’s parents or caretakers is the strongest risk factor of transmitting violent behavior from one generation to the next.


• Boys who witness domestic violence are twice as likely to abuse their own partners and children when they become adults.


• 30% to 60% of perpetrators of intimate partner violence also abuse children in the household

Did You Know That:

• One in 6 women and 1 in 33 men have experienced an attempted or completed rape.


• Nearly 7.8 million women have been raped by an intimate partner at some point in their lives.


• Sexual assault or forced sex occurs in approximately 40-45% of battering relationships.


• 1 in 12 women and 1 in 45 men have been stalked in their lifetime.


• 81% of women stalked by a current or former intimate partner are also physically assaulted by that partner; 31% are also sexually assaulted by that partner

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MUST STOP!!!!

Breast Cancer Awareness

Breast Cancer Awareness is a topic that is very near and dear to my heart. I have several breast cancer survivors in my family and I have several family members who passed away from Breast Cancer. My grandmother, Dorothea Smith, is a Breast Cancer Survivor for over 25 years. She has battled the disease with prayer, chemotherapy, medication, a mastectomy and most of all the support of her loving family. She is not afraid to speak out about the disease and inform others about her survival. She constanly reminds women to do breast exams and to stay on top of their doctor appointments.

My lovely Grandmother and me on my Masters Graduation last year!

Below are some Breast Cancer Facts:

Who gets breast cancer?
Anyone can get breast cancer. For example, did
you know…
• the older a woman, the more likely she is to get
breast cancer?
• white women are more likely to get breast cancer
than women of any other racial or ethnic group?
• African American women are more likely to die
from breast cancer than white women?
• men can get breast cancer, although it is rare?
Less than one of every 100 cases of breast cancer
in the U.S. occurs in men.
• in 2008, it is estimated that men will account for
1,990 cases of breast cancer?1

If I am diagnosed with breast cancer, what are my
chances of surviving?
In general, pretty good. The 5-year survival rate for all
women diagnosed with breast cancer is 89 percent.2
This means that 89 out of every 100 women with
breast cancer will survive for at least five years. Most
will live a full life and never have a recurrence. Your
chances of surviving are better if the cancer is detected
early, before it spreads to other parts of your body. In
fact, when breast cancer is found early and confined to
the breast, the 5-year survival rate is 98 percent.2 That
is why it is so important to take steps to detect breast
cancer in its earliest stages.

Are you at risk?
Most women have more than one known risk factor
for developing breast cancer, yet will never get the
disease. Some risk factors are things that you do not
have any control over, while others can be changed
by making changes in your lifestyle (see list below).
What is the most important risk factor? Simply being a
woman. But remember, there is no one cause of breast
cancer. If you are concerned about your breast cancer
risk, discuss your options with your doctor.
Risk factors:
• being a woman
• getting older
• having a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 breast
cancer genes
• having a personal history of breast or ovarian cancer
• having a family history of breast cancer or ovarian
cancer
• having high breast density on a mammogram
• having a previous biopsy showing hyperplasia or
carcinoma in situ
• never having children
• having your first child after age 35
• radiation exposure, frequent x-rays in youth
• high bone density
• gaining weight after menopause
• currently or recently using combined estrogen and
progestin hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

My First Computer Class

Last night I completed teaching my first computer class for the Seniors at my church, Mt. Moriah Baptist Church. This was an awesome experience. All of my students were over the age of 70!!! They were all eager to learn and couldn't wait to become computer literate. I met with my students once a week for an hour. Some of them would arrive 15-30 minutes ahead of time just to make sure they were ready for my when I got there. I was truly amazed at how quickly they picked up on the information and also their ability to retain the information. Last night was a bitter/sweet moment for me. I was sad that the class was ending but I was happy that I was able to help someone along the way. At least I know my living is not in vain!

Art Supply Drive for Turn Around Inc.

I am a member of the Baltimore Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and we are hosting an Art Supply Drive for Turn Around, Inc.http://turnaroundinc.org

Turn Around, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals and families affected by domestic violence and sexual assault/abuse, through counseling, education, support services and advocacy. Art is utilized to allow children to express themselves and to help them get through traumatic experiences. They are currently in need of the following art supplies to assist with their sessions:

• Magic Markers


• Crayons


• Glue


• Loose Glitter


• Glitter Glue


• Construction Paper


• Sock to Make Dolls


• Doll Stuffing


• Plain White T-shirts

Art Supply Collections will be held at:
Metro Delta Head Start
2001 Park Avenue (On the Hill)
Baltimore, MD 21217
Monday, May 11, 2009 6pm - 8pm
Thursday, May 14, 2009 6pm - 8pm

If you are interested in making a donations, please feel free to contact me at mrsbaltimorecounty@hotmail.com.

Guys and Dolls Pageant

Last night I served as Pageant Coordinator for the Women's Auxiliary of the United Baptist Missionary Convention of Maryland Guys and Dolls Pageant. This pageant benefits the Mae C. Barnes Scholarship, which is awarded to at least seven college students each year. I had the privilege of serving as Pageant Coordinator for the past four years and this was my final year. It was truly an honor serving in this position. I had the opportunity to meet several educated and talented young people who are in love with the Lord and who strive to please Him everyday. This year there were seven contestants who participated in the pageant and showcased their talent. Some sang, some danced, some recited poetry and another rapped about the story of Job. It was such a blessing to be around these bright and talented young people. Lets continue to encourage them, uplift them and most of all pray for them. Pray that God will protect them from the hand of the enemy and that they may continue to stay on God's straight and narrow path.

The Benefits Of Pageantry

Have you ever wondered why many women are involved in pageants? I couldn't understand it myself until I started competing and once I started, I became hooked!!! Some people think that pageants are all about glitz and glamour, a lot of make-up, long dresses and hair. Although they all play an important role in pageantry, this is not what it's all about. Pageantry recognizes women and young girls and provides a forum for them to promote a platform that is of importance to them. Pageantry also enhances self-esteem, confidence, poise and personality in it's participants. I've also learned that pageantry is a means for women and girls to meet others who share similiar interests and form new friendships. My pageant experience has been very beneficial to me. I have met some of the most amazing women who are very passionate about their platforms and seek to promote them in many ways. Crown or no crown, all who participate are Queens!

Mrs. Maryland International, Adrienne Watson Carver with Mrs. Maryland Galaxy Contestants

Mrs. Maryland Galaxy Pageant

This weekend I had the pleasure of competing in the Mrs. Maryland Galaxy 2009 Pageant and I placed 1st Runner-Up. My friend and pageant sister, LaQuisha Hall, won the title Mrs. Maryland Galaxy 2009 and my new friend and pageant sister Jonzetta "Pinky" Carter was 2nd Runner-Up. We had such an amazing time with this pageant. Rachel Petty and Naqueldon Brown are excellent pageant directors. Their hard work and dedication really paid off. This pageant was like no other.

1st Runner-Up


Laquisha Hall, Mrs. Maryland Galaxy 2009