The Royal Spotlight is an interview series where I highlight queens from a variety of pageant systems. This month I had the pleasure of interviewing Miss Black USA 2017 Daphne Lee.
Tell us about yourself.
My name is Daphne Lee, the current Miss Black USA 2017. I am a professional ballet dancer with Collage Dance Collective in Memphis, TN. I am a graduate student at Hollins University as well as a Goodwill Ambassador to the Republic of Sierra Leone. My national platform is the Heart Truth Campaign as well as Multiple Myeloma Cancer Awareness.
When did you start competing in pageants?
I started competing in pageants towards the end of my high school days to get scholarship money for college. They also gave me a moment to bond with other like-minded women and create networking opportunities.
Why do you compete in pageants?
I compete in pageantry now to push myself to see how far can I go and again for scholarship opportunities. They are also super fun and feel like a performance. I was also very quiet as a child, and pageantry has given me the opportunity to speak up and use my voice for good.
How many titles have you won?
I have won 3 amazing titles to date.
Tell us about the Miss Black USA Pageant system.
Miss Black USA is the first national scholarship pageant created for African-American women in the U.S. To date, the pageant has awarded over $450,000 in scholarships. Miss Black USA empowers women to own their power and celebrates their unique talents, traits and beauty in a global platform. Miss Black USA defines her own standard of beauty and celebrates the whole women: mind, body, spirit, all shades of brown, and hair texture. Over 80% of Miss Black USA state queens are in graduate or professional school and “who’s who” of their colleges and universities.
How do you prepare for competition?
I prepare by working on my weakest points being interview and Q and A. I watch the news daily and make sure I provide questions and answers to how I will respond to any questions that come my way for the competition.
What are your future plans for your pageant career?
My reign as Miss Black USA has been nothing short of amazing thus far. Be on the lookout to see what’s next.
What words of advice do you live by?
“Nevertheless, she persisted.”
Please provide your contact information so that others can reach
out to you.
Daphne Lee c/o PR: jpolisky12@gmail.com
If you are a queen and want to be featured in the Royal Spotlight series, please email krystle@krystlebell.com.
Leave a Reply