Platform Example

Name: Jane Doe

Pageant: Miss Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Hometown: Anytown, America

Contestant Number: __________

Date of Birth: December 29, 1981

Education: University of State – Sophomore – Bachelor of Science, Liberal Arts

Frederick Douglass High School

Platform Issue: Celebrating Cultural Diversity and Inclusiveness

Scholastic/Career Ambition: Obtain a Masters of Business Administration

Talent: Pop Vocal/ “Fallen”

Scholastic Honors: Recipient of National Coca-Cola Scholarship; Recipient of the Metropolitan Urban League National Scholarship; Dean’s List; Member of the President’s Leadership Council at the University of Central Florida

Leadership Roles: Created and implemented a comprehensive Cultural Diversity Education Curriculum for grades K-12 in twelve (12) Florida Public School; Spearheaded Cultural Diversity Resolution passed by the Florida House of Representatives ; University Student Body Senator; High School Senior Class President; College Sorority President.

Accomplishments: Recipient of the J.C. Penney Golden Rule Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service to Community; Recipient of the National Conference for Community and Justice Humanitarian Award; Performer, Grand Ole Opry in Nashville; Have completed two (2) marathons; Piano Performance scholarship at State University.

Interesting Facts: First person on either side of my family to attend college; Youngest of five children with a 13 year gap between me and my next oldest sister and an almost 30 year gap between the oldest and myself.

Employment: Internship with a Law Firm; Internship with local ABC television affiliate; Student Assistant at State University.

Legacy: My hope is that in the year of my service as Miss (Elk City/Queen of the West) I would leave a marked, concrete, and measurable difference in this area regarding the way we respect each other’s cultural heritage. I hope that through my continued involvement on the local/state and national level with the Conference for Community and Justice that we will hold events at the grass roots level that not only discuss the topic, but also bring about local and statewide policy changes in which we address cultural diversity in the workplace.

Why I should be Miss Northwestern Oklahoma State University this year: It is critical that this nation face and embrace its cultural diversity issues and it must be done now. The traditional ethnic make-up of our country is rapidly changing and unless we confront and inoculate the potential conflicts that might arise, we are headed to potential racial conflicts we have not seen since the 1960s. These conflicts are generally caused by fear and ignorance. Through a spokesperson dedicated to the issue cultural diversity can be given a face and a voice, we can begin the educational process that need to take place. The reality is that the Miss America Organization can provide a great sphere of influence among our nation’s youth. By placing local titleholders, state titleholders and Miss America in the midst of our nation’s youth we start the process of changing mindsets and, ultimately, changing the way in which they will treat each other in the future. The issues related to Cultural Diversity and Inclusiveness is not just related to race, but also to religion, cultural differences and sexism. There is no greater role for a Miss Elk City, Miss Oklahoma or Miss America than to educate, empower, and embrace the issue of cultural diversity at this point in our nation’s history.

Name: Jane Doe

Pageant: Miss Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Celebrating Cultural Diversity and Inclusiveness

It is imperative that this nation face and embrace its cultural diversity. While many people have talked about this issue, I believe that most of them have only paid lip service to the true necessity of what needs to be addressed related to this issue. There is a false truth in merely accepting and tolerating cultural diversity. I intend to prove that in order to accept and understand people of other cultures; one must be willing to step out of a personal cultural comfort zone and identify the origin of their prejudice. I will specifically focus on three areas: Children, Communities, and Businesses.

The title of Miss Pageant, combined with the national media already looking at the surface of this issue, will allow me to create a national awareness that must exist. Currently, the term “Cultural Diversity” is well known in the halls of institutions of higher learning and, perhaps, even in the public school classroom because of the need for some to be politically correct. But. in order for us to make a true change in attitudes and behaviors of Americans, we must move beyond talk and into action and policy changes.

My plan is to motivate the media and to partner with the National Conference for Community and Justice. This organization has chapters in every major city in the nation and, in many cases those chapters have community leaders involved who can, with encouragement and challenging, bring this issue out of hiding and into the public light in each of those communities.

Obviously, the media and the NCCJ already exist. However, what is lacking is a lightning rod to draw attention to this issue. This is where the Miss America Organization steps into the lead. What better role is there for Miss Pageant that to be an agent of change in organizing our nation to accept our differences and to create an environment that values each person on individual characteristics rather than on stereotypes or assumptions?

For years, Miss America was seen as a young woman who cut ribbons and appeared in parades. It is time for Miss America to step out of the convertible and lead the parade. Our country’s ethnic make-up is changing rapidly and our citizen’s fear of terrorism can explode already existing, but deeply hidden prejudices. I want to be the leader that this nation needs.

This nation needs this issue addressed now and through the already existing NCCJ and its local and state organizations combined with the power of the Miss America Organization, we can make a concrete difference now, which will change the direction and the future of our nation.

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Signature/ Date