SPMG Media talks with Shanice McKinley Reed, Director of the Miss Compton Pageant
The Miss Compton Pageant Saturday, August 4, 2018 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm Douglas F. Dollarhide Community Center 301 N Tamarind Ave, Compton, California 90220 TICKETS – https://www.misscompton.com/index.php
The Pageant is now in its 7th year, how has the pageant changed over the years?
The most meaningful change over the years is this year the structure of how we organize the pageant has changed and I believe we have a significant amount of growth. This year I feel that we truly encouraged more community involvement throughout the entire pageant event progress. The first thing that we did to encourage this community involved was gaining the support of our city through the office of Councilwoman Emma Sharif. We also set up a community committee that meets every two weeks and they share their ideas, assist with the decisions on what they will like to see from the Miss Compton Pageant event this year. The committee also has the opportunity to assist in picking judges, decorations and getting other community members involved in this great event. This year, it was truly important for us to make this truly a community pageant!
I believe the quality of contestants each year that joins gets better and better each. My team is always looking at how should we improve each year, and I believe overall the show improves every year as well!
How have winners of the Miss Compton pageant made a difference for the City of Compton?
I believe the winners have made an impact in the City of Compton by continuing the mission of the pageant and being positive role models in the community of Compton.
Our Miss Compton 2017, Maliyah Mason has also had the opportunity to work alongside with her mother Coledias Y. Wilson and the Mayor of Compton, Aja Brown at many impactful events in the City of Compton and outside of the City of Compton, representing the community in a positive way. Just to name a few events Maliyah Mason has had the opportunity to attend with the with Mayor Aja Brown are: the Teen Vogue Summit, A Wrinkle in Compton with Ava DuVernay, Mayor Aja Brown’s Thanksgiving Dinner with Master P. and the 5th Annual Mayor Brown & 4th District Councilwoman Emma Sharif’s Toy Giveaway that consisted of many celebrities that also took part in being a services to the community that day.
Another thing that our Miss Compton 2017, Maliyah Mason has done to make an impact in the community of Compton is, during her reign as Miss Compton 2017, Maliyah Mason’s platform was to introduce the youth of Compton to classical music. She has been able to accomplish her mission by partnering with the House of Blues to help donate instruments to a few local seniors that attended Dominguez High School and Compton High School. They were going off to college and needed their own instruments.
Miss Teen Compton 2017, Brooklynn Pierson as also made a significant impact in the City of Compton by continuing the pageant’s mission of changing the negative stereotypes associated with the community of Compton, CA and inner-city communities. For example, Brooklynn Pierson, Miss Teen Compton 2017 is a special needs student receiving education. Even being labeled ‘special needs’, Brooklynn Pierson is beating all odds. There is already a bad stereotype associated with youth from Compton, just imagine a youth from Compton, CA with a disability. This is an even bigger stereotype to overcome! Special Needs students are often written off, however Brooklynn Pierson is the true testimony to the fact that no matter what obstacles you may be facing, if you can put your mind to accomplishing your goals, it can happen!! Brooklynn Pierson recently graduated from Compton High School in June of 2018 and is planning to attend Compton College’s Cosmetology program. Brooklynn Pierson has also attended many appearances this year, shining a positive light on the community of Compton. Just to name a few: She represented the City of Compton in many parades outside of the community of Compton showcasing the community positively such as, the MLK parade in Los Angeles, the Daisylane Parade in Long Beach, the Watts Christmas Parade and the Long Beach Veterans Parade. She has also represented the City of Compton at the Miss Inspiration pageant, in Los Angeles and work alongside with the contestants of the Miss Inspiration pageant to raise funds for the Junior Foundation Charities to support children with cancer.
This year you have Councilperson Emma Sharif, District 4 as an event sponsor. How did this partnership come about?
One day I was speaking with a few of my good friends that are natives of the City of Compton that assist with the Miss Compton Pageant every year and we was talking about the importance of getting the city to support the pageant this year and how we wanted to shift the director of this year’s pageant a little bit by making the pageant even more community focused. Due to my years of working alongside with Councilwoman Emma Sharif and her support of the pageant since the beginning of me re-opening the pageant, I felt she would be the best person for me to reach out to and share our vision for this year’s pageant. She was excited to help, and immediately gave us her support.
How has your involvement in organizing this event changed you?
Putting together the community committee and reach out to the community for ideas and organizing more meetings with the pageant’s staff to reflect on how to improve is the biggest change. In previous year, most people help me closer to the end of the organizing the pageant each year. This year, I got people involved in the beginning stages of organizing the pageant.
Another tremendous change is getting a City of Compton completely involved in this year’s event. Previously, we will just invite them to support the girls in giving certificates from the city, allowing them to speak at council meetings, going out to the pageant on the day of the show to support the girls and purchasing ads in our program booklet. This year, we are getting them also involved in the beginning of the planning stage through the office of Councilwoman Emma Sharif’s office.
What would you say to encourage a young lady that might be interested in participating?
I would say, the Miss Compton Pageant is a life changing event. It’s bigger than about winning a crown; you will have the opportunity to be a role model to the next generation. Contestants will also learn skills that will help them in their lives and careers outside of the pageant. For example, the public speak aspect of the pageant is one of the skills they learn in the classes we host in the summer. Public speaking is a skill they will use when trying to land their dream career, and many other examples throughout their lives. This is one of the most important skills to have during your path of being successful.
Contestants will also learn the skill of overcoming their fears and doing things outside of their comfort zone. After competing in the pageant, contestants are more confident and welling to try new things that they may have not tried before competing in the Miss Compton Pageant.
What does the winner of the pageant receive?
Each winner of the pageant Miss Compton and Teen Compton will receive a $1,000 scholarship for higher education if they completely fulfill their 1-year reign in good standing.
Pageant winners participate in various events throughout the year. How are they booked for these events?
Once queens are crowned Miss Compton and Miss Teen Compton, we give queens a monthly calendar of community events in and outside of the community and queens have the opportunity to pick those events to attend or queens have the opportunity to pick other events that may not be on the calendar they may send to the pageant for approval to attend. The last way queens are booked for event is organization or individuals may contact the pageant to request queen’s appearances their event.
What changes have you seen in participants in the pageant over the years?
The quality of the contestants each year gets better and better each! Every year, I get excited all over again to meet the young ladies; so beautiful and intelligent and full of dreams and hope. These young ladies are truly our next generation of leaders.
I understand individuals can vote for the Miss Compton of their choice online. How would they go about that?
Individuals can vote for their choice for Miss Compton and Miss Teen Compton via the website or via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/misscomptonpageant/
How are your judges chosen?
I work hard to ensure I have a diverse group of judges so that we will have the opportunity to get a well-rounded queen. I chose judge that will first be a good role model to the contestants and the community and I consider an inspiration. Secondly, I make it a point to mix the judge panel with different ethnicity that reflects the community of Compton. Lastly, I also like to mix the judge panel with community leaders, business owners, people that have experience in pageantry and lastly individuals involved in the entertainment industry.
How would our audience get tickets to the event?
Tickets are available at the website at https://misscomptonpageant.bigcartel.com/
Sponsors for this year’s pageant include: Compton 125 Historical Society, Darla’s Dollhouse, CityPride Magazine and KLIQ 1670 AM. Sponsor and volunteer opportunities still available. Contact info@misscompton.com.