Mrs & Miss Maryland International 2012 Pageant

Congratulations to the new titleholders for 2012. Chardia Murray - Miss Maryland International 2012 and Deanna Linz - Mrs Maryland International 2012. Wishing you a fantastic year and journey as you go around the state and region promoting your platform and the International system. All the best.

You have a phenomenal team of leaders and professionals in DeShawn, Deanna, Tracey, Crystal, Hassana, LaShawn, Vikki and others working and walking with you along your journey so you're in great hands.

Go Team Maryland!

Internet Essentials National Launch at Ballou High School, Washington D.C.

Sandra Bryan Grier, Mrs. Maryland International 2011,  Region Operations Manager, Comcast with Donna Rattley Washington, Region VP of Government Affairs for Comcast at the Internet Essentials Launch at Ballou High School, Washington D.C..  Internet Essentials is a nationwide program, which provides families with children who are eligible to receive free lunches under the National School Lunch Program with low-cost Internet service, affordable computers and digital literacy. The goal of Internet Essentials is to help close the digital divide and ensure more Americans benefit from all the Internet has to offer. This program will allow for students to stay on target with lessons for school, get homework help online, allow parents to communicate with educators and transform the way we educate our leaders of tomorrow. If you know of anyone who would qualify have then go to one of the links below: 
http://www.internetessentials.com/about/index.html
http://www.internetessentials.com/Learning/Landing.html

Thanks to Madison Donovan Group and Deanna McCray James for securing tickets for the MD International titleholders to attend the Heart and Soul Awards Gala in Baltimore, Md. I had an amazing and memorable evening walking the Red Carpet, being treated as VIPs and rubbing elbows w/ Boris and Nicole Ari Kodjoe, Vanessa Williams, Michael Baisden, Jeff Bradshaw, Kindred The Family Soul, Jeff Majors and other VIP guests.

The highlight of the evening was meeting the community activist and award recipients who were honored for all of the work they do to make a difference in our communities and across the world. Awardees ranged from the First Lady Michelle Obama, Doctors who not just heal your wounds on the outside, they help you heal on the inside. Fitness and health minded people who worked diligently to keep their body healthy both inside and outside and help inspire others to do the same. Community activists who are engaged in revitalization of areas where planting seeds of change not just improve the environment but is a pathway to economic prosperity for its residents.  Awardees that were driven to make a difference through and by what they were experiencing and used that to change the lives of others. One of the Awardees was Ambassador Susan Johnson-Cook, Ph.D. and was recently confirmed as the U.S. Ambassador on Religious Freedom and the first African-American woman to hold that position. She will be traveling the world, representing, and promoting tolerance for all religions. I had an opportunity to speak with the Ambassador and know that her work will be challenging but resolved that she has the heart and ability to be an amazing representative for our county. 

The awards ceremony was hosted by Boris Kodjoe and Vanessa Williams. The entertainment by MAYSA, Kindred The Family Soul and Doreen Vail and we were assigned special seating in the front row. Thanks to Hear & Soul Magazine for all they do in helping us live healthier, wealthier and wiser lives and for acknowledging some of the most remarkable women and one very special man for doing the same in their lives and others in their communities.

Sandra Bryan-Grier
Mrs. Maryland International 2011