As the reigning Teen Miss United States, Candice created and organized from the ground up, an event that was the first of it's kind on The University of Kentucky Campus. Candice was able to help secure The University of Kentucky as one of five schools chosen in the nation, to received a $5,000 grant from Kappa Delta Sorority.
Five grants where given to help promote self confidence through the "Confident U" campaign. Thousands of women across the US got to participate in the Confident U campaign, and thanks to Candice's hard work, women in Kentucky got to be apart of this special grant.
Candice was quoted as saying to the local Kentucky news station WHAS 11 “Confident U is all about strengthening confidence within every young lady. As the negative connotations within the media continue to progress, we are here at UK trying to counteract the effects of unrealistic body images that are thrown at girls every day".
Candice's creation - her show "Confident Couture" was a benefit fashion show promoting self-confidence and self-esteem in young women. The show was geared toward high school teens preparing for prom. Candice organized this massive fashion show, she was determined to help the Confidence Coalition get their message out to girls in her own home state of Kentucky.
Candice wanted to help make sure every girl who participated in the event got to walk across the stage and feel beautiful in every way possible. Candice was able to pull of a true Haute Couture Fashion Show of CONFIDENCE where young women from all over Lexington and the surrounding areas had the opportunity of a lifetime, to walk in this PROM FASHION SHOW!
With gowns provided by Très Chic Boutique of Lexington along with hair and make-up professionally completed by the boutique’s stylists, the event was one of the most fabulous events I have ever seen!
It was so empowering to see young women of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds come together to not only show confidence in themselves but also support for each other. They where each dressed in an amazing designer gown (from Tres Chic Boutique) with their hair and make-up looking flawless. Many of these young women had never had make-up or hair professional done before NOR had they ever modeled on a runway.
American teens face so many challenges and see negative images of beauty in the media everyday. To see 150+ young girls all gathered at The University of Kentucky to not only embrace confidence in themselves but also each other was more powerful than words can describe!
Over 150 young women participated in the "Confident Couture" at The University of Kentucky campus. Each and every young woman who took the stage exuded beauty, confidence and looked ready to take on life!
ALL proceeds from the event went to the Bluegrass Domestic Violence Prevention Center.
Bluegrass Domestic Violence Center or BDVP is the primary domestic service provider for prevention and intervention services in the Bluegrass Area Development District in Central Kentucky, along with a safe and healing shelter program for women and children. The Bluegrass Area Development District is made up of 17 Central Kentucky counties which Bluegrass services. A representative from the Bluegrass Center joined me on stage to talk about the center, what it does and how many young mothers and families would benefit from "Confident Couture's" donation. Candice along with the Kappa Delta Sorority of Kentucky raised almost 3,000 dollars for the Bluegrass Domestic Violence Center - It was simply amazing!
Details on the event:
Confident Couture was held March 6, 2011 at the University of Kentucky Grand Ballroom and doors opened to the public at 4:00 P.M. Tickets were sold in advance and at the door. The fashion show had numerous celebrity guests that provided their own words of wisdom and confidence for every model involved in the show.
I had the amazing opportunity to be the official emcee for the Confident Couture event. Along with Candice and many others, we all worked together to ensure that every young women left feeling like they embodied self-confidence in all aspects of life.
Local Kentucky television station, WHAS 11 was in attendance to interview myself and Candice to find out about the Prom Fashion Show and "Confidence U". Again, ALL proceeds from the event went to the Bluegrass Domestic Violence Prevention Center. However, other groups where represented and supported at the event: Confident U, Girls Scouts of America and Dreaming of a Dress.
The Girl Scouts of America had an fantastic group of young women who attended "Confident Couture" and a representative joined me on the stage to talk about Girl Scouts and what the organization had done for her personally. It's a fantasic organization that helps young girls across the US realize their dreams and become our tomorrow's leaders.
Every young women that walked across the stage received a certificate at the end of the show for 5 hours of community service, along with discounts from numerous surrounding locations of dress shops, florists, limo services, nail and hair salons, etc. to make sure that their prom night is everything they could ever hope for!
Some of the amazing girls who graced the stage:
I fight everyday to break the stereotype of how people view "pageant queens". It's not about the title, crown or sash for us - It's about the difference we can make in our own communities and in other young women's life.
This event was Candice's dream and along with Kappa Delta Sorority she worked hard to make it happen, not for her own gain, but for the 150+ girls in her community that would benefit. This is just the start of Candice's bright future at The University of Kentucky, but during her reign as Teen Miss United States 2010 she was able to bring an event so special to The University of Kentucky's campus that was one of a kind.
I was already proud of Candice as my sister queen and for her accomplishments thus far, but watching her plan this event and then see it come to life for so many amazing women really made me PROUD. Proud to say that this is what the United States Pageant System and it's title holders are all about.... Giving Back To Others!
-Miss United States 2010
Jessica Black
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