🎙Newz and Trendz with Dave and Len: Black News Episode 118

[00:00:12] Alright y'all get ready for another edition of Newz and Trendz with your host Dave and Len.

[00:00:31] Welcome, welcome, welcome to Newz and Trendz with Dave and Len. I am one of your hosts, David Coker, a prior to Dave Mark, Inc.

[00:00:40] Promoter, event planner, all around good guy, man about town, and I'm hanging out with my partner Leonard Young. What's going on sir?

[00:00:48] Hey Dave, everything is good. This is Leonard Young, CEO of National Black Guy, DelawareBlack.com, black media specialist, all around good guy. How's it going, Dave?

[00:01:00] Man, I can't call it. It's another day.

[00:01:05] Another dollar?

[00:01:07] Yeah, another day. Well in your case, another five billion dollars.

[00:01:12] I wish.

[00:01:14] I wish.

[00:01:17] But yeah, it's a day after the Memorial Day holiday and you know, hope everyone had a great holiday yesterday and of course we have to remember those fallen soldiers and those who served in the armed forces.

[00:01:35] Thank you, especially those who are no longer with us for your service.

[00:01:41] Did you do anything over the weekend, man? Did you do a Memorial Day celebration?

[00:01:47] Not really. I was working. So I mean pretty much this. I feel like every holiday from now is going to be a working holiday.

[00:01:55] Okay.

[00:01:57] What about you? You going to any cookouts, any fish fries? Did the church have a fish fry or anything?

[00:02:03] No, no, no, no. But we're actually in this. We'll probably do one in July. So I'll have to keep you reminded about that.

[00:02:11] So but no, I didn't do anything, man. Just kind of chilled and was lazy. I was lazy yesterday. I didn't go out there.

[00:02:19] Must be nice.

[00:02:22] Yeah. Well, I mean, you know, I'm not at your stature. You know, I can't do it.

[00:02:27] You should have come down to the campground.

[00:02:30] Hang out.

[00:02:32] You know what? If you had said if you said, Dave, I'm going down to the campground, I might have went with you because they got it. I might have.

[00:02:40] All right. Yeah. Next time. Next time. I'll catch you next time.

[00:02:44] Coming up. We got Juneteenth coming up. Yeah, we do.

[00:02:47] But yeah, I guess you got a lot of stuff going on down there. I know you guys. What you say? You got a comedy show going on down there this weekend.

[00:02:56] Yep. We have a comedy show Saturday with three Delaware local comedians.

[00:03:04] Nancy Burkett, Co Izzy and Chica Loca.

[00:03:10] So, you know, we're expecting a good turnout, good show.

[00:03:13] Saturday information on the G and R campground website.

[00:03:17] So that that should be good. Looking forward to that.

[00:03:21] Of course, next weekend.

[00:03:23] The big week.

[00:03:25] Black music.

[00:03:28] Yep. So next weekend there is a promoter Sam Sam B Entertainment who is hosting possibly Delaware's first coined comedy show.

[00:03:38] Who is hosting possibly Delaware's first coined with the name Delaware Black Music Fest.

[00:03:47] And it's gonna be a G and R campground. So, you know, I think it'll be a good turnout.

[00:03:52] Be wild. Be be wild. You know, good music, good people and, you know, maybe hopefully almost that family reunion by, you know,

[00:04:02] So people just out there kind of kicking.

[00:04:05] That's what it looks like it might be, you know.

[00:04:08] And, you know, I know you said good music. I know we're gonna have you have Beth Kepsoll down there.

[00:04:15] You're gonna have Tracy A and A-List. You're gonna have for jazz lovers.

[00:04:20] You got Tony Smith, Tony Big Cat Smith and his band.

[00:04:24] Then three different DJs down there from upstate, middle state and downstate.

[00:04:29] Yeah. Yeah.

[00:04:33] They pretty much have the whole state.

[00:04:35] Yeah, no feature on our own. DJ Tim Dogg.

[00:04:41] So it's gonna be pretty nice with those that get a chance to check it out.

[00:04:48] And I think 11 to 6, you said right? 11 to 6.

[00:04:51] Yes. Yep. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

[00:04:54] Advanced ticket sales only.

[00:04:57] Yeah. So definitely definitely want to check that out.

[00:05:03] It should be a very nice event.

[00:05:05] Man, I tell you, you're gonna be busy.

[00:05:08] Oh, well, hopefully I'm not that busy because, you know, Sam's pretty well organized.

[00:05:14] So the more organized the promoter is, the less busy I'll be.

[00:05:19] I'll put it like that.

[00:05:21] Okay. All right. Well, yeah, I know about that.

[00:05:22] I know. I never have any events that I've ever done.

[00:05:27] I never try to put too much on the post of the event, you know?

[00:05:31] So yeah, so it should be on that.

[00:05:34] All they need to do is provide the place.

[00:05:36] Right. And for whatever's in the contract and then we.

[00:05:40] Yeah. All right.

[00:05:42] That's great. That's great.

[00:05:44] Look forward to it.

[00:05:46] Can't wait, matter of fact, and we just need the weather to hold out and make sure that.

[00:05:50] Crazy rain or anything.

[00:05:52] So we're not going to talk about that.

[00:05:54] We will.

[00:05:56] All right.

[00:05:58] That's right.

[00:06:00] Yeah, that's right.

[00:06:02] Matter of fact, I want to say, we just mentioned Tim.

[00:06:06] I want to say on air.

[00:06:08] Happy anniversary to him and his wife, Veronica.

[00:06:13] They just celebrated their first anniversary.

[00:06:16] Congratulations.

[00:06:17] Well, I see yesterday.

[00:06:18] I think it was.

[00:06:20] So congratulations, guys.

[00:06:23] And, you know, let's let's keep it going.

[00:06:26] You know, so we can toast you guys again next year.

[00:06:29] So all right.

[00:06:31] So just wanted to make sure I got that out.

[00:06:34] All right.

[00:06:36] Well, with all of that out of the way.

[00:06:39] We have a guest for you guys to enjoy today.

[00:06:43] We always love to have you guys.

[00:06:44] You know, someone very unique and someone very special.

[00:06:48] So we can go ahead and.

[00:06:51] Let's get you to read her bio and then bring her on.

[00:06:55] OK. Yep.

[00:06:56] So today we have Janice Borel.

[00:07:00] She is a former Miss Delaware for America strong.

[00:07:04] And she is 34 years old.

[00:07:06] Her platform is called the American Strong.

[00:07:10] And she's a former American Strong.

[00:07:12] She is 34 years old.

[00:07:14] Her platform was to motivate other women to embrace their natural inner beauty.

[00:07:20] Borel has also appeared on the Single Momming and Queening podcast in November of 2022.

[00:07:28] Miss Borel has been in the beauty industry for over 12 years.

[00:07:31] She is a licensed cosmetologist staff slash aesthetics instructor.

[00:07:38] Her passion is modeling and motivating others to find their true inner beauty.

[00:07:43] Currently, she works in a salon called Smith Styles in Middletown, Delaware.

[00:07:48] Janice is a self-care advocate.

[00:07:51] She finds her.

[00:07:52] She finds her purposes fulfilled when she encourages others to love and learn, love and learn themselves.

[00:07:59] She's also a runway model where several doors have been open for her in many states.

[00:08:05] One specifically, New York Fashion Week.

[00:08:09] Currently with four children and life's obstacles constantly set in her path, she keeps striving always to do better and always give back.

[00:08:20] In her community, she also loves to support local brands and businesses to help increase generational wealth among families.

[00:08:28] Her testimony displays transparency and humility throughout her journey.

[00:08:33] Her true beauty is displayed in her resilience, dedication, skills and continuous desire to inspire others to keep pushing for great greatness no matter what.

[00:08:46] She hopes her in her journey, encourage others to do it as well because finding your true self will lead to happiness.

[00:08:55] So without further ado, I want to introduce Janice Borel.

[00:08:59] How are you?

[00:09:00] I'm wonderful.

[00:09:01] How are you?

[00:09:02] Good, good, good.

[00:09:03] I have never been so tongue-tied on a intro before, so I apologize.

[00:09:09] It's okay.

[00:09:10] It's a lot.

[00:09:11] It comes with a lot with Miss Delaware.

[00:09:14] First, on behalf of Dave and I, we just want to welcome you to the show and thank you for taking your time out of your busy schedule to come kick it with the two good guys over here.

[00:09:27] We thank you.

[00:09:29] So, I mean, definitely a lot of good information on your bio.

[00:09:32] So I will start with can you tell us about Miss Delaware for America Strong and how did you get involved?

[00:09:41] Okay, so Miss Delaware for America Strong is an organization that was designed for women who have had children, women who are single, single widowed, things like that.

[00:09:58] That organization was something that was very, very important for women because of the stigmas or not even stigmas of the rules that they have for a pageantry.

[00:10:12] Because pageantry sometimes like back in the day it was really, really strict where you couldn't have children and things like that, which I became a young mother at 16.

[00:10:22] So, yeah.

[00:10:24] So being a pageant was something I always wanted to do, but I had a baby.

[00:10:29] So, you know, my mom at the time was like, oh no, you can't do that, this and that.

[00:10:33] So I kind of got discouraged and just kind of threw it out my head.

[00:10:37] But at 31, the opportunity came back for out of nowhere, out the blue.

[00:10:45] I actually was modeling for a boutique, Sabria Boutique in Bear.

[00:10:50] I had just randomly walked in the store because I was taking my kids to the sweet frog that's there.

[00:10:55] And, you know, all praises to the most high.

[00:10:59] I always refer to the most high because he's like everything.

[00:11:02] Like he is the world, everything.

[00:11:05] Anyway, so I went in there, something told me go in there.

[00:11:08] So I went in there, introduced myself and I started modeling.

[00:11:12] And the lady that was there, Darielle Draper, she was Miss Delaware 2021.

[00:11:18] And she handed me her card and I was like, oh my God, she's younger than me.

[00:11:21] She's like 21, 22.

[00:11:23] And she was like, you can do this.

[00:11:25] I said, girl, you know how old I am?

[00:11:27] I was like, I can't do that.

[00:11:29] And she was like, yes, you can.

[00:11:31] She was like, it's for you.

[00:11:33] And I was like, oh my God.

[00:11:34] So I told her, I said, yeah, just sign me up.

[00:11:37] I got a call like an hour later from my director, Susan.

[00:11:40] I love her greatly.

[00:11:41] Susan Leeserman.

[00:11:42] She called me, she said, tell me about yourself.

[00:11:46] And then after that, she was like, okay, I want to offer you a title.

[00:11:50] I was like, I lost it.

[00:11:53] Like, I just could not believe it.

[00:11:54] I was like, this opportunity has came for all these years.

[00:11:57] I wasn't even thinking about it and it just full circle came back.

[00:12:00] So I took the opportunity, ran with it, did my best.

[00:12:04] And my very first pageant, I won Miss Delaware 2021.

[00:12:08] My very first pageant.

[00:12:11] Well, first of all, were you surprised?

[00:12:14] And then how excited were you?

[00:12:16] Okay.

[00:12:17] So I cried for a whole week after I won.

[00:12:20] I cried so hard.

[00:12:23] And because it was like, I was going through like a lot of transition at the time.

[00:12:29] I was going through a breakup.

[00:12:31] I was going through finding myself and figuring out who I am and, you know,

[00:12:36] still being a mother to my children.

[00:12:38] It just was a lot.

[00:12:40] And when the opportunity came forth, it kind of was like a confirmation from the most high.

[00:12:44] Like, it's your time now.

[00:12:46] It's your time to make space for yourself, make space for you.

[00:12:50] You know, you're a great mom.

[00:12:51] You can do this.

[00:12:52] You know, you're striving.

[00:12:53] You're doing what you got to do.

[00:12:55] You deserve your you time.

[00:12:56] So that kind of put a light bulb in my head.

[00:12:59] Like, it could be done, you know, because a lot of times single mothers feel like your life is over once you become a mom or, you know, people tell you that people tell you that at 16 when I had my baby at 16 people.

[00:13:12] Oh, your life is over.

[00:13:14] You're not going to be nobody.

[00:13:15] This and that.

[00:13:16] So I found myself having to try to prove myself, you know, over the years, which causes a lot of obstacles.

[00:13:23] But, you know, all in all, becoming a pad being in the pageant, it kind of just made me aware of who I am.

[00:13:30] What kind of person do I want to be?

[00:13:32] Or or what do I want to deliver when I walk in a room?

[00:13:36] What kind of I call it a scent aroma.

[00:13:40] What kind of aroma do I want to leave when I leave the room?

[00:13:44] You know, and that it just was a great eye opener for me.

[00:13:50] Wow.

[00:13:51] I mean, congratulations.

[00:13:53] So and I just say because I'm sure winning on your first pageant must be like, you know, I'm like, I'm the issue almost like, listen, let me tell you, it boosted me.

[00:14:07] Okay.

[00:14:08] It boosted me so much.

[00:14:10] It was like because I practice, I study because this is the thing.

[00:14:14] Paddingtree is different between it's a difference between being sexy and classy.

[00:14:20] Me personally, I'm going to keep it 100 with y'all.

[00:14:22] I'm on the sexy side.

[00:14:24] I like to be sexy, sassy.

[00:14:26] That's me.

[00:14:27] But Paddingtree was like, hold on, you got to clean that up a little bit.

[00:14:32] You got to shape it up a little bit.

[00:14:34] So with that being said, that's the beauty of it because I knew that I had to develop into somebody a better person, a better version of myself.

[00:14:43] I can still have my sass.

[00:14:45] I can still do that, but I need to be a better version because putting myself putting that crown on my head is making me a role model for other people.

[00:14:53] Other people, my color on top of that because when color girls see me, they were so shocked like, oh my God, it's a queen.

[00:15:01] And will locks.

[00:15:02] And will locks.

[00:15:03] So a lot of that had me like really I had to adjust.

[00:15:07] I had to adjust in my mind.

[00:15:09] I had to just adjust in certain things I post on social media.

[00:15:13] I had to adjust in how I walk, you know, my mentor, Deborah, Miss Deborah and Miss Karen.

[00:15:20] Oh my God, they're my mentors.

[00:15:22] I love them to death.

[00:15:23] My pageant queens.

[00:15:24] They was like, girl, if you don't take that hand off your hip, they had to whip me a shape.

[00:15:29] But it definitely changed.

[00:15:32] It changed.

[00:15:33] And being winning that the first time I just knew that God was like, you got this now just be you share your story and continue to develop.

[00:15:43] Now what what was the progression after that pageant?

[00:15:46] Do they have a national pageant on?

[00:15:49] Did you compete in that as well?

[00:15:51] Yes. So once you win the national city title or not city, excuse me, the state title, then you move forward to the national level.

[00:16:01] So national was a paid vacation.

[00:16:03] I was like a queen literally.

[00:16:05] OK, literally they sent us to Las Vegas.

[00:16:09] Eleven days out there.

[00:16:12] Yeah, that's a nice trip.

[00:16:14] That's a nice trip.

[00:16:15] Pack my bags.

[00:16:16] All I had to do is pack my bags and be the queen that I am and go there and represent Delaware.

[00:16:22] That's all I had to do.

[00:16:24] Again, it was a lot of preparation.

[00:16:26] It was all a practicing how to speak without having say in arms and eyes and and really digging deep into who is Janice Burrell?

[00:16:35] You know, so I had to I had to prepare myself for that.

[00:16:39] And when I got there, it was it was really challenging because.

[00:16:46] It was like kind of like bringing up old traumas or things like that, because I always used to say I don't get along with women.

[00:16:54] I always say that and reason being, I don't know.

[00:16:59] It just was kind of weird.

[00:17:00] But when I was around all those women, it was kind of like, oh, I was almost drawn back.

[00:17:04] Like, I can't compete with these women.

[00:17:06] It's women way smaller than me or women are I may feel way prettier than me.

[00:17:12] Like it.

[00:17:13] But I had to check myself like you're here for a reason.

[00:17:16] You're here for a reason because you're being your authentic self.

[00:17:19] You know, so there's a lot of you in the pageantry world.

[00:17:23] I feel like you have to know who you are regardless because you never know what where things can go.

[00:17:31] You know, I'm saying you always have to be aware of what what you standing on.

[00:17:35] You know, but at that national level, it was me against 49 other beautiful women.

[00:17:42] 49?

[00:17:43] Yes, the whole United States.

[00:17:46] I competed against the whole United States.

[00:17:49] Yeah, so it was it was beautiful.

[00:17:51] It was but we got treated so good.

[00:17:53] We had breakfast, lunch, dinner.

[00:17:55] We all we had to do is get up and get dressed and get pretty.

[00:17:57] They were there are sashes on and walk the halls and enjoy it.

[00:18:01] But it was it was beautiful.

[00:18:03] Awesome.

[00:18:04] Do you remember what?

[00:18:06] So I'm assuming it's kind of like the traditional patterns we see on TV.

[00:18:11] Do you remember what your question that you were asked was?

[00:18:16] Well, for the state, well, for the national level, we didn't get a question or one question until you was like a top.

[00:18:24] I didn't even get top 15.

[00:18:27] I felt some sideways.

[00:18:29] I was now you made it.

[00:18:31] You know, when you got there, when I was ready to cry, I was ready to just like throw my shoes off and just be like, OK, but again, I had to check myself like girl.

[00:18:42] You made it here like relax exactly.

[00:18:44] But yeah, so at that level, you don't get a onstage question or anything like that.

[00:18:49] OK, you know, get further.

[00:18:52] I remember my question clear as day.

[00:18:56] It was so if you were any animal in the jungle, what would you be outside?

[00:19:02] Why? Why? Why? Why ask those questions?

[00:19:05] I'll be a lion because I get anything I want like I'm going to get it.

[00:19:09] I'm a fierce. I'm going to get it.

[00:19:12] Like that literally was my question.

[00:19:15] Also, they do do like interview questions.

[00:19:18] So you're you're judged off of your interview, your gown and interview gown and like on stage presence or something like that.

[00:19:30] So your interview is your highest percentage.

[00:19:33] Now, the questions they asked me in there was kind of like they were really I don't know, it was really fluffy and they were easy to answer.

[00:19:43] One particular question, a lady asked me, she said your your resume is very extensive.

[00:19:48] How do you deal with haters?

[00:19:50] I was born away because I didn't I didn't know what to say.

[00:19:52] I was like, oh, yeah, I said, well, I really don't pay the haters any attention.

[00:19:57] I said they either fall off or they get with the program and they just, you know, rock out.

[00:20:02] It's just that simple.

[00:20:06] Right.

[00:20:09] Now, being being a mother of four and, you know, a pageant winner, how would you say did that kind of and I and I'll just say like this.

[00:20:24] Do you feel like that kind of boosted your career, boosted your let's say your status for yourself where you kind of went on to do things that you might not have done if you had not won that Delaware pageant?

[00:20:39] I do believe it definitely bar a lot of networking opportunities.

[00:20:46] Because a lot of times I would support what we even before the title, I would support like my local brands and stuff.

[00:20:52] I would do pop up shops.

[00:20:54] I host like pop up shops and things like that.

[00:20:56] A lot of times because I am an entrepreneur as well.

[00:21:00] But being the pageant and being in a pageant, it definitely brought a light to my organization, like or not my organization, but my business per se.

[00:21:10] It definitely molded me into understanding more of what again, my purpose.

[00:21:18] So it just it just made my moves more strategic in a sense.

[00:21:24] Yeah.

[00:21:25] So yeah, it helped out a lot.

[00:21:28] They continue to help and continue to help because it's just always stuff.

[00:21:32] Oh, especially modeling fashion shows.

[00:21:34] Oh, my God.

[00:21:36] Yeah, that that that's my thing.

[00:21:38] I always thought that I was just like a sit model, take pictures.

[00:21:44] But once I hit the runway that one time you can't you can't keep me off the runway now.

[00:21:48] Like I'm always booked for show.

[00:21:51] Right now from your bio, would you say that New York Fashion Week is your most prestigious runway that you walk?

[00:22:00] I will believe so.

[00:22:01] I will believe so.

[00:22:02] Yes.

[00:22:03] Besides, besides, I would say Nationals only because Nationals was hosted on Elvis Presley stage.

[00:22:10] So I was performing on Elvis Presley stage.

[00:22:13] Yeah.

[00:22:14] And I did get to visit his suite up there.

[00:22:16] It was beautiful.

[00:22:17] Gorgeous.

[00:22:18] Gorgeous.

[00:22:19] Gorgeous.

[00:22:20] I already know Dave got a lot of history to tell you about Elvis that may change your mind.

[00:22:24] Oh yeah right.

[00:22:26] I mean, don't get me wrong.

[00:22:28] I want to try and go down that Avenue because I know that guy.

[00:22:35] I'm just saying I don't know.

[00:22:38] I don't know.

[00:22:39] But I was on the stage.

[00:22:41] I just say it.

[00:22:44] And then for Janice, I also have to say I already know when when you state it your question that they asked you for the Delaware pageant.

[00:22:52] I already know Dave is going to try to steal that question for Dave's corner.

[00:22:56] One of these episodes coming up.

[00:22:58] But you already talked to her too.

[00:23:03] So when did you talk to her?

[00:23:05] We know about my question.

[00:23:10] He know about my question.

[00:23:11] No, but Janice, that question was asked in 2022.

[00:23:18] They went to watch the pageant.

[00:23:20] Unless they were watching.

[00:23:22] Because you can go back to the pageant.

[00:23:24] You can go watch it.

[00:23:25] Oh, no.

[00:23:26] So where can people watch it?

[00:23:31] Where can people watch the pageant?

[00:23:33] Will they go on YouTube and Google it?

[00:23:35] Yes, you can Google it or you can go on Pageant Planet and you can look up Miss Delaware for America 2022.

[00:23:44] And then it should have the links there as well.

[00:23:46] Got you.

[00:23:47] Awesome.

[00:23:48] Okay.

[00:23:49] So, well, I definitely want to congratulate you.

[00:23:51] I know Dave has some questions for you.

[00:23:53] Be careful what you say because he's going to try to steal your answer for Dave's corner.

[00:23:58] They know that God is talking.

[00:24:01] They're going to know that God is talking when they hear it.

[00:24:03] So they can be like, oh, God has said that.

[00:24:05] Yeah.

[00:24:06] God has said that.

[00:24:08] We better than that.

[00:24:09] You know.

[00:24:10] It's okay.

[00:24:11] Yeah, it's okay.

[00:24:12] It's terrible.

[00:24:13] It's terrible.

[00:24:14] You know, I'm your boy.

[00:24:16] Keep that in mind.

[00:24:17] All right.

[00:24:18] Knowledge is terrible.

[00:24:19] You supposed to share knowledge.

[00:24:21] I've been trying to share knowledge with Dave.

[00:24:24] They wanted all themselves.

[00:24:26] They were there.

[00:24:27] Oh, man.

[00:24:28] They were there.

[00:24:29] Let me find out.

[00:24:30] Look, I'm an intellectual.

[00:24:31] What can I say?

[00:24:32] You know, so I can't spell it, but I am one.

[00:24:35] So anyway,

[00:24:39] Your story is very, very inspirational.

[00:24:42] And I'm hoping that a lot of people who are listening will take time to really use your story to help to motivate themselves.

[00:24:53] I know I have a granddaughter that's been doing pageants forever.

[00:24:57] Matter of fact, she just became the photographer for Miss Teen Delaware and Miss Delaware.

[00:25:08] Oh, nice.

[00:25:09] Yeah.

[00:25:11] So, and she's doing very well.

[00:25:14] She still models and do pageants and everything.

[00:25:17] But she now has gone on the photographer side of the photography side of the coin to now look at.

[00:25:27] And this is because of the opportunities to pageants and model.

[00:25:31] It's so many opportunities.

[00:25:33] Even the fact that I'm a cosmetologist and also do skincare and hair, stuff like that.

[00:25:40] So it's like I don't even have to be competing.

[00:25:43] I could be behind the scenes and doing people hair, makeup and stuff like that.

[00:25:47] Just being a part of the pageant industry.

[00:25:50] I do like it a lot because it's just women are it's not even some people outside looking in making things like, oh, they're just being prissy.

[00:25:59] They're just pretty.

[00:26:00] They just pull it themselves.

[00:26:01] Listen, no, it's like digging deep into who you are.

[00:26:05] Like, right.

[00:26:06] It's not even it ain't even just putting on a cute dress and doing all that because you could be cute.

[00:26:11] You could be cute.

[00:26:12] But soon as you open your mouth, you can sound real crazy.

[00:26:14] And it's like, uh, let me judges me looking at you like, um, what does she just say?

[00:26:20] Because I have been on the judging side of it as well.

[00:26:22] So those are different opportunities open up to being on a judging side.

[00:26:26] So I have experienced both sides of the pageantry systems.

[00:26:31] So it's like, you know, it's a lot into it.

[00:26:34] So it's like, if you really want to change in yourself within yourself and you're willing to do the work, pageantry would definitely be something that would benefit you.

[00:26:46] Right.

[00:26:47] And that's that.

[00:26:48] And that's one of the reasons that I was saying what I was saying, because I know I've watched my granddaughter go through a transformation because she's tall.

[00:26:56] He was there and she just didn't think she ever fit in to her.

[00:27:01] Yeah, you know, everybody else.

[00:27:03] And now she's like now she's driving and she's she's had two billboards up in Times Square in New York.

[00:27:13] I mean, you know, and now she's also doing the cosmetology side as well.

[00:27:18] So, you know, with somebody like yourself who because I know you taught cosmetology as well.

[00:27:25] And you know, we're at the static, I should say.

[00:27:29] Right.

[00:27:30] And cosmetology.

[00:27:31] And I know that you have your hands on the pulse of being able to help other women and especially young women, you know, find their true self.

[00:27:42] What how do you feel when a woman actually does that?

[00:27:45] When you with somebody that you dealt with and you see them blossoming right in front of your eyes?

[00:27:53] Oh, it's like I see your face.

[00:27:57] Your face says a lot right there because it's like, yeah, it's awesome.

[00:28:02] It's like a bit.

[00:28:03] It's like birth of the child.

[00:28:05] Like it's like seeing your child grow or seeing like I just started growing plants recently.

[00:28:10] So I'm learning the growth cycle of life through plants and I'm applying that to the world because that's just how the system works.

[00:28:19] That's just nature.

[00:28:20] So I feel like when I do see people apply these things to their life and, you know, finding themselves because my thing is everybody's human.

[00:28:29] I want you to listen to me.

[00:28:30] I want you to find you.

[00:28:31] You know, don't don't try to do the same thing I'm doing because it's not going to work well for you.

[00:28:36] Like what's for me is for me.

[00:28:38] What's for you is always going to be for you.

[00:28:40] So when I find somebody I find our own swag their own way.

[00:28:45] Oh, my God.

[00:28:46] It's just so enlightening to me.

[00:28:47] And I'm like, I love that.

[00:28:49] Like it's a beautiful thing because you can go so far with that knowing who you are as an individual.

[00:28:56] I can imagine, you know, being able to touch somebody like that and be able to help them.

[00:29:01] Now, have you been doing any coaching in the pageant realm as far as coaching some young people up to do pageants?

[00:29:12] Or is that something that you kind of don't want to do or it's something that you have plans to do in the future?

[00:29:19] That's definitely something I kind of do.

[00:29:23] I have recruited like many people, like many people that were on the stage this year.

[00:29:28] I had encouraged to do it because they see me doing it and they they was like, yeah, I'm like, try it.

[00:29:35] Do it. It's fun.

[00:29:36] It's encouraging.

[00:29:37] I've encouraged a lot of people to do the pageant, which they are blossoming really well.

[00:29:42] They're being successful with it.

[00:29:43] So but the coaching part, honestly, I'm in a space right now where I'm like.

[00:29:52] Self-fulfilling myself, filling my cup up because I feel like, you know, I have to be completely full within myself in order for me to have overflow for other people.

[00:30:03] So I coach as close as I can.

[00:30:06] But when I feel like I'm depleted, I got to fall back.

[00:30:09] You know what I'm saying?

[00:30:10] So I'm just in a space now of learning how to control that that boundary be able to be like, all right, that's enough.

[00:30:19] Back up.

[00:30:20] That's enough.

[00:30:21] You know, I didn't help you enough.

[00:30:24] I'm trying.

[00:30:26] You know, but other than that, it is something that I do want to have bigger and do in the future to coach other pageant girls.

[00:30:37] Have you ever thought about what are your experiences in a book or writing a memoir or anything?

[00:30:48] Oh, yeah.

[00:30:51] Everybody asked me about a book, everybody.

[00:30:54] So again, with the pageantry, I do a lot of guest speaking and things like that.

[00:30:58] So I wrote a book.

[00:31:01] I actually have a book written, but I'm not ready to release it yet.

[00:31:07] I think I still need a little bit more cooking in these a little bit more simmering.

[00:31:13] Yeah, it got cook a little bit more.

[00:31:15] But yeah, because I definitely been through some been through some things, went through a lot of things and it just building me on who I am today.

[00:31:24] So I do a lot of journaling.

[00:31:28] So that kind of built and create created my book.

[00:31:32] So I'm like, OK, so yeah, it's coming.

[00:31:36] It's coming.

[00:31:38] OK, well, see, I think that with everything that goes on with that, I know I've done a lot of reading and seeing a lot of different things because I mean, you know, I've seen a lot of beauty pageants over the years.

[00:31:53] You know, from the, you know, Miss America's, you know, Miss Universe type pageants and all that kind of stuff.

[00:32:01] And when you look at when you look at the contestants and you you see everything that they go through to get ready for them, that that one day and then what goes on after, you know, if they're lucky enough to win what goes on afterwards.

[00:32:19] Now, of course, you also hear about the bad stories of people who lose these pageants and commit suicide or have feelings.

[00:32:33] You know, they have mental illness and they can't come back from the disappointment.

[00:32:39] How do you deal with disappointment when it comes to these things?

[00:32:47] See, I personally take disappointments and kind of like.

[00:32:55] Take it with a grain of salt because I'm like, OK, well, it's just not my time yet or I know I did my best.

[00:33:02] I just always look at I know I did my best because you never know.

[00:33:06] These people are judges like these are just people judging.

[00:33:10] You never know what type of person is behind these scores and things like that.

[00:33:16] So again, like I said, you know, far back in the interview, you have to it's important.

[00:33:22] You have to love yourself and you have to be strong and understand that you are everything you are bringing your best and just continue to strive.

[00:33:35] I had my second pageant. I lost my second pageant and I felt some type way a little bit, but I was like, OK, it is what it is.

[00:33:43] I was like, I really felt something like that because sometimes you spend a lot of money.

[00:33:49] You spend a lot of money. You spend a lot of practicing with coaches and late nights and designing dresses and your feet is hurting.

[00:33:58] You got blisters on your feet. You you got you know, you try to put makeup on your face.

[00:34:03] You try to smile and like it's a lot that come with it and for you to not win.

[00:34:08] Sometimes it does get discouraging. So, um, me difficulty.

[00:34:13] I just I just know that I did my best and I just keep it straight like that.

[00:34:19] Well, that's important because a lot of people, you know, as we have seen, you know, some people handle it differently.

[00:34:25] It's good. I'm glad to hear how you handle it because that's important.

[00:34:29] And that's inspiring to those who are listening to those that might want to go this route or even the modeling route as well.

[00:34:36] Because sports modeling is also one of those careers that could, you know, could break you or it can make you.

[00:34:45] Yeah, absolutely. Because even in even in a modeling.

[00:34:50] So you have OK, so pageantry and modeling is not the same.

[00:34:53] I'm going to clarify that right now. It's not the same.

[00:34:56] Pageantry is more of that bubbly, you know, role model, smiling, cheesing, happy, you know, things like that personality.

[00:35:05] Modeling is more like you're just a hanger.

[00:35:08] You're a hanger. Ain't nobody worried about what you look like.

[00:35:12] We just need your figure to be right.

[00:35:14] We need your figure to look right.

[00:35:16] So my outfit could look right because you're modeling the outfit.

[00:35:19] This is not about you. It's about the outfit.

[00:35:23] You know, so in certain cases like high fashion, things like that, certain modeling models, you can't smile.

[00:35:31] You want to have that straight face.

[00:35:32] Me, I struggle with that because I like the smile.

[00:35:34] I'm always smiling.

[00:35:36] So when it's something that requires me not to smile, I have to train myself.

[00:35:40] Janiece, this is not the time to smile.

[00:35:42] Like and I have to like you have to put in your mind, like, you know, you have to switch it off.

[00:35:48] You got to think about something or something to turn it off.

[00:35:51] You know, so.

[00:35:54] It's like it's a different vibe.

[00:35:58] So modeling has became more inclusive now to same thing with pageantry, with like plus size models and things like that.

[00:36:07] But certain certain things like I did several casting calls, some casting calls.

[00:36:13] I didn't get picked. Why?

[00:36:15] Because I'm not I'm not that five, ten, six foot.

[00:36:20] I'm not skinny, mini.

[00:36:22] I have a pudge.

[00:36:23] I got stretch marks.

[00:36:24] I'm a little thicker, you know, and certain look certain show don't want that look, you know, but certain shows.

[00:36:34] Oh my God, they curvy.

[00:36:35] Yes, we want her, you know what I'm saying?

[00:36:37] So you have to you have to study the shows for anybody that wants to model.

[00:36:42] You got to study the shows and study with their shows look like because you you it'll give you a better chance in the idea of if you qualify for this for that system or whatever.

[00:36:53] Even with pageantry to pageantry to you got to watch who do they pick?

[00:36:58] Who do they have the face of this pageant or whatever?

[00:37:01] Is it mostly some like somebody that's skinny?

[00:37:04] Some I mean, that's a whole nother story.

[00:37:06] I'm going to do your research.

[00:37:11] Yeah, well, I'm sitting here listening to you talking.

[00:37:15] It just brought me back.

[00:37:16] You just talked about, you know, plus size models and full size and curvy and then some of the imperfections and so forth.

[00:37:22] But I remember I go back a little bit.

[00:37:29] I remember with America's Next Top Model.

[00:37:33] Yes, and they had the first if I'm not mistaken, the first plus size black model on that show who happened to win the show.

[00:37:48] If I'm not mistaken, I think she won right to car.

[00:37:50] No, I think she got a second.

[00:37:51] I think Eva second came in second.

[00:37:53] She came in second.

[00:37:54] Was that the evil one?

[00:37:56] Yeah.

[00:37:57] Yeah.

[00:37:58] They're on the same show.

[00:37:59] OK.

[00:38:00] And they think I would say I know that got a crush on her.

[00:38:03] I was like, fine.

[00:38:04] Yeah.

[00:38:05] Yeah.

[00:38:06] Yeah.

[00:38:07] It was the first.

[00:38:08] It was the first time that we had ever seen anybody who looked like her in that type of in that type of situation.

[00:38:15] Right.

[00:38:16] Yeah.

[00:38:18] Yeah.

[00:38:19] And that opened the doors for other models that didn't look like the skinny minis that we were used to seeing all the time.

[00:38:31] Yes.

[00:38:32] Yeah.

[00:38:33] You know, so yeah.

[00:38:34] So that made a difference.

[00:38:35] So with somebody like yourself and you know, of course, nowadays women have that confidence and they have that look.

[00:38:45] You do the cosmetology, you're on the cosmetology and you do hair and you do all of this stuff.

[00:38:50] So you're able to see everything come together.

[00:38:54] You know, like you said, you're in the plant, you're planting now, you're gardening and all that type of stuff now.

[00:39:01] So you get to see it come together.

[00:39:04] Full circle.

[00:39:05] Full circle.

[00:39:06] And you get to see what happens as you cultivate it.

[00:39:09] And that's what you do.

[00:39:11] And that's what that's what this whole cycle is all about.

[00:39:14] Let me ask you, how many because we didn't we didn't see how many how many patterns have you competed in?

[00:39:21] Just three.

[00:39:25] Honestly, I'm fairly new.

[00:39:27] I'm fairly new.

[00:39:28] Like I literally tap my foot on the water and I just went deep.

[00:39:34] I just literally tapped in and just went deep.

[00:39:36] I said, Whoa, I won.

[00:39:38] Wait a second.

[00:39:39] Oh my God.

[00:39:40] Wait.

[00:39:41] Oh my God.

[00:39:42] Like it just happened like all just like that.

[00:39:44] It was just and I can say now I can say this with my status change, I did lose a lot of people.

[00:39:50] I lost a lot of people around me, a lot of quote unquote friends or quote unquote.

[00:39:56] What do you mean?

[00:39:58] Like when my status changed from Miss Bear to Miss Delaware for America strong.

[00:40:04] Oh, OK.

[00:40:06] When I won, when I won, people showed their true colors and I was upset because I was moving in a territory that I was unfamiliar with.

[00:40:17] I feel like Paddingtree is not a familiar Paddingtree in the black community.

[00:40:21] It's like when because when I was saying it to people, some people's like, wait, what is that?

[00:40:26] Wait, we can compete.

[00:40:28] Like a lot of people in the black community really didn't realize how they happen or what is it like and that I was doing a lot explaining with that.

[00:40:39] But all in all, man, I used to have so many friends, so-called friends, family, this and that.

[00:40:46] But once I grew and it was like it was like within a week, you know, someone said to me, oh, you're going to be selfish with the crown.

[00:40:57] So I'm like, what you say?

[00:40:59] What you want to do? Cut it in half.

[00:41:00] I don't know what we do every room I walk in.

[00:41:03] I'm bringing you I'm bringing you with me.

[00:41:05] Like I mentioned your name and every room I walk in like you can't bring everybody with you.

[00:41:10] And that's what I learned.

[00:41:11] That's why nowadays I just move on my own and if somebody wants to come, they're more than welcome.

[00:41:16] But I don't put my all in trying to bring people with me anymore because you get hurt like it's like, yo, I thought I thought we was going here and then now you mad like it was weird.

[00:41:30] It was a weird so I was like I won.

[00:41:34] But then I was in a dark place at the same time because I was losing people and literally a month before my month before my pageant, my best friend.

[00:41:45] She owed of she owed or whatever.

[00:41:48] She was on drugs and my childhood sister I grew up with.

[00:41:52] She wasn't my blood sister, but she was like my everything like my best friend.

[00:41:57] And she died a month before my pageant and I was about to quit.

[00:42:01] I was about to say, you know what?

[00:42:02] I'm not doing this pageant.

[00:42:04] There's no way I can compete when my sister is gone, you know, and I was like now she wouldn't let me give up.

[00:42:12] She had told me go ahead and get going.

[00:42:14] So I just I persevered and got it done.

[00:42:17] But it was rough.

[00:42:19] It was really rough.

[00:42:20] So I was it was it was a hard feeling.

[00:42:22] It was like I was happy but sad at the same time.

[00:42:25] But I had to get in a space of being self selfish in a sense like all right.

[00:42:31] Well, I created this life for myself.

[00:42:34] So I need to take it and go.

[00:42:36] Well, you have done very well for yourself.

[00:42:41] And we, you know, I know people who are listening or saying to their stuff.

[00:42:47] OK, you're motivated right now.

[00:42:50] You know, they're saying, OK, all right.

[00:42:52] All right. Let me ask one last question.

[00:42:55] What's the age limit of the Miss Delaware for I mean, Miss Delaware for America Strong?

[00:43:03] What's the age?

[00:43:04] It's 18, 18 and up.

[00:43:07] You could be however 18 and up.

[00:43:09] Yeah, there's no age in 18 and up.

[00:43:12] Somebody somebody's going to listen to this interview and they're going to say.

[00:43:17] I'm going to do this.

[00:43:19] I encourage all single mothers to go and get some new time and do a pageant.

[00:43:28] Enjoy yourself.

[00:43:29] Embrace it. Love on yourself.

[00:43:33] All right.

[00:43:34] Well, with that being said, give everybody your social media pages and how people can contact you.

[00:43:44] Of course, we know you also do hair and makeup and all of that kind of stuff.

[00:43:48] So if people wanted to use your services or get in touch with you, how would they do?

[00:43:54] Yes, definitely. I'm more than welcome to, you know, speak to anybody if they need any guidance of how to, you know, sign up for pageantry or anything like that or just any self care tips.

[00:44:06] You can find me at Instagram.

[00:44:10] Goddess underscore goddess day is goddess day.

[00:44:15] You can find me there.

[00:44:19] You go, Leonard.

[00:44:20] There you go.

[00:44:21] I just go in 90 and then for any hair styling services, I do braids that I do twist locks everything.

[00:44:37] So press what we get into these braids now.

[00:44:39] So no more silk presses.

[00:44:41] Yeah, we do all that stuff.

[00:44:43] So you will go to Smith styles dot com.

[00:44:46] You could book there and also the phone number is there so you can also call in the book if you need to.

[00:44:52] And yeah, that's pretty much it.

[00:44:56] And any other pages or anything you want to give out?

[00:45:02] No, no, you're good.

[00:45:06] Wait, hold on.

[00:45:07] Hold on because you can just go to my model and page.

[00:45:09] I know people probably like, okay, well, she seems Delaware.

[00:45:13] Who is she?

[00:45:14] Okay, so my mother, my mother pages is J J.A.E. dot Borel on Instagram.

[00:45:24] Okay, there you go.

[00:45:26] All right.

[00:45:27] All right, folks.

[00:45:28] There you have it.

[00:45:30] Denise Borel and she's given out all the inspiration and telling you guys go get it.

[00:45:36] If you're thinking about getting it, go get it.

[00:45:38] That's right.

[00:45:39] That's right.

[00:45:40] Never limit yourself.

[00:45:41] Go get it.

[00:45:42] That's right.

[00:45:43] Can't stop won't stop, right?

[00:45:45] Sky's the limit.

[00:45:47] There you go.

[00:45:48] All right.

[00:45:49] So all right.

[00:45:50] So she's going to hang in with us for a little bit as we go through our topics for the rest of the show.

[00:45:56] So thank you for hanging out with us.

[00:45:59] And so we're going to get into our first topic for the show.

[00:46:04] And this story is a story.

[00:46:08] It's called What Do You Need Helps Black Women Ask For What They Deserve at Work?

[00:46:16] I'm just going to read a little bit about this so you know what this is about.

[00:46:21] It says we need to be seen, valued, respected, heard and understood.

[00:46:26] And of course compensated, said Lauren Wesley Wilson.

[00:46:31] Leonard over there laughing.

[00:46:32] He already knows.

[00:46:33] OK.

[00:46:36] Black women in the workplace have long known that succeeding is about more than hard work.

[00:46:43] The unwritten rules of the game can often make or break women's experience as they strive for their dreams.

[00:46:51] Relationships with bosses and coworkers matter, but even more so what women ask for can make all the differences.

[00:47:01] That's why communications executive Lauren Wesley Wilson has authored a book to help women ask the right questions on their journey.

[00:47:12] Title What Do You Need?

[00:47:15] How women of color can take ownership of their careers to accelerate their path to success.

[00:47:23] And she goes into I think we're so busy trying to meet the expectations of our managers, of the companies.

[00:47:30] Wilson explained in an interview and how many of us when we decide to accept the role do we sit down and say what do I need here to be successful?

[00:47:43] So she also talked about how it took me many years to realize that I hadn't participated in the culture.

[00:47:51] Wilson reflected I hadn't participated in cultures and you need to be participating in the culture if you want to advance.

[00:47:58] I remember I was working at a company and the common thing that the employees love to do was to go to sporting events and they love to go to ice hockey games and that olive branch would be extended to me.

[00:48:11] Do you want to come to an ice hockey game?

[00:48:13] Now I don't love ice hockey so I would say I'll pass.

[00:48:17] But it's about whether or not you are like you like it's not about whether or not you like the sporting event.

[00:48:25] And that's what I didn't realize back then.

[00:48:28] It is not about whether or not you like ice hockey.

[00:48:32] It's about the opportunity to get to know your coworkers, your employees outside of when decisions are being made to continue.

[00:48:42] I'm going to stop there because that is a very valid point right there.

[00:48:48] When you have those type events and I work for companies like this, white companies like this.

[00:48:55] And I've even been in other cultures working for companies like this where they might ask you to participate in something but you don't want to be a sellout and not go.

[00:49:08] You know where I'm going with this right because you say well if I am black, you know I'm black, you know I'm black, you know you think of yourself.

[00:49:17] I'm not going to participate with that because it's going to mean I'm a sellout if I go.

[00:49:21] But then you also have to look at the flip side because if you participate, whether you like it or not, whatever they're doing, you're on the inside now and now you get to get now you have a voice in a lot of these companies.

[00:49:35] Now you got a voice because you participated.

[00:49:38] What are your guys thoughts on this type of this type of thing?

[00:49:43] Let's go with our guests first.

[00:49:45] What do you think about, you know, including yourself and putting yourself in position to be included.

[00:49:52] You got a, you got to be the change. If you're not going to be the change how you how you want to succeed.

[00:50:02] You know, sometimes you got to you got to put yourself in these rooms in order to know.

[00:50:08] Sometimes I feel like certain rooms might not even be up to your standard at that moment but you learn something so you can move forward.

[00:50:21] That's how I feel about it. Like I'm not about to stunt my growth because I feel like I'm gonna be a sellout or something.

[00:50:28] I need to see for myself what's going on.

[00:50:33] I need to get going on.

[00:50:36] That's right. That's right. Because and that's where we've made our mistakes.

[00:50:39] A lot of us have made our mistakes by not wanting to step into the rooms that the other people are in.

[00:50:47] And then we're the ones complaining all the time about not being included in those rooms because we don't want to step into those.

[00:50:54] Uh huh. And some people go ahead. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

[00:50:58] Real quick. You're good. You're good.

[00:51:00] Some people scared to be the dumbest but you want to be in a room where you can learn something like it's okay to be the small fish.

[00:51:16] It's okay because you'd be in a room for the big fish.

[00:51:18] You got to go. You got to catch them.

[00:51:20] Like it don't make sense to be in a room where you're not growing.

[00:51:24] Right. You're the smartest one in the room and there's no no nowhere to move nowhere to succeed in and expand.

[00:51:32] Right. Right. Right. And that's and we made that mistake way too many times.

[00:51:38] Yeah. Yeah. Leonard, what's your thoughts on that?

[00:51:42] Well, you know, I definitely agree with what Janice was saying.

[00:51:46] So I'm when I used to work for a company like that, to be honest, even though you didn't want to like there was just stuff you had to do just to fit in.

[00:51:56] You had to do just to move ahead.

[00:51:59] So like I remember times and they like I was really struggling because you know at work and we're like oh you know let's go out the happy hour.

[00:52:08] And yes, it is just happy hour people eating and drinking.

[00:52:13] But a lot of people who don't look like us when they go out the happy hour, they're bonding.

[00:52:19] You know they're making connections. They're supporting each other.

[00:52:22] So when these promotions awards or you know whatever the companies have, you know, you are kind of Janice.

[00:52:30] So you like you got to put yourself in those situations.

[00:52:33] They're not always comfortable. Sometimes they are, but you know they're not always comfortable with it's like if you want to succeed through like a company chain of command and maybe especially as a woman.

[00:52:46] You know you have to put yourself, you have to be where they are. If you want to move like they move.

[00:52:54] Yeah, that's true. That's true. And I'll even add on you know agreeing with you there but I'll even add you know I've seen it firsthand where you know the boss might offer because I used to work for oil and heating company.

[00:53:13] I was a manager with them and they had these box seats to the Phillies game.

[00:53:21] And I remember they were all there. And now, I don't know if you guys know anything about box seats but you know that's that's like that's like living when you get these boxes because you put these lanyards on your neck around your neck.

[00:53:34] You go sit down and anything you want to order they just they just you don't pay for anything. You know you get anything you want drinks included all kinds of stuff.

[00:53:44] And, you know, and you're sitting right behind the dugout.

[00:53:48] So, I was like, the first couple times it was offered to me I said no.

[00:53:54] Yeah, I did because I didn't know why they were they didn't they didn't look like us. You know and and and but some of us did go I didn't get why they went at the time until one of them pulled my coat tail and said, Look, he said no twice, they may not offer again but if they do, I suggest you say yes.

[00:54:18] Because, because they are looking at you as to why you're not doing this. Yeah, exactly. And you're going to be ostracized and you don't want that. So the next time they offered I said yeah.

[00:54:32] And I went and I had a great time and it was awesome. And I went on, and then just being with the group of people outside of work. We had a ball man all of us just got along real well and so forth.

[00:54:44] So that's when I learned my lesson about you know inclusion versus versus not including yourself into these type of things so but yes I think that we have to be smart about this and we have to.

[00:54:59] And the times we're going to choose our, our times that are best for us you know so but yeah you definitely have to be smart about it. So, all right.

[00:55:09] Well, Leonard, I think you got the next door.

[00:55:12] Yeah, I do so.

[00:55:15] So this is one that we're not just kind of looking for topics and it kind of popped up. So, Denise, you may be familiar, but about two years ago.

[00:55:26] Hold on. Let me find the exact information.

[00:55:32] I just want to make sure I have it right.

[00:55:37] So about two years ago.

[00:55:40] There was a model and a pageant winner.

[00:55:45] Chelsea Chris who died by suicide she jumped off a 60 foot high rise balcony.

[00:55:51] And so I'm sure you probably heard about that I know that was in 2022 so that was probably big news.

[00:56:00] Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I think we talked about on here, maybe, maybe more than once. And you know, I think what was so astounding about it was our reading she was an attorney.

[00:56:14] She was an entrepreneur, or she was a model pageant winner.

[00:56:21] And, you know, from the outside somebody like that looks like they have it all together she was a pretty girl. You know, so when when it happened you know, it kind of raised a lot of questions like damn you know what happened she had everything going for.

[00:56:36] And then it looks like about this year.

[00:56:40] So I guess there was a memoir that either was left or a mom kind of compiled.

[00:56:47] And it said that she had some mental health issues.

[00:56:51] And she, there was a lot of like online bullying, you know negative criticism and all that type of stuff.

[00:57:01] You know, of course, which is really sad.

[00:57:03] But, you know, so I guess, Denise, how do you, and I mean we may have kind of touched on it because I heard Dave asked one of my questions I was like that's my story he asked.

[00:57:13] But, you know, how do you and I know you talked about you had to leave some friends behind, which I think is just naturally when you elevate yourself everybody can't come with you.

[00:57:26] Just like my plants.

[00:57:31] How do you, or what advice would you give to people because, you know, when we look at the pageant industry is very subjective, or, well I'm sorry the traditional pageant and you know most, you know, people judge a lot about how they look.

[00:57:48] How they walk.

[00:57:49] How they speak.

[00:57:51] You know maybe how their hair is their skin color.

[00:57:55] You know, I guess how do you or what advice would you give for people who may get a lot of criticism, you know maybe they're in areas where brown skin isn't as accepted and you know one thing I was thinking to when you talked about the pageant in Vegas

[00:58:12] Vegas and you're like darn you know I was trying to top 15.

[00:58:16] Did you ever feel like maybe because you were brown, or, you know, maybe, you know the way you spoke or your hair.

[00:58:25] You know, did that ever come into mind.

[00:58:28] Absolutely, I said it was because of my locks they wasn't ready for me.

[00:58:32] They wasn't ready. They wasn't ready for a Miss America with locks.

[00:58:38] I would definitely.

[00:58:44] First of all, I just want to say rest in peace to Chelsea Chris because that was, that was the year actually was the local title holder Miss Bear and that's when I was getting ready to compete for Miss Delaware.

[00:58:55] So all that kind of happened and made me nervous at first because I was like, well, what's going on in pageantry world where this girl she she was that stressed that you know it kind of went that way which is really sad.

[00:59:08] Um, so I just felt that, you know, you have to.

[00:59:17] And again, I don't know how it's like to have like a mental health situation or whatever. But I feel like all in all, you just have to find ways to handle outside noise, if that makes sense.

[00:59:37] Because you have to be holding yourself. You have to know that you are enough you the most high created you to be you, you know, you can't look at this person and expect that person to be like you or, you know, vice versa or you can't let somebody tell you that you're not skinny enough or you're not tall enough or nothing like that.

[00:59:59] You have to be comfortable in your skin. I think that eliminates a lot of, you know, internalizing, you know what people come your way with.

[01:00:08] Right.

[01:00:09] Yeah, so I think I think it's definitely really hard.

[01:00:13] If you have a mental issue on top of that because, you know, you always try to rationalize things in your mind. And yeah, I really is hard. It's I really believe it's hard because like I said I don't suffer with anything like that. Not that I know of.

[01:00:32] I know. But what I'm overall, I really feel like it's just all in just being aware of you not being comfortable in your skin so you could be like, oh, they said this. I'm not worried about that because I know who I am.

[01:00:48] Okay.

[01:00:50] And they, they, and of course they we all talk about both you know what do you think about it too. I know from the outside you know some people there's look like they have it all together and then we're confused.

[01:01:02] Yeah, it's really a.

[01:01:07] I had a thought.

[01:01:10] Sorry, I was about to say, for a sec because when he brought it to my attention when he said people look like they have it together.

[01:01:17] Some people are people pleasers. They want to hold a image for other people. It don't even be.

[01:01:29] It's just trying to please somebody like they have their parent expect something from them. They want to make sure they're holding the standard, or if they they're holding a standard on social media they want to make sure they're holding that standard all times.

[01:01:43] Some people take that to the head and it gets, it becomes a lot because you're trying to strive to be somebody that you're not.

[01:01:50] So, and then it could be overwhelming and then sometimes you know, I think that spirals into depression and things like that as well.

[01:01:59] Right, right.

[01:02:01] So, I know I look at it from a different point of view because my degrees are in psychology and I, and I deal with people, a lot that have some mental disabilities and illness, mental illness and unfortunately.

[01:02:20] A lot of it comes from.

[01:02:23] We don't necessarily have the proper help in place, and a lot of cases for the people that are going through.

[01:02:33] And if they're in and the issue happens to be, if there is help available.

[01:02:40] Getting into that help or being able to get in contact with that person or those people that can help you. It's sometimes a struggle because they're dealing with so many other people that are going through the same type of issues.

[01:02:54] Right now, the good percentage of people that are on social security disability or on social security disability for mental illness and not necessarily physical illness.

[01:03:08] Because there's a lot of people that are going through right now and having a hard time dealing with life in general.

[01:03:18] Where, you know, it's a different world that we live in now.

[01:03:21] And there's a lot of pressure. There's a lot of scrutiny. There's a lot of people watching.

[01:03:27] And so you have to be able to understand who you are and try to be the best person that you can be and not allow.

[01:03:38] For the to the best of your abilities.

[01:03:41] You not to be able to see you when you look in the mirror.

[01:03:45] You feel me. Exactly.

[01:03:50] Exactly. That's the way I look at it. That's the way I look at it.

[01:03:53] Because if you look in that mirror and you see something other than what you're supposed to see, there's a problem.

[01:04:00] Oh, trust me. I have had times where I feel like right now in my life is like one of the best times in my life because I feel like a couple years back.

[01:04:10] I used to look at myself like, Janice, who are you? Janice, what are you doing?

[01:04:14] Janice, what's going on with you? And now I look at myself. I'm all excited every morning like, hey, girl, how are you?

[01:04:21] It's a new day. I have a whole new outlook on me. So I can tell myself everything.

[01:04:29] Like you planned to, girl.

[01:04:31] I'm actually doing so good.

[01:04:34] But like, it's like you got to speak life into yourself. You got it.

[01:04:40] You got to speak life. You can't you can't speak negative and think positive results.

[01:04:45] That's just not going to happen. You got to speak life into yourself.

[01:04:50] Yep. There you go. There you go. All right.

[01:04:54] All right. I knew that topic. I knew that topic would get deep there. So there you go. There you go.

[01:05:00] All right. And that brings us to our last topic.

[01:05:06] This story is Kentucky governor designates Juneteenth as a holiday.

[01:05:13] Bans hairstyle discrimination.

[01:05:16] Okay, let's get into this.

[01:05:18] After years of inaction, I decided I can no longer wait for others to do what is right.

[01:05:25] Kentucky Democratic Governor Andy Beshear says, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear designated Juneteenth as a holiday for the state executive branch workers on Thursday and expanded protections in state hiring and employment by banning discrimination based on hairstyle.

[01:05:46] The separate executive orders signed by Democratic governor presented his latest outreach to black Kentucky and but also reflects limits to to that outreach.

[01:06:02] Beshear seen as a rising Democratic star took to the actions at the effort efforts to make Juneteenth a statewide holiday outlawed discrimination based on hairstyle failed in the state's Republican super majority legislator.

[01:06:19] After years of inaction, I decided I can no longer wait for others to do what's right.

[01:06:25] So Beshear who was joined by black lawmakers makers that he signed the order and made it a law and it became a federal holiday.

[01:06:39] It's funny you got two things going on there.

[01:06:42] They decided to they decided to make Juneteenth official state holiday.

[01:06:49] I don't know what took them so long because everybody else is doing it already, but states are slowly adapting.

[01:06:57] But then they do in the hairstyle thing.

[01:07:04] I was one of them a little winky wink type situation.

[01:07:07] You know what I'm saying?

[01:07:08] You know, we're going to give you Juneteenth but then we're going to stop these employers from not hiring because you're wearing braids or cornrows or or you have locks, you know, and you know, you're not being your authentic self.

[01:07:25] If you're not wearing straight hair, or something like that.

[01:07:29] So what you guys thought of, you know, it's nice that they're doing the Juneteenth celebration.

[01:07:35] I know that's taken a while to get around to all of the states.

[01:07:39] Thank God Delaware has done it, you know, but the also have the hair piece put in there as well.

[01:07:47] What do you think about that?

[01:07:49] Yeah, I mean, I think it's crazy.

[01:07:51] I almost feel like they're doing this because they know something is about to come out.

[01:07:55] You know, I mean, they want to make sure they're on the good foot before that left foot shows them what they're doing.

[01:08:02] You know, you know, we were just talking about earlier sitting in them certain rooms and you don't want to look crazy.

[01:08:10] That's what that sounds like.

[01:08:11] Yeah, they don't want to look crazy in a room.

[01:08:13] So they just kind of, yeah, let's just throw this in there too.

[01:08:19] What was the line from the rap song, sitting in a room, a lonely room all by myself?

[01:08:26] You know, talking about my mind's playing tricks on me.

[01:08:30] Oh yes, staring at the wall.

[01:08:32] Yeah, staring at the walls.

[01:08:34] Yeah, there you go.

[01:08:35] Yeah, it's crazy because, you know, it's like we came from another planet and we just happened to settle here.

[01:08:45] You know what I mean?

[01:08:47] That they look at us the way that they do.

[01:08:49] They can wear any kind of hairstyle that they want.

[01:08:52] Right.

[01:08:54] We see Mohawks, we see shags, we see all kinds of things.

[01:08:58] Shades, hair, sides and hair on the top.

[01:09:03] Impersonating our hair?

[01:09:05] Yeah.

[01:09:06] Oh, we want to get into that how many people, how many people of other cultures are wearing braids and locks and stuff like that now.

[01:09:14] You know, we want them to get into that.

[01:09:16] But yet, they got a sign into law, stopping people from discriminating against us because of the way we want to wear our hair.

[01:09:25] That's crazy.

[01:09:27] That's deep right?

[01:09:29] Yeah.

[01:09:30] Yeah.

[01:09:31] But I mean, I'm glad that they did it.

[01:09:33] But then how many people have lost jobs?

[01:09:35] How many people are working at McDonald's or other places not knocking the franchises or anything like that.

[01:09:44] But I'm just saying because they can't get in corporate world because their hair is being grown a certain way.

[01:09:50] Right.

[01:09:51] You know, so in states like Kentucky.

[01:09:54] But thank God that they're...

[01:09:56] And this guy, Bashir, I have heard some things about him.

[01:10:00] He's a fast rising Democrat.

[01:10:02] And he's probably going to make some noise in the next election.

[01:10:07] And he's going to get a high seat somewhere.

[01:10:10] So not this election, probably the next one.

[01:10:13] So but it's good that they have seen the error in their way, so to speak.

[01:10:20] It's really messed up that it was even a thing.

[01:10:23] It's really messed up that I'm just thinking like it's really crazy how that was a thing.

[01:10:28] And you all have to pass a law to look past our hair.

[01:10:32] To look past our hair like I wouldn't make it Kentucky.

[01:10:36] I have locks.

[01:10:37] I want to have a job.

[01:10:38] If you came into a job interview, they just talk to you on the phone.

[01:10:42] They don't know what you look like.

[01:10:44] Right.

[01:10:45] Okay?

[01:10:46] And you walked in looking like you do right now.

[01:10:49] With your hair the way that it is right now.

[01:10:52] I would just have to be self-employed like I am now because I ain't got time.

[01:10:56] Okay.

[01:10:57] There you go.

[01:10:58] I will tell you, I'm going to make more money.

[01:11:00] More money than your franchise with my locks.

[01:11:02] How about that, sir?

[01:11:06] Okay.

[01:11:07] All right.

[01:11:08] Okay.

[01:11:09] There you have it folks.

[01:11:10] You said it.

[01:11:11] Okay.

[01:11:12] All right.

[01:11:13] Okay.

[01:11:14] Well, I just saw that story and I just thought it was interesting.

[01:11:16] So I just had to bring it up.

[01:11:18] But anyway, okay.

[01:11:20] That's it for our story today.

[01:11:21] So we're going to go into Leonard's favorite part of the show, which is called Dave's Corner.

[01:11:25] I don't know why it's his favorite part of the show.

[01:11:27] It's called Dave's Corner.

[01:11:28] But anyway, and this is what we always ask the philosophical questions and see what

[01:11:35] your answers are going to be.

[01:11:37] So today's question is, is failing less equal or more important than succeeding?

[01:11:49] She got that big smile on her face.

[01:11:51] Come on, come on, come on.

[01:11:52] Because I love this question.

[01:11:53] Come on with it then.

[01:11:54] I'm waiting for you.

[01:11:55] You cannot.

[01:11:56] It is impossible.

[01:11:57] Completely impossible.

[01:11:58] I mean impossible to be successful without failure because you have to fail in order

[01:12:03] to tweak, tweak anything like anything you go through.

[01:12:07] You have to be able to be successful.

[01:12:10] You have to be able to be successful.

[01:12:13] You have to be able to be successful.

[01:12:16] Anything you go through, you have to be able to make it mature and evolve.

[01:12:24] And you it just has to fail like failure has to happen.

[01:12:30] We can throw a monkey wrench in here because no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,

[01:12:40] no, no, no, no, because you won your first contest.

[01:12:45] You said, say that again.

[01:12:47] You won your first contest, the first one you ever entered.

[01:12:50] You didn't fail.

[01:12:52] You won.

[01:12:53] So that kind of does a little monkey wrench in there, doesn't it?

[01:12:59] Well, that's because I felt previous test.

[01:13:02] I felt previous test to get to that one.

[01:13:05] That was it wasn't a bad.

[01:13:09] It wasn't a bad trophy.

[01:13:10] That was my trophy like, yes.

[01:13:12] Oh, for the other for the other stuff.

[01:13:14] For the other stuff.

[01:13:15] That was fun.

[01:13:16] The other stuff that wasn't OK.

[01:13:18] That had nothing to do with that.

[01:13:22] You have you have to fail because it shows you where your strengths are and your weaknesses are.

[01:13:27] Then you'll be like, OK, I know I'm weak in this area.

[01:13:29] So let me strengthen myself in this area.

[01:13:31] Let me go find resources or, you know, let me let me build that part of me up.

[01:13:37] You know, so that's I love failing.

[01:13:39] I ain't gonna lie.

[01:13:40] I love it because it boosts me forward.

[01:13:43] It's that take that two steps back to bounce forward type of situation that I feel like that's how that works.

[01:13:51] So I'm going to go on the flip side.

[01:13:54] I think succeeding is always more important.

[01:13:57] What did you say?

[01:14:00] Well, what I mean, there is a purpose in failing and there's a lesson in failing.

[01:14:08] But, you know, at the end of the day, I'm trying to succeed.

[01:14:11] So I rather succeed than fail.

[01:14:14] Any failure is giving you the lesson.

[01:14:17] Your parents give you a lesson.

[01:14:19] Listen, the failure gives it and give you a lesson.

[01:14:21] And then succeeding comes automatic.

[01:14:24] You don't even have to focus on succeeding because once you focus on your test and your journey, what can happen?

[01:14:31] It's going to go up from there like you always go move forward if you learn from your lessons.

[01:14:36] And I understand that.

[01:14:39] But then at the same point, at the same point, like if we can get to a point where we can succeed without failing.

[01:14:48] And I mean, you're right.

[01:14:50] We have all failed at something.

[01:14:51] We all got some lesson.

[01:14:53] But but if I'm going to try something new, I'm going to what?

[01:14:59] And it's kind of hard to say I'm trying not to fail.

[01:15:02] But, you know, I'm trying to succeed.

[01:15:05] You know, I feel like everything I do, I'm a 60 because either way the outcome is going to be for me.

[01:15:11] That's why I felt like so it's succeeding is just inevitable.

[01:15:14] Like it's going to happen.

[01:15:16] That's why I only worry about that success is there.

[01:15:20] So well, so Denise, well, I'm sorry.

[01:15:23] I let Dave answers.

[01:15:24] But so Dave is failing less equal or more important than succeeding.

[01:15:33] And and don't don't don't get this wrong or me and Denise coming for you.

[01:15:40] Like you did.

[01:15:41] OK, anyway, I'm actually going to go with these.

[01:15:46] And I'm going to say why.

[01:15:48] How do you go with what?

[01:15:50] I'm going with you.

[01:15:52] OK, Denise, get on.

[01:15:55] You know, you know, actually prove my point by going back.

[01:16:07] Yeah.

[01:16:08] So, you know, yeah.

[01:16:11] So equal is definitely where you have to look at the balancing of both failure and success.

[01:16:19] Yes, because there is a balance.

[01:16:21] You know, you might have two failures, but then you get three success, you know, and that balances it out.

[01:16:28] You know, so and, you know, so you might be ahead for a little bit.

[01:16:33] Then you might take a step back again.

[01:16:35] But the whole thing is trying to get ahead and succeeding.

[01:16:40] The failures and the failures is going to help you get there.

[01:16:45] As well as well as the success as well.

[01:16:48] So I think it's a case that you have to be able to do both and embrace doing both having both happen so that you can be able to understand, you know, the pros and cons of everything that you're doing.

[01:17:06] That's my thought.

[01:17:07] So, Dave, I definitely understand what you're saying, but you are incorrect.

[01:17:10] I just want to know.

[01:17:15] What will you do a say before I got ready to start you.

[01:17:19] Oh, um, what do you have coming up next?

[01:17:24] So like what what what's next in line for, you know, your career modeling pageants.

[01:17:35] Um, well, I am actually the current Queen of Miss Allure.

[01:17:42] It's a brand new pageant that just came out.

[01:17:45] I'm actually the very first queen of this pageant.

[01:17:48] So we're kind of building this pageant up and, you know, creating the overall experience for that.

[01:17:57] This pageant is for inclusive women.

[01:18:00] So it's going to be fun.

[01:18:02] It's just they put me in.

[01:18:04] They put me on the spot.

[01:18:05] They put me on the spot, man.

[01:18:06] It was like you want to be the first queen to face this pageant.

[01:18:09] I'm like what?

[01:18:10] What do you mean?

[01:18:11] But okay, we're gonna do it.

[01:18:13] So I'm setting the tone for Miss Allure 2024.

[01:18:18] I'm still working on that right now.

[01:18:20] Um, that's actually gonna be that pageant is gonna be held in Tennessee.

[01:18:25] So if anybody wants to sign up, make sure you contact me through my Instagram.

[01:18:29] But yeah, I got that coming up.

[01:18:33] Then I have a show in Miami.

[01:18:37] I'm doing a couple shows, shows, shows, shows, such Miami, Canada, that one.

[01:18:45] I'm excited about one of Canada for that.

[01:18:47] So but yeah, a couple shows going on and I'm

[01:18:51] I mean, what is there a theme to the shows for certain type of models?

[01:18:57] What's what's going on with what or is this this is it's a you know, are these shows all inclusive?

[01:19:05] You know, with different types of females and males, whatever.

[01:19:09] Yes, all inclusive.

[01:19:10] So I mainly do like all inclusive shows because I like the versatility of it.

[01:19:18] So yeah, it's just just shows representing different designers or maybe like a charity event

[01:19:24] or something like that raising money for different type of awarenesses and things like that.

[01:19:29] Volunteer my time a lot to do that as well.

[01:19:32] OK, all right. OK.

[01:19:34] Oh, that's great. That's great.

[01:19:36] You know, so there you go.

[01:19:38] She's succeeding.

[01:19:40] There you go.

[01:19:42] I mean, don't get me wrong.

[01:19:44] It's a lot of obstacles.

[01:19:45] It's a lot of.

[01:19:47] I'm like, oh, wait, wait, wait, wait.

[01:19:49] I'm thinking, all right, I'm back up again.

[01:19:51] Like it ain't listening.

[01:19:53] Oh, they come with failures.

[01:19:55] They said now she's trying to be equal.

[01:19:59] Come on.

[01:20:01] There you go.

[01:20:03] I told you this is going to always come.

[01:20:04] I just mean, you know, I maneuver through the failures.

[01:20:08] I stay in a positive mindset and just eat my fruits and vegetables.

[01:20:13] Now, drink my water, coconut water and continue to continue to grow.

[01:20:20] Right. That's it.

[01:20:22] There you go.

[01:20:23] All right.

[01:20:24] All right.

[01:20:25] Why don't you do us a favor and just give how people can contact you again before we sign off

[01:20:30] and how people can contact you and also in any of your media pages, social media pages that you want people to have.

[01:20:38] OK, so my Instagram, I have two Instagram pages.

[01:20:42] So if you want to just see my modeling work, it's J J A E dot Borel on Instagram.

[01:20:51] And then my other page is the goddess J underscore 90.

[01:20:57] And then basically you can reach me both of those inbox me.

[01:21:05] I'll answer accordingly.

[01:21:07] And then again, I do hair in Middletown and a hair salon called Smith Styles.

[01:21:14] Well, actually one of my queen sisters, she actually owns the salon.

[01:21:17] So I work with her.

[01:21:19] I'm Shannon Smith.

[01:21:21] That is Smith Styles dot com.

[01:21:23] So if you want some hair, hair needs and all that stuff, let me know.

[01:21:31] OK, see, we got we got a young lady that does it all there.

[01:21:37] Young people.

[01:21:38] So anybody that's interested in hooking up with her, that's one stop shopping right there.

[01:21:44] One stop shopping, you know, and it's tax free in Delaware.

[01:21:47] So, you know, I'm just all about inside and out care.

[01:21:55] Like you have to love yourself from the inside first in the outward will shine.

[01:22:00] You can't you can't focus on the outside thinking you going to dress up and do all this stuff because if your insides is not good, right?

[01:22:09] You just ugly. You just gonna be an ugly person overall.

[01:22:12] So you got to fix your spirit.

[01:22:15] So positive and, you know, stay blessed.

[01:22:19] Well, well, that's why I wanted to have you on because I know you would come and bring that positive message to us.

[01:22:25] So we are so glad that you took the time to hang out with us.

[01:22:29] Right, Leonard?

[01:22:30] We are.

[01:22:31] Thank you.

[01:22:32] Thank you for having me.

[01:22:35] Letters.

[01:22:37] Letters.

[01:22:38] You know, we are a dick.

[01:22:42] I quite over there.

[01:22:43] But go ahead.

[01:22:44] We're going to say letter.

[01:22:46] They we are always exceeding over here.

[01:22:49] Okay.

[01:22:50] You stay equal.

[01:22:51] We're succeeding.

[01:22:53] With failure.

[01:22:55] With failures to improve.

[01:22:57] Thank you.

[01:22:59] There you go.

[01:23:00] There you go.

[01:23:01] There you go.

[01:23:02] So we want to thank everybody for taking the time to listen to our show today.

[01:23:07] Hopefully, you know, maybe somebody has gotten something out of the positivity that has been spewed today by our guest.

[01:23:18] And hopefully, it will lead you into thinking to yourself.

[01:23:26] I can do this and I could be this and I'll make it happen.

[01:23:31] So with that being said, we want to thank you for joining us.

[01:23:36] We'll talk to you soon.

[01:23:38] Talk to you next week.

[01:23:40] Thank you for having me.

[01:23:43] Join us next week for another edition of News and Trends with your host, Dave and Lynn.