109th Miss Florida A&M University, Anquinette Taylor
Anquinette Taylor, the 109th Miss Florida A&M University tackled her biggest platform during a women’s empowerment conference held Friday evening in FAMU’s Grand Ballroom titled, “It’s a Hard Knock Life”.
The goal of the event was to target depression and self-esteem issues among African American women.
Taylor, a fourth-year public relations student from Orlando, Fla., created this event in hopes to reach out to students near and far.
“It was more of a personal thing. I was once a victim of low self-esteem,” Taylor said.
The night began with a game called the “human bar graph”, where the guests were asked to step across the room if a scenario applied to them, followed by a performance by FAMU’s Mahogany Dance Theatre. Other activities included writing their insecurities on masks and creating inspirational letters.
Cecka Green, FAMU Alumna and guest speaker from Tallahassee was eager to share her testimony about battling with depression.
“It’s important for we as black women to recognize when we need help”, she says. This occasion was one she wishes they had put together during her time in college. "I think we did workshops, but they never got as raw as this event."
Students from Tallahassee Community College (TCC) and Florida State University (FSU) also gathered for the occasion.
Monisha Dawkins, a third year criminology student from Miami, Fla., and a member of The National Council Of Negro Women at FSU, said that this has to be one of the best events she has ever been to in Tallahassee.
“I learned that some things from my childhood still bother me today,” she stated. Dawkins gained a lot from this experience and says that it was definitely worth the travel.
The night ended on a lighter note as the guests lit a candle and called themselves beautiful.
Taylor said that this event is only the beginning, and she plans to continue the tradition even after her reign as Miss FAMU.