Page 134 - Iris Tennessee Teen Judges Book 2022

What can you do during your Tenure of Service as a Titleholder to impact your community? I feel it is vital for our youth to develop a passion for a cause or causes. Through my year as your titleholder I will continue to encourage everyone to be active and vocal in what they believe in. I plan on encouraging kindness not just throughout my service but throughout my life. I plan to advocate the Born This Way Foundation, which participates in reaching out to our nation’s youth about being kind and helping them get the help they need with multiple hotlines. I will spend my time being visible at charity events and helping young people learn how to get involved. Weekly I will be posting different events being held and ideas on what they can do to make a difference through our youths' involvement whether it be forming teams to raise money in charity runs or speaking up against mistreatment of others.
What has been your involvement with your platform? Growing up I saw mistreatment of so many due to sex, race, belief, etc. At a young age, I saw this as not right and wanted to right these wrongs. I stepped up and took it on myself to work to make a difference. I have marched at Black Lives Matter marches in Washington. I take a stand for the LGBTQ community and have been adamant about the rights of everyone. I use my social media as a way to post and impact those around me by bringing attention to situations others may not be aware of. Without kindness, I truly think our world will fall apart which is why I am so convinced that our young people need to be shown that being kind to their peers will make a difference in many people’s lives.
What inspired you to first become involved in your platform? Being a teen in today’s society, it is hard to be who you truly are. No one treats people as kind as they should. Kindness is something I want to spread throughout my life and other’s lives. Growing up the term “Treat others the way you want to be treated” was the golden rule. One of my biggest role models is Lady Gaga, she is the co-founder of The Born this Way Foundation. Spreading validation about teen’s mental health, feelings and emotions of young people is their mission. She has spread kindness by supporting others and has spoken out validating issues that every young person goes through.
If you are selected as the winner, how would you mobilize and market your platform nationally? In a time when there is so much negativity going on in our world, I would use these causes in a positive way to unite and uniform us as one. By teaming with local programs, we can educate others on the effects of how people are treated results in the overall stay of our communities. Teaching everyone kindness from school age and up can truly change the world of tomorrow but it must start with us of today.
How would you utilize social media in order to positively further your position as a titleholder if you are selected as the winner? I already use my social media accounts on a daily basis to spread information and help make people aware of social issues going on in our country. Through social media I also encourage respect, understanding and acceptance of our brothers and sisters through sharing the simple saying, BE KIND. As your new Iris Tennessee Teen, I will continue to work, unite, and spread kindness throughout the state while also building this program. Through appearances, postings, schedules of events, and informative links, I will work to reach those of all ages to take note of how this program is active and involved in our state and encourage more to come and be a part of it whether as a contestant, sponsor or volunteer.