Saved & Fly

Alicia Taylor

JG. Hi Alicia…how are you?

Alicia: I'm great and you?  

JG. Awesome; happy to have you interviewing with me.

Alicia: It's my pleasure.

JG. Cool. How old are you?

Alicia: I am twenty-one years old.

JG. So how long have you been a saved Christian?

Alicia: I have been a Christian all my life. I grew up in church, even though my parents didn't go, but in 2002 I made the decision on my own to live for Christ.

JG. You’re Miss Maryland United America. How did you become interested in pageantry?

Alicia: I look at it as something really fun for me. I’ve only been getting involved in pageants since 2007 and have won three titles already, so I know that is God’s favor.

JG. What’s your favorite part about being in pageants?

Alicia: Definitely networking with and developing friendships with the girls. Being able to get close with people from all over the country and all walks of life is a real plus. I also love traveling which is obviously a big part of being in pageants! One of my majors in college right now is within the International Relations field which ties into my path of doing pageants also.

JG. I hear that. So with all of this traveling you’re doing now and see in your future, do you speak any foreign languages?

Alicia: My concentration is French. I learned Spanish while in high school. Although I don’t speak either of them fluently at the moment, I plan to within the next few years.

JG. Where are you attending college?

Alicia: I’m a student of Coppin State University, right here in Baltimore. My major is Interdisciplinary Studies and my two disciplines are Political Science and Global Studies.

JG. What do you hope to accomplish in your future with those majors?

Alicia: My long term goal is to become an Ambassador in France at the Embassy. Sure, I’ll probably be in my 40’s or 50’s at that point, but it’s definitely something I’m looking forward to. In order to become an Ambassador of a country like France, you have to start by working for many years as an Ambassador to one of the smaller nations.

JG. Cool. How do you plan to incorporate your faith into these huge plans?

Alicia: In order to get the gospel out there to the masses, I need to be in a position to travel. My career aspirations will allow me the opportunity to do just that!

JG. o do you have a church home?

Alicia: I’m a tenured member of the Church Of The Redeemed Of The Lord, here in Baltimore.

JG. How’s the youth ministry there?

Alicia: The Youth ministry is very large, active, and strong at my church. We actually could have our own Youth Church in a separate building. I’m on the youth leadership team there. I’m very active in youth ministry.

JG. Do you find that the youth look up to you as a role model?

Alicia: Absolutely. A lot of the young girls look up to me and it really inspires me to continue the good things I’m doing. They have told me on many occasions that they like that I don’t judge them in their situations but I try to help them come up with solutions. I stress to them that I’m no different than them and they can accomplish all these things and more if they stay on the path God has for them and don’t let negative people sidetrack their dreams.

JG. That’s beautiful sis.

Alicia: Thanks so much.

JG. How did you become involved with the Girls for a Change organization? I just checked out the website, www.girlsforachange.org and it looks really cool!

Alicia: It is definitely a cool organization that seeks to involve girls in creating social change in their community and throughout the world by launching projects that seek to eradicate problems through something they call, Girls Action Teams. They’re based out of California and I got involved with them last year when I was asked to appear on their national tour. I was looking to get involved with something like Girls for a Change, for a long time, so it came at a great time.

JG. That’s so awesome Alicia. Give me an example of a project Girls for a Change would become involved in.

Alicia: It varies. We’ve tackled issues that may seem miniscule such as litter in the community to more intense issues such as domestic violence. I am currently in the process of creating my own Girls Action Team here in my own community and I’ve partnered with an outreach center and the Blacks in Wax Museum for this purpose. I am set to launch in October!

JG. You go girl! How’d you organize that?

Alicia: The organization’s National Program Director, Carrie Ellett; offered so much help and resources to aid me in the process. I also have many connections in the community with being a Youth Leader, pageant queen, and a Commissioner for the 4th District under Mayor Shelia Dixon.

JG. I love to see young, saved, and fly young women doing their thing! What story do you have to tell? How’d you get to this point at such a young age? What’s your testimony?

Alicia: I had a rough start in life, actually. My father was a big-time drug dealer and my mother was a drug addict. So, from day one I had to fight because I was premature and addicted to cocaine. My early years were a struggle health wise. I stayed sick a lot. I was raised under the rule, “Do as I say, not as I do.” So, I had to learn a lot of hard lessons early in life. I learned from the mistakes of the people around me and learned at a young age to seek God for things beyond my own understanding. He is good!

JG. Wow. I’m kind of in shock. I wasn’t expecting you to say anything remotely close to that.

Alicia: Yeah, that’s generally the reaction I get. {laughter} But through my testimony, it allows the youth to see that they can truly accomplish anything. After hearing my story, many of them have said that they have no excuse not to become all they can be and more. It’s very touching and inspires me to be transparent.

JG. What’s funny is that the Holy Spirit led me to ask that. So I praise God! Thanks for being so willing to open up and answer that in detail.

Alicia: Of course.

JG. You may be from Baltimore, but your ideals…your lifestyle have completely transcended the city, for the glory of God.

Alicia: Awww…thank you so much.

JG. Okay…last thing. This is going to be fun!

Alicia: I like fun. {chuckle}

JG. I’m going to say two words and out of those two, tell me which word most goes with things you like or with your personality.

Alicia: Sounds easy…okay, let’s do it!

JG. Cats or Dogs?

Alicia: {laughter} Dogs. I have three; a Labrador Retriever, a Maltese Terrier, and a Bijon Poodle.

JG. That makes you my new best friend! {laughter} Okay, next we have…Pink or Blue?

Alicia: Blue…definitely blue. When I think of colors, I always think of clothes, and Pink doesn't match as many things as a shade of blue would.

JG. Are you a pool or beach person?

Alicia: I’d have to say the beach. Although I don’t like beach water, I love everything else about the beach experience.

JG. I won’t ask. {chuckle}

Alicia: I know…I know. Put it this way, if I could take a dry shower and still get clean, I would! {laughter} I’m not a big fan of water in general.

JG. Interesting indeed! Okay, next one is…Candy or Cake?

Alicia: Cake! I’m also currently in the process of learning to bake.

JG. Cool. Singing or dancing?

Alicia: Definitely dancing. I started ballet when I was only three years old, so it is a deep love there.

JG. Okay. Last but not least, Facebook or Twitter?

Alicia: That’s hard because I like both. But since I have to choose {chuckle}, I’ll say Facebook. You guys can follow me on Twitter too though, www.twitter.com/MissMDUnitedA

JG. I’ve had so much fun; I almost don’t want to let you go!

Alicia: I know. Me too.

JG. Thank you so much for your time sis, and thanks for being a Jesus Groupie!

Alicia: