Miss ECO Sierra Leone 2016 Attends I Am Hannah Vigil

Gree(n)tings everyone!!!

I hope you and yours are doing well. I've been blessed and highly favored, thanks to our awesome Lord Jesus. On September 19th, I attended the "I Am Hannah" vigil hosted by the Concerned Sierra Leoneans (CSL) group. The event was chaired by Dr. Fuambai Sia Ahmadu (CSL Vice President and CEO of Miss Sierra Leone USA). The primary purpose of this event was to discuss the conditions surrounding and policies (Hannah's Law) being implemented after the heinous assault of the murdered teenager, Hannah Bockarie, few months ago; also, there was a discussion on violence against girls and women in Sierra Leone and how we can end this practice. Afterwards, there was candle-lighting in honor of Hannah and all the women victims of violence in Sierra Leone.

Miss ECO Sierra Leone 2016 Ruby B. Johnson

To start the session, I led the Christian prayer. There was also a Muslim prayer conducted. As one of the speakers at the event, I had the opportunity to talk about the implications of gender-based violence, as well as how critical this issue is to ecotourism in Sierra Leone because a nation is judged by how they treat their women and children. I have always been passionate about women's issues so violence against women is near and dear to my heart; when I was in college, my minor was women's studies leadership and one of the things I've made a priority with my organization (When You Believe Foundation) is violence against women. In fact, October commemorates National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016 Ruby B. Johnson and Dr. Fuambai Sia Ahmadu (Medical Anthropologist)

A woman of faith is blessed by faithful men in her life who hold the priesthood of God and honor this privilege: her father, bishop, husband, brothers, sons. They value her and the divine gifts given by God to His daughter. They sustain and encourage, and they understand the great mission of her life as a woman. They love her; they bless her. Margaret D. Nadauld

Ruby B. Johnson,
Your Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016,
Salone's Eco Queen.

Shout Africa Newspaper: Miss ECO Sierra Leone 2016 Crowning

Pageant Queen Ruby B. Johnson Crowned as Miss Eco Sierra Leone: Promoting Eco Tourism and Sustainable Development in Post-Ebola Sierra Leone.

On August 30, 2015 His Excellency Hon. Bockarie Stevens, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the U.S., crowned Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson as Miss Eco Sierra Leone. Ruby will serve as Sierra Leone’s official delegate at the prestigious 2016 Miss ECO Pageant in Egypt. Ruby accepted her new title to the applause of a select group of influential leaders within the Sierra Leonean Diaspora community gathered at the Embassy of Sierra Leone that included: Dr. Fuambai Sia Ahmadu, Founder and Owner of the Miss Sierra Leone USA Pageant; Mr. David Vandy of Voice of America; Mr. Daniel Koroma of the Montgomery County Executive Office; and, Ms. Ramzhain Suma, former Miss Sierra Leone Heritage.

As Miss ECO Sierra Leone, Ruby will promote ecotourism, green economy, and environmental awareness. She will devote her year advocating about environmental issues in Sierra Leone and worldwide.

Read the entire article here.

Follow my adventures as Miss ECO Sierra Leone on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Crowning of Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016

Gree(n)tings everyone!!!

I hope you and yours are doing well. I'm doing great, thanks be to God! I was recently crowned Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016 and now have the opportunity to represent my country of birth Sierra Leone at the 2016 Miss Eco pageant next April in Egypt. I am honored and so grateful to God for this opportunity. As Miss Eco Sierra Leone, I will promote ecotourism, green economy, and environmental awareness. Additionally, advocate for my personal platform of "Bridging The Gap: Miners and Environmentalists Must Work Together for Mother Earth!" God is good! Follow my time of service as Salone's Eco Queen on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Read the article about my crowning on Critique Echo Newspaper. Below are photos from my crowning:

Crowning Sierra Leone's First Eco Queen
Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016 Ruby B. Johnson and His Excellency Ambassador Bockarie Stevens

Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016 Ruby B. Johnson and Ambassador Bockarie Stevens

Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016 Ruby B. Johnson and President of Fullah Progressive Union Mohamed Lamrana Bah

Crowning Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016

Crowning Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016

Sierra Leone Embassy Head of Chancery Ms. Isha Isatu Sillah and Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016 Ruby B. Johnson 

Mr. Mohamed Bah and Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016 Ruby B. Johnson

Dr. Fuambai Sia Ahmadu (CEO, Miss Sierra Leone USA pageant) with Miss Sierra Leone USA 2012-2014 and Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016 Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016 Ruby B. Johnson and Mr. Daniel Koroma of Montgomery County Office of Partnerships

Miss Heritage Sierra Leone 2013 Ramzain Suma and Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016 Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Heritage Sierra Leone 2013 Ramzain Suma, Dr. Fuambai Sia Ahmadu, Mr. David Buakei Vandy, and Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016 Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016 Ruby B. Johnson and Ms. Nadia Bangura (Secretary to Ambassador Bockarie Stevens)

Salone's ECO Queen
Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016 Ruby B. Johnson

Salone's ECO Queen
Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016 Ruby B. Johnson

Ruby B. Johnson,
Your Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016,
Salone's Eco Queen.

Ruby B. Johnson crowned Miss Eco Sierra Leone 2016

On August 30, 2015 His Excellency Hon. Bockarie Stevens, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the U.S., crowned Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson as Miss Eco Sierra Leone. Ruby will serve as Sierra Leone’s official delegate at the prestigious 2016 Miss ECO Pageant in Egypt.

Ruby accepted her new title to the applause of a select group of influential leaders within the Sierra Leonean Diaspora community gathered at the Embassy of Sierra Leone that included: Dr. Fuambai Sia Ahmadu, Founder and Owner of the Miss Sierra Leone USA Pageant; Mr. David Vandy of Voice of America; Mr. Daniel Koroma of the Montgomery County Executive Office and Ms. Ramzhain Suma, former Miss Sierra Leone Heritage.

As Miss ECO Sierra Leone, Ruby will promote ecotourism, green economy, and environmental awareness. She will devote her year advocating about environmental issues in Sierra Leone and worldwide.

Read more at Critique Echo Newspaper

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Attends 6th Annual Ivorian Economic and Cultural Festival

Gree(n)tings everyone!!!

I hope you and yours are doing well. I'm doing well, thanks be to God! One of the reasons why I love my awesome state of Maryland is its diversity and its celebration for all people regardless of national origin, religion, race, sex, and class. On Sunday, August 2, I attended the 6th Annual Ivorian Economic and Cultural festival in Silver Spring! It's wonderful to see how much this festival has grown and I remember participating in it four years ago with my belly dance performance. Congratulations to Ms. Pepita Kragbe and her team for a successful event! I ate, drank, and danced a lot, as well as met new folks and saw familiar faces. Africa oye!!!

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Ms. Pepita Kragbe (La Main Tendue and Festival founder) and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson and Mr. Freddy Possian (festival organizer)

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Ruby B. Johnson,

Your Miss Earth Maryland 2015

Continuing the legacy of beauty and responsibility

Miss Earth Maryland Attends Miss Culture Intercontinental 2015 Pageant

Gree(n)tings everyone!!!

I hope you and yours are doing well. I'm doing well, thanks be to God! On June 13th, I attended the inaugural annual Miss Culture Intercontinental 2015 pageant held in our nation's capital, District of Columbia. This pageant is a Therapeutic Interventions Inc. Women’s Leadership and Empowerment Initiative. The hosts of the pageant were Sierra Leone's Kwame Fitzjohn and Ms. Welma Mashinini Redd from Liberia. This pageant is created for young African women living in the United States. Winner of this pageant goes on to compete at the Miss Intercontinental USA pageant this August, preliminary to the international Miss Intercontinental pageant later this year.

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson and Ms. Fatmata Koroma (Director of Miss Culture Intercontinental)

Fatmata Koroma is the Director of the Miss Culture Intercontinental pageant. She is the Founder and CEO of Therapeutic Interventions Inc., a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC that provides communities with information on health, and strategies to enhance their quality of life. She is also Chair/co-Founder of Kushe’ Magazine.

Voice of America's David Buakei Vandy and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Pre-show host David Buakei Vandy, Singer Adele Clarice, and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Country Director of the Miss Intercontinental USA pageant Michael Lewis McBride and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

The chosen charity of this pageant is Melqosh Mission International, an organization that provides aid to marginalized children and orphans as a result of the former civil war and Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone, West Africa. In preparation for the pageant, the ladies raised money for the cause and serve as goodwill ambassador for the organization. The ladies competed in introduction in African attire, swimwear, talent, and evening gown. There were also various musical performances from African nations and Jamaica.

Mr. Sully Hamid, Dr. John Sandy, and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson and designer of Konjo Models

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Africa USA finalist Ruhama Haile and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

As a reigning and visiting queen, I had the opportunity to crown some of the ladies along with Miss Africa USA finalist Ruhama Hayle. Fourth and third runner-up titles were awarded to Cameroon's Azeh Check and Agnes Atem, respectively. The second runner-up title was awarded to Ethiopia's Juliana Wolde, first runner-up was awarded to Sierra Leone's Miatta Mamie Sandy, and winner of Miss Culture Intercontinental 2015 is Sandra Lucy Asomugha from Nigeria. Other awards presented include: Miss Charity, Goodwill Ambassador, Director's Award, People's Choice, and Congeniality.

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson Crowning Miss Culture Intercontinental People's Choice Winner Louisa Amokomayen from Central African Republic

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson Crowning Miss Culture Intercontinental Photogenic Winner Juliana Wolde from Ethiopia

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson Crowning Miss Culture Intercontinental Congeniality Winner Michelle Njehoya from Central African Republic

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson Crowning Miss Culture Intercontinental First Runner Up Miatta Sandy from Sierra Leone

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson Crowning Miss Culture Intercontinental First Runner Up Miatta Sandy from Sierra Leone

Miss Culture Intercontinental 2015 First Runner Up Miatta Sandy and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

There she is...our Miss Culture Intercontinental First Runner Up! I am so proud of this dynamic, beautiful lady. She represented our Sierra Leone boldly and beautifully at the event, and made me so proud to be a Sierra Leonean woman. She had me screaming throughout the night in support, and could care less if I was breaking some queen etiquette rules. I met this awesome lady a couple years ago and I'm proud to know her and call her a friend. Besides earning the first runner-up position, Miatta was crowned Goodwill Ambassador for the pageant's chosen charity and co-winner for platform presentation. Mimi is a phenomenal woman and I can not wait to see where the Lord takes her. She knows I forever love her, and by God's grace I'll be there to keep cheering her on in her future endeavors.

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson and Miss Culture Intercontinental 2015 Sandra Lucy Asomugha

Click photo to enlarge

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson and Miss Culture Intercontinental 2015 Sandra Asomugha

Congratulations to all the other girls and newly crowned Miss Culture Intercontinental 2015 Sandra Lucy Asomugha! Congratulations to Fatmata Koroma and her team for producing a wonderful event in its premier year.

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Ruby B. Johnson,

Your Miss Earth Maryland 2015

Continuing the legacy of beauty and responsibility

Help me compete at Miss Earth United States 2015. DONATE HERE

Miss Earth Maryland Volunteers at DC's 2015 Green Festival Expo

Gree(n)tings everyone!!!

I hope you and yours are doing well. I am doing well, thanks be to God! On Saturday, June 6, I volunteered at the Green Festival Expo held in our nation's capital, Washington, District of Columbia. This was a three-day event, June 5-7. Green Festival is America's largest and longest-running sustainability and green living event. As a volunteer, I was stationed in the Social Media Lounge. It was fun interacting with folks that stopped by the lounge, and I had a blast checking out the products the exhibitors had at the event.

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson and Green Festivals, Inc. President Dr. Corinna Basler

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Green Festival is a unique and powerful platform for connecting potential customers, retailers, wholesalers and corporations - all under one roof. It provides excellent opportunities for green brands to generate business-to-business and business-to-consumer sales, build awareness and strengthen relationships in an expansive and engaging green marketplace.

Sierra Leonean Americans
Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson with Green Fest Expo kid attendees

Goofy Photo Time
Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

SALONE BOOTH!
Natural hair and body product using shea grown and made in Sierra Leone

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Mission: Green Festival is inspiring and empowering consumers, communities and businesses to work green, play green and live green.

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson and Titus

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson and Bacardi

...but first, let's take a selfie

Spin the wheel!
Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Ruby B. Johnson,

Your Miss Earth Maryland 2015

Continuing the legacy of beauty and responsibility

Help me compete at Miss Earth United States 2015. DONATE HERE