Autism Awareness Month

Gree(n)tings everyone,

I hope you and yours are doing well. I am doing great, thanks be to God. April is Autism Awareness Month. Last November 15th, I volunteered for Baltimore's Walk Now for Autism Speaks. Here are some photos below from the event. Since I was in high school, I have always been passionate about autism awareness after serving as a camp counselor at a camp for children with autism.

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Autism Awareness: Together We Can Solve The Puzzle

Ruby B. Johnson,

Your Miss Earth Maryland 2015

Continuing the legacy of beauty and responsibility

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.

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

My Green Maryland - What is Ecofeminism?

Gree(n)tings everyone!!!

I hope you and yours are doing well. I'm doing well, thanks be to God! In today's edition of My Green Maryland, I'll be talking about ecofeminism. As some of you may know, I graduated with a mining engineering degree from Virginia Tech but my minor was Women's Studies Leadership. Therefore, women's issues are very important to me as a woman and feminist. Being part of the Miss Earth organization and having this title as Maryland's Earth Ambassador, it has opened my eyes to so many things about life and I'm learning so much; this title is truly more than a sash and crown, it it is empowering me to live the Beauties for a Cause motto and lighting more fire under me to enlighten myself.

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Ecofeminism embraces the idea that the oppression of women and the oppression or destruction of nature are closely connected. Elements of the feminist movement, the peace movement and the environmentalist and green movements can be seen in ecofeminism. The term was coined in 1974 from the French feminist Francoise d'Eaubonne's work, "Le féminisme ou la mort." Ecofeminists address issues like water pollution, deforestation, toxic waste dumping, agricultural development and sustainability, animal rights and nuclear weapons policies. Feminism can be defined as the thought and movement toward the political, economic and social equality of women and men. Ecology is the study of the relationship between human groups and their physical and social environments.

Woman + Nature = Ecofeminism

Some people credit the German zoologist Ernst Haeckel as the founder of the science of ecology. Others believe that the real founder of ecology was a woman -- Ellen Swallow. A renowned industrial and environmental chemist, Swallow was the first female student admitted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the institution's first female instructor. As a teacher and active ecologist, Swallow concerned herself with educating women about the environment in relation to their homes or homemaking while focusing on monitoring the quality of their water, air and nutrition.
In ecofeminist literature, ecofeminism is often described as the belief that environmentalism and feminism are intrinsically connected. Another definition suggests that discrimination and oppression based on gender, race and class are directly related to the exploitation and destruction of the environment.

Rachel Carson
American Biologist and Conservationist

Throughout many cultures, women have historically held the role of primary food, fuel and water gatherer for their families and communities. Because of this, they have also had a major interest in trying to prevent or undo the effects of deforestation, desertification and water pollution. The ecofeminist movement quickly gained momentum in the U.S. Ynestra King and activist Grace Paley were among the women who organized the "Women and Life on Earth" conference at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1980. After the success of a conference at Sonoma State University the following year, a group of eight women formed the first national ecofeminist organization, WomanEarth.

Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai
Ecofeminist, 2004 Nobel Laureate, and The Green Belt Movement Founder 

The Green Belt (Kenya), Chipko Movements (Himalayas and Northern India), and Love Canal (United States) all have one thing in common -- the leadership and activism of strong and persistent women. The study of ecofeminism started informally at conferences in the U.S., U.K. and Germany and though grassroots efforts in India and Africa. Today, courses and programs on ecofeminism are taught at universities and colleges worldwide.

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

Credit:

How Stuff Works

Miss Earth Maryland Attends Kono Union USA Fundraising Ball 2015

Gree(n)tings everyone!!!

I hope you and yours are doing well. I am doing awesome, thanks be to God! On the night of March 28th, I attended the inaugural Kono Union USA Fundraising Ball in Beltsville, Maryland. Kono Union is the oldest Sierra Leonean organization in the United States, and Kono is one of the most diverse districts in  Sierra Leone. The attire for the event was formal wear which could be Afrikana (African wear) and/or black tie, with some blue. Everyone looked beautiful in blue. I am wearing a Sera Vero Nik gown by the talented Ms. Fruwah Boma Chapman. I felt very regal in this blue flowy gown. Make sure you check out the Sera Vero Nik page, and let me know if you need the designer's (Fruwah) contact information.

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson
Gown: Sera Vero Nik

Left-Right:
Ball MCs Aminata Ahmadu and Natasha Beckley, Dr. Fuambai Sia Ahmadu, Mr. Mohamed Lamrana Bah, and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson
Miss Earth MD Gown: Sera Vero Nik

Besides supporting a great cause, I attended this event to support one of my mentors, Dr. Fuambai Sia Ahmadu. Dr. Fuambai is the CEO/Co-Founder of the Miss Sierra Leone USA Scholarship and Leadership Pageant. This is the first pageant I competed in, and have had the opportunity to serve as Miss Sierra Leone USA 2012-2014. Besides serving my Sierra Leonean community in the United States and back home in Sierra Leone, this title provided me with the opportunity to do my mining internship in Sierra Leone in 2013 at Koidu Limited - Part of Octea Diamond Group. Kono District has a special place in my heart not only because I have some family members that lived and still live there, my mining internship was also there. That summer, I worked and lived in Tankoro Chiefdom, Koidu Town. While serving as the intern, I also got to explore some areas in the District, as well as interact with the local residents while advocating for my personal platform as Miss Sierra Leone USA. My personal platform as Miss SLUSA is advocating for the recruitment and retention of girls and women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Dr. Fuambai Sia Ahmadu
Medical Anthropologist, CEO of Miss Sierra Leone USA Scholarship and Leadership Pageant, and Kono Union USA President

Belly Dancing Beauty Queen
Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

This event was dedicated to Sierra Leone's national heroes, the victims of Ebola, especially to the surviving families in Kono District. The proceeds will go towards those chiefdoms that have been most affected by this deadly virus. Also, KUUSA plans to contribute financial assistance to Wellbody Alliance, a front line health center based in the District that provides critical health care to residents in hard-to-reach areas at the outskirts of Koidu Town. While serving as Miss SLUSA, I am the national ambassador for the center and while doing my internship in Kono, I visited the center. Awards were also given out to members in the Kono community that serve in all works of life for the greater good of the Kono people and Sierra Leoneans as a whole.

Belly Dancing Beauty Queen
Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Belly Dancing Beauty Queen
Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

I was part of the entertainment lineup at the ball. I performed a belly dance piece to one of my favorite songs, Al Bal, by Samira Said. As I've mentioned in a previous blog, my favorite color is red, so of course most of my wardrobe is in that color, including my belly dance costumes. As a performer, the audience response contributes a lot to one's energy and it seems they really enjoyed my performance. I was happy to contribute to this wonderful event with one of my passions.

Belly Dancing Beauty Queen
Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Belly Dancing Beauty Queen
Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Being the foodie that I am, I really appreciated the delicious Sierra Leonean food served at the ball. There was a fashion show by Miatta Mamie Sandy with her Ephi210 Accessories and Designs. There was drumming and great beats from Sierra Leone and Guinea, as well as sounds from the continent of Africa. Although I would have loved for the DJ to play more music from Sierra Leone, he had a good collection of African songs as a whole and we danced the night away. For a very cold night such as this Saturday night, I left the event sweating from a good time.

KUUSA Ball Guest and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson
Miss Earth MD Gown: Sera Vero Nik

Ms. Mary Musa Sesay, Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson, and Mr. David Buakei Vandy
Miss Earth MD Gown: Sera Vero Nik

I had a great time at the event, and as a Sierra Leonean American woman, I was proud to have been part of this event. I can definitely say I had a ball at the Ball!

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson
Gown: Sera Vero Nik

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 Commemorates Autism Awareness Month

Gree(n)tings everyone!!!

I hope you and yours are doing well. I am doing well, thanks be to God! Over the past years, the month of April has been used to raise awareness and create dialogue about autism spectrum disorder.

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson
Wearing Sera Vero Nik by Fruwah Boma Chapman
Photo by Life Depicted Productions

Fact: Autism is a severe developmental disorder that begins at birth or within the first two-and-a-half years of life. Most children with autism are perfectly normal in appearance, but spend their time engaged in puzzling and disturbing behaviors which are markedly different from those of neurotypical children. Less severe cases may be diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) or with Asperger's Syndrome (these children typically have normal speech, but they have many "autistic" social and behavioral problems). World Autism Awareness Day is celebrated on April 2nd. It's also a day that it is encouraged to light up the world blue, as well as wear something blue. Read a blog post I wrote some years back of why I have made autism awareness a life-long personal platform of mine here.

AUTISM: Together We Can Solve The Puzzle

Read about my motivation for this cause.

Read about women and autism.

Read more about autism.

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 2015 Attends Gift of Wells' March Happy Hour Fundraiser

Gree(n)tings everyone!!!

I hope you and yours are doing well. I'm doing well, thanks be to God! This past Friday, I attended Gift of Wells' Happy Hour Fundraiser hosted at SIP Lounge in our nation's capital, District of Columbia. The purpose of this event was to party for an awesome cause with artists giving back through their talents.

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Gift Of Wells, with the motto of lending a helping hand one water well at a time, is: a non-profit organization whose aim is to build water wells in Sierra Leone, thereby providing safe and sanitary water to the people of Sierra Leone. I serve as the Media Magician for this awesome organization, and so proud of its mission and vision for health and sanitation in my native country, Sierra Leone.

Reggae artist Kha Benneh 'JayArr' Bangura (GOW Founder) and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson (GOW Media Magician)

Gift of Wells Executive Board
Dennis Bundu (Events Expert), Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson (Media Magician), and Kha Benneh Bangura (Founder)

Rapper/Producer Dennis 'Menace Da General' Bundu and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Overall, it was a great event with performances by JayArr and legendary Sierra Leonean artist Lady Felicia, who performed some of my favorite songs and of course I had to join her on the dance floor. Special thanks to Keepeekee, Inc. for providing items for the auction. It was a night full of wonderful people and great entertainment. Stay tuned for our upcoming programs, including the 5K Run. we are still accepting donations here.

Miss Earth Maryland 2015
Gift of Wells Media Magician
When You Believe Foundation, Inc. Founder/CEO
Ruby B. Johnson

March 22 is World Water Day, and the 2015 theme is Water and Sustainable Development. It’s about how water links to all areas we need to consider to create the future we want. Water is life.

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 2015 Featured on Frederick News-Post Newspaper

Gree(n)tings everyone!!!

I hope you and yours are doing well. I'm blessed, thanks to the Almighty! I was recently featured in the Environment section of Frederick County's own Frederick News-Post newspaper. Get to know more about me, and read the article in this link.

Ruby B. Johnson,

Your Miss Earth Maryland 2015

Continuing the legacy of beauty and responsibility

VIDEO - Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Interview on Takoma Park's City TV

Gree(n)tings everyone!!!

I hope you and yours are doing well. I'm doing well, thanks be to God! As I had mentioned in a previous post, I was interviewed few weeks ago by Takoma Park's City TV during my Miss Earth Maryland 2015 School Tour while at my Alma Mater (Montgomery Blair High School). Get to know more about the Miss Earth United States pageant, When You Believe Foundation, Inc., my thoughts on politics and youth votes, mining, etc. BONUS: you get to hear my wicked awesome British accent at the end! Watch the interview now, my segment starts at 18:57.

Ruby B. Johnson,

Your Miss Earth Maryland 2015

Continuing the legacy of beauty and responsibility

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Celebrates Women's History Month

Gree(n)tings everyone!!!

I hope you and yours are doing well. I'm blessed, thanks be to God! As some of you may know, March commemorates Women's History Month. The 2015 theme is “Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives.” Women's History Month is an annual declared month that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. It is celebrated during March in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, corresponding with International Women's Day on March 8. As a feminist who is very passionate about the endeavors of girls and women in our everyday life, I celebrate this month. My minor at Virginia Tech is Women's Studies Leadership, and in November 2010 I started an organization called When You Believe Foundation, Inc.. The mission of WYBF "is to do outreach, raise awareness, provide assistance, enhance the lifestyle, promote self-sufficiency, and empower girls and women in our communities."

When You Believe Foundation, Inc. Founder/CEO and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

When You Believe Foundation, Inc. Founder/CEO and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Ms. Christina Tchen (U.S. lawyer and First Lady Michelle Obama's Chief of Staff) and When You Believe Foundation Founder/Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

WHEN YOU BELIEVE FOUNDATION, INC.
Established November 2010

In the United States, Women's History Month traces its beginnings back to the first International Women's Day in 1911. In 1978, the school district of Sonoma, California participated in Women's History Week, an event designed around the week of March 8 (International Women's Day). In 1979 a fifteen-day conference about women's history was held at Sarah Lawrence College from July 13 until July 29, chaired by historian Gerda Lerner. It was co-sponsored by Sarah Lawrence College, the Women's Action Alliance, and the Smithsonian Institution. When its participants learned about the success of the Sonoma County's Women's History Week celebration, they decided to initiate similar celebrations within their own organizations, communities, and school districts. They also agreed to support an effort to secure a National Women's History Week.

When You Believe Foundation, Inc. Founder/CEO
Miss Earth Maryland 2015
Ruby B. Johnson

Ms. Dolores Huerta (Civil Rights Activist) and When You Believe Foundation Founder/Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued a presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8, 1980, as National Women's History Week. In 1981, responding to the growing popularity of Women's History Week, Representative Barbara Mikulski of Maryland and Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah co-sponsored the first Joint Congressional Resolution proclaiming a Women's History Week. Congress passed their resolution as Pub. L. 97-28, which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982 as “Women’s History Week." In 1987, after being petitioned by the National Women's History Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which designated the month of March 1987 as Women’s History Month. Since 1995, U.S. presidents have issued annual proclamations designating the month of March as Women’s History Month.

National Organization for Women (NOW) President Terry O'Neill and When You Believe Foundation, Inc. Founder/Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

When You Believe Foundation, Inc. Founder and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson and Ms. Katherine Spillar (Executive Director of Feminist Majority Foundation and Editor at Ms. Magazine)

State departments of education also began to encourage celebrations of Women's History Month as a way to promote equality among the sexes in the classroom.Maryland, Pennsylvania, Alaska, New York, Oregon, and other states developed and distributed curriculum materials in all of their public schools, which prompted educational events such as essay contests. Within a few years, thousands of schools and communities began to celebrate of Women's History Month. They planned engaging and stimulating programs about women's roles in history and society, with support and encouragement from governors, city councils, school boards, and the U.S. Congress.

U.S. Attorney and Miss America 2003 Erika Harold and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson 

Miss Universe 1999 from Botswana Mpule Kwelagobe and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson 

"When you believe in yourself, the world will believe in you"
Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

Now you understand / Just why my head’s not bowed / I don’t shout or jump about / Or have to talk real loud / When you see me passing / It ought to make you proud / I say / It’s in the click of my heels / The bend of my hair / the palm of my hand / The need for my care / ’Cause I’m a woman / Phenomenally / PHENOMENAL WOMAN / THAT'S ME - Excerpt from Dr. Maya Angelou's poem.

Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson

EVERY MONTH IS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH!

Ruby B. Johnson,

Your Miss Earth Maryland 2015

Continuing the legacy of beauty and responsibility