While Ashley Griffin was first runner-up at the Miss Black Mississippi USA Pageant, she will still have the opportunity to represent her hometown and state on a national stage.
Griffin is the winner of the state pageant’s Community Service Ambassador award.
The pageant’s community service honor is awarded to the contestant who has been the most active within her community.
With this award, Griffin will have an all-expense paid trip to the Miss Black USA pageant in Washington D.C., where she will serve as a community service ambassador.
Griffin tied with Miss Black Forrest County Imani Harris before a tie-breaker on-stage question.
The statewide pageant was held Saturday in Grenada. It was a preliminary competition for the 2018 Miss Black USA Pageant.
Griffin was awarded the title of Miss Black Leflore County after going through an application and interview process. This is the first year Mississippi has had a Miss Black Mississippi USA pageant.
Griffin’s community service platform is “Don’t Forget Those Who Can’t Remember,” which focuses on Alzheimer’s disease awareness and raising funds for the Alzheimer’s Association.
“My grandfather passed away from Alzheimer’s, and my grandmother currently has it, so this is something that is very near and very dear to my heart,” she said before the pageant.
Griffin has been participating in Alzheimer’s fundraisers at Delta State University and in Greenwood, where she has been working with Garden Park Adult Day Center Activity Director Shirley Garrett. She also participated in the recent Mississippi Delta Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
Griffin is a senior at Delta State, where she is studying biology and chemistry. She is the daughter of Annette Griffin of Greenwood.
• Contact Ruthie Robison at 581-7233 or rrobison@gwcommonwealth.com.
