By MONIQUE ROTH
L’Observateur

LUTCHER — Lutcher native Aralynn Brinee Davis was recently named Miss Black Louisiana Ambassador 2015, a title she said she sought in efforts to impact her community and raise awareness of important issues.

The Miss Black U.S. Ambassador Scholarship Pageant “exists to give a once in a lifetime opportunity for young African American women to serve as an ambassador of change and to encourage, empower and enlighten communities, states and nations,” Patrice Harrison, executive officer of the pageant, said. “These young women are a rising voice in the community that seek to make a difference.”

Each year an ambassador is chosen from each state, and this year Davis was chosen to represent Louisiana and compete in the 2015 pageant, which will be held during the summer in Atlanta.

Davis found out about the national pageant from Kristy Johnson, her pageant coach and the 2014 Miss Black Mississippi Ambassador. Davis said she recently started competing in pageants in Mississippi, where she is a junior student double majoring in math and Spanish at Jackson State University.

Davis — who maintains over a 3.0 GPA at JSU and enjoys serving her community — is the assistant secretary of the NAACP Collegiate Chapter, the recording secretary of the Eastern Star Chapter, Rose of Sharon #13 and the president of the Theta Xi Chapter of the Alpha Mu Gamma Honors Foreign Language Society at JSU.

She said the application process for the ambassador pageant included submitting a portfolio with information about her community service projects and club involvement. She also completed an interview to secure the ambassador title, a position sought by over 100 women.

Davis learned she won the title two weeks ago.

“I cried,” Davis said laughing. “I couldn’t believe it.”

She said it feels good to be “part of something bigger than yourself” and is excited to represent Louisiana.

Her platform — Complete the Puzzle — involves autism awareness and mentorship.

Davis said her personal autism awareness and education started when she was younger and in Girl Scouts.

Her mom, who was over the chapter, guided the troop in autism walks.

“I also have family members who have autism,” Davis said.

Davis recently conducted a community project where she and other JSU students signed a “JSU Loves You” poster, which was laminated and given to the Jackson Autism Center.

She is currently planning two March walks for autism, one to be held in Jackson, Miss., and the other planned for her hometown of Lutcher.

She is also currently forming a team of mentors to go out in the community to help autistic individuals.

Davis said she hopes her “actions and love not only contribute to her world,” but “encourage young women around the globe to strive for excellence and to give their hands to greater service.”

Davis, the 21-year-old daughter of Sara Cooper and Samari Davis, attended elementary school at Paulina Elementary and graduated with honors from Lutcher High School in 2011, where she was named top Spanish student and ranked in the top ten percent of her class.

During high school, Davis participated in 4-H, Beta Club, the Louisiana Science Engineering and Technology Board, AAU track with the River Parish Hornets, junior varsity and varsity cheerleading. She also attended the St. James Science and Math Academy — a collegiality accredited program — while at Lutcher High School.

Davis says her role model is her father, “because he is a God-fearing, hardworking and successful man who puts his life on the line for his country (as a U.S. Army Captain) every day and continues to strive for excellence.”

If chosen as Miss Black U.S. Ambassador in the summer, Davis will win scholarships and have the opportunity to travel around the country and even globally.

“I’m excited,” Davis said of the upcoming pageant and her recent title.

“At this point I’m not nervous. I’ve had all the support I could possibly get from my family and friends.”