Why I Am Running for Miss California 2011

By Shanice McKinley, Los Angeles Regional President

GenerationDrive’s Los Angeles Regional President, Shanice McKinley, is in the running for Miss California 2011. This month, The Los Angeles Times featured Shanice as they followed her around her hometown of Compton, praising her for her determination to redefine the city in a more favorable light.

I am dedicated to changing the image of what people think of the citizens and community of Compton, California through reaching my goal of finishing Graduate School, becoming a business owner, and ultimately coming back to my community to be a living example.

My mother as a single parent raised me, my little sister, and my two older brothers with the mindset to value education, and work hard for what we want. Although we did not have much growing up, she always encouraged us that if we work hard, we could have everything we ever wanted.

My mother, my sister, two older brothers and I moved in with my aunt and uncle to Compton California when I was twelve years old. Soon after that, I began my education in Compton Unified School District. I attended Roosevelt Middle School and Dominguez High School, and carried that mindset my mother instilled in me as a little girl and continued my education at California State San Bernardino. At Cal State, I received my BA in Business Administration with concentration in Marketing in Dec. 2007. In the year of 2008, I decided to continue my education at the University of Redlands to widen my opportunities of helping me reach my goals of becoming a living example to my community. I will be receiving my MBA this year Dec. 2010.

After I receive my MBA, I plan to open a youth center to teach youth like myself that were raised in the inner cities how to reach their goals through education and begin creating role models for my community . I want to also start encouraging our youth to go get educated and come back to our community to become living examples to the generations after them.

To learn more about Your Future Miss California 2011, visit: http://www.shanicemckinley2011.com