Miss Quayle Agurs

Ms. Quayle Agurs is a graduate of Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Communications. She has also earned a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Education (Ed.D) degree in Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.

After graduating from Hampton University, Ms Agurs was provided the unique opportunity to work as an Editorial Reporter in New York City at several world-renowned magazine publishing companies such as Essence Magazine, InStyle Magazine, Cosmopolitan Magazine, and Cosmopolitan Australia in Sydney, Australia

In addition to her media and communications experience, Ms Agurs works as a full-time higher education professional and a part-time travel enthusiast Ms Agurs currently serves as the Coordinator of Civic Engagement at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she works with undergraduate students to gain impactful opportunities through different cultural experiences, learning from community service, and volunteerism.

In her spare time, Ms. Agurs serves as the Founder of the “Secure the Student” organization which provides financial assistance to students attending Virginia colleges and universities Secure the Student is a 501c3 taxexempt nonprofit organization that provides much-needed food and housing assistance to low-income and homeless college students while pursuing their academic education

One of her many hobbies is to assist women with strengthening their confidence, and self-assurance in traveling solo for much-needed vacations to foreign countries to further their international cultural experiences

In August of 2022, Ms. Agurs made the decision to compete in a state-wide scholarship pageant and was crowned Miss Black Virginia USA 2023. As Miss Black Virginia, Ms. Agurs will serve as a community leader, an advocate for the underprivileged, and a volunteer for nonprofit causes that are important to her mission in life.

She also plans to use her platform to further her involvement and activism in educational assistance, food insecurity, and health & wellness for children Her overall mission is to use her God-given talents and experiences to encourage women and girls to lead, be fearless, and live authentically in their professional and personal endeavors

In August 2023, Ms Agurs will compete in the “Miss Black USA” Scholarship Pageant, a national competition where she will contend with 25 or more talented and professional black women from across the nation Contestants will be judged in the areas of Evening Gowns, Personal Fitness, Questions & Answers, Talent, and a Personal Interview

The pageant will be nationally televised on the Fox Soul network and consistently receive positive broadcast and editorial coverage in leading international and US national media outlets. The Miss Black USA organization is the first and largest scholarship pageant for women of color Ms Agurs’ goal is to identify sponsors as she competes for the national title to assist in pursuing her Doctorate in Education

To become a sponsor and support her run to the national title you can send your donations through (Zelle) at [missblackva2023@gmail com] and to donate to the Secure the Student organization please visit their website at www securethestudent org for details

VaBHMA Sponsor

African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms, and police killings since our arrival upon these shores. These efforts have been to advocate for a dignified self-determined life in a just democratic society in the United States and beyond the United States political jurisdiction

The 1950s and 1970s in the United States was defined by actions such as sit-ins, boycotts, walk outs, strikes by Black people and white allies in the fight for justice against discrimination in all sectors of society from employment to education to housing Black people have had to consistently push the United States to live up to its ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice for all

Systematic oppression has sought to negate much of the dreams of our griots, like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, and our freedom fighters, like the Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr , Septima Clark, and Fannie Lou Hamer fought to realize. Black people have sought ways to nurture and protect Black lives, and for autonomy of their physical and intellectual bodies through armed resistance, voluntary emigration, nonviolence, education, literature, sports, media, and legislation/politics. Black led institutions and affiliations have lobbied, litigated, legislated, protested, and achieved success

In an effort to live, and maintain and protect economic success Black people have organized/planned violent insurrections against those who enslaved them, such as in Haiti,, and armed themselves against murderous white mobs as seen in Memphis, TN (1892), Rosewood, FL (1923), and New Orleans, LA (1900) Additionally, some Black people thought that the best way to resist was to self-liberate as seen by the actions those who left the plantation system, of Henry Adams and Benjamin "Pap" Singleton, when