MISS D.I.L.
In spirit, I am an entrepreneur. That is one of the love facts that attracted me to my soul mate. After giving birth to our daughter, London, we opened a convenience store, M"N MiniMart, LLC, in Baltimore, Maryland and married in 2008. I continued in this spirit with my husband creating a fashion based business called, LUSH Accessories. And I am Co-owner of " LoveLace Toujours Fashion," a clothing full of fashion. I also enrolled at the University of Baltimore in a Master's Program in Criminal Justice.
My husband, who was fondly called L.A., and I decided to have another child. Not long after becoming pregnant with our second child, tragedy struck my family. Pregnant and overwhelmed, my husband was tragically killed. Instantly, my whole life changed. I went from being a wife to a pregnant single mother. Self determination and sense of purpose, the reasons why God put me on this earth, would not allow me to do anything but achieve my life goals. For all the right reasons in my life?after losing my husband, my soul-mate, I had to live setting the example for my children. In my life I have been blessed to always have my needs met. So often I didn't realize most of the things in my life I simply " Wanted." Through my family tragedy I needed God's help through it all like never before in my life. I found healing in my gift of giving. Giving kept me busy and helping others allowed me to help myself. With a community of support, I kept my husband, Lamont Kareen Blackston's, memory alive raising our children and creating a non-profit organization called "LA's Helping hands" which helps disadvantaged children in the Baltimore area. In 2009, immediately following his death, LA's Helping hands partnered with Alpha Kappa Alpha, Rho Xi Omega Chapter and gave away Complete thanksgiving meals including frozen turkeys. In 2010, La's helping hands Charity had a Christmas sponsorship, in which we partnered with the Agape house homeless Shelter providing clothes and toys for over 200 children. The greater good of having loved my husband keeps me each day as we move forward. After we married, I began attending the University of Baltimore pursuing my Master's degree in Criminal Justice. At this point in my educational career to one day become a lawyer, I am 20 credits away from achieving this milestone. These days I really enjoy taking care of my two children, London, who is 3 years old, and DiNero Blackston, who will be one year next month. I am very honored to be chosen as Miss Dark is Lovely. Although I have endured so much in life, I would love to tell young women my story and most importantly never to give up and trust in GOD because anything is possible. Beauty comes from within and your strength comes from above! My crowning life achievement is my family. Being Black and beautiful is a family trademark that has been passed down. As Diana Ross so eloquently sang back in the days, " Ain't no mountain high enough" to stop my dreams and " Ain't no valley low enough" to keep me from my own measure of success. rom my Grandmother's mother and beyond to my children today. |
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