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n the day that EBONY photographedthe lO sh-umingwinners of our HRCUeampus Qrreens contest in Atlanta, mygood friend Alicia happened to havesome &ee time. She ;rnd her beauti:firl 8-year-old daughter, Layla, swungby the studio il tle a-fternoon to sayhello. Though Layla has left, her prin-

cessstagebehind, Quee4sare an entirely different mafter..As shewatched the ladies take their,positions in front of the camerawith astarstnick gape, sle b!'ca.me uncharacteristica[y shy. Butthekindand gr,egarious Campus Queeas,were haviqg none ofthat! They clustered a,round Iayla" oqhiqsa{rd aahing about hovipretQ,.she is, trirliyrg her around,so.theycould lootat her dress,letingher tell them all about her school and raitous actiyities.They even posed for pictures rith her on tle set.

Alicia and I could tell that tJle women were having an effect onLaylaas we-ptched herget more confidentrin their presence. Asthey, ehatted her up,,she even bega4 to feel special, taking greatcare -to smooth her laii and-tuckthe much-complimented dressneatly und-erneath her as she sat to.vatch ee b$group porhdtu{o1d,'nieyriag the ladies in theii foima} dresses and cmryns,Layla whispered re-verantly, "Mornmy, are thcy rcally queens?'

Of course, we erplained tlat these women were queens of theirschodls, *nd that if she vorked hard, &*good &irgs for otherpeople and got good grades, she, too, could be queen ofher sehool

20 EBot{y,oot / sEpTEMBER, tOr2

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one day. Layla nodded herhead and with deliberate so-leurnity told AIiCia, *Mo1445,

I am going to be queen ofmyschool one day. And when Iam, Fm goipg to tre just asnice as theyare." ' '

Something about the deter-mined, happy look on Laylaisface struck me deeply. I wasreminded tbat it can takejust one [ttle act ofkindness,one word of encouragement,one phrase ofinspiration topoiata person in the right ,

direction. Yes, Layla is a littJegirl impressed by a profes- ,

sional photo studio, a titlearid'some fancy hairpwelry. ,

But the Campus Queeas alsomade her feel good aboutherself and ga.ve her not justa positive goal but the desireto return the favor to the next

aroundus.,Itt Dotto have a crown onJourto pass on a bit of wisdom,deliver an uoexpectedmentor makesomeonetwith a small actofAnd t\e moreyousprea.d

giil (or boy) iu needof afideaceboosl' s/e all have fhe fxlwer, lto positively impact those

good energy, thebetter ycwill feel in retura,Eitme

me krowhowyouplarr,oniqg a oositive influence.

Amg DwBois BarnqttEDITOR-lN-CI{IEr :l

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