Speaker Lindsey Slay, 2006-2007 Miss. Prairie View A&M University, teamed up with host 2009-2010 Miss PVAMU, Chelsee Hill to educate students about school pride, organizational involvement and her experience at an HBCU on Oct. 29.
Slay, who served a three year stint with PALS, won and fulfilled her duties as Miss PVAMU and received a master’s degree in architecture in 2007, she decided to come back to her alma mater and speak to the current students about what it means to be an alumnus or alumna of Prairie View.
“I ran for Miss PV because I felt like it was the one thing I could do to give back to my school,” said Slay. “Becoming Miss PV was probably the best thing ever because you get to know, connect, and help so many people just because you win a pageant. I don’t know if I can thank PV enough for the title and experience it has given me.”
She spoke of how Nathelyne Archie Kennedy was one of her favorite alumni and Opal Johnson-Smith was one of the greatest Miss PVAMUs in her opinion.
She told of how Prairie View taught her to network and forced her to learn about her heritage. Hill also had words for those who have negative things to say about Prairie View due to the recent happenings on campus.
“In any situation you cannot point the finger at one person; a group of students at PV did it, not PV,” Slay said. “We have never beaten the teams we have beaten this year. And when it comes to the other events we keep family business in the family, but when it gets out we should unite against the negative.”
Slay compared meeting another Prairie View alumna in the real world to being a member in a secret society where only you and the other person know of the experiences and love that goes along with being a student at PV.
Slay also motivated students to get involved and give back to the school which has given so much. She ended her seminar with some inspiration about the past, present and future.
“Prairie View has taught me you are who you are, period,” Slay expounded. “You are black regardless and black is beautiful. A few short years ago we were slaves and now we are running the free world. Black is power.”
Hill gave advice about organizations and keeping that love for Prairie View .