September/October 2013 - Christa's Column and MGMA Board Newsletters

I am so excited!!!! In two weeks I will be going to Miss Gay America 2014, to be held in St.Louis, Missouri at the Millennium Hotel, October 9-13. This is my first time going as a contestant. I have been a choreographer, back up dancer and a dresser, but now I get to be onstage by myself.  This incredible journey has been sweetened by the love and support of my family and the community around me. But also because  of the amazingly knowledgeable and supportive Board of Directors of Miss Gay Missouri. I feel completely honored and blessed to be representing this great state and its LGBT communities. It is an opportunity that I do not take lightly.

I am preparing with last minute dress fittings and rehearsing and making sure that all loose ends are tied up before I travel to St. Louis. I will do my absolute best to make all of you proud by giving 150% as only I know how to do. Before I leave, however, I would like to say THANK YOU!!  I say it in advance because  I could not have gotten this far without all of you. Good, bad, or indifferent, it is turning out to be an unforgettable year that  I will treasure. I look forward to a week of learning, entertaining and competing with all of the contestants. I can't wait to meet them all. I would also like to say Good Luck and Cheers to my sisters  Miss Adria Andrews, Jade Sinclair and Vicki Valentino.  I will let you all know how everything turns out in the next newsletter. Until then keep looking out for each other and lending a hand—it does come back around.

I hope all of you who are wanting to join the sisterhood of Miss Gay Missouri are on the lookout for preliminaries in your area or around the state. Here are upcoming dates of prelims. Miss Gay Kansas City is to be held in Kansas City September 27 and  28, it is an open prelim so come and join as I step down as the reigning MGKC. Contact Jeff Hickman (Lore'al) or Sam Vermillion (Valari Knyte) for information. Miss Gay Springfield will be held in Springfield Mo. on Sunday, October 20. It is an open prelim as well. Contact Vince for any details and questions you may have. Miss City of Columbia will be February 1, 2014 in Columbia Mo. As they would like someone from their community to represent them at MGM , this prelim will be a closed to contestants outside of the city of Columbia. Contact Jeff Thompson (Atheena Voce') for information. Miss Spirit of St.Louis is to be held in St.Louis at the famed Hamburger Mary's on Sunday, February 23, 2014 and it is an open prelim. Contact Colin Murphy of Vital VOICE with any questions.  As always, if you have any questions about any of the above  information please feel free to contact me at ChristaCollinsMGMA2013@gmail.com. 

Miss Gay Missouri America 2013,

Christa Collins 

  SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER MGMA BOARD NEWSLETTER

One of the things I remember being taught as a child is that true, sincere pride can only come from your work.  This means that for someone to feel proud of something it has to come from something that they have worked on, or put hard work towards.  This is a life lesson that I think we all must remember sometimes.

Being Miss Gay Missouri America 2004 is one of the things that I am most proud of in my life.  This is because I put work into winning that title.  This made me think about the MGMA sisterhood, and why this sisterhood stands apart from others.  This is a title that was and still is VERY important to each and every one of us that has been lucky enough to place that crown on our head.  This is not a title that one wins on a whim….this is the SUPREME title of our wonderful state.  The sisterhood is strong and unshakeable because we put countless hours of work and dedication into being a part of this legacy.

 I truly believe that things in life happen for a reason and when they are meant to happen.  I remember my soul being crushed as I watched my fabulous sisters before me get their name called as the next chosen crown holder.  I remember telling myself that I wasn’t going to give up… I went back home, (and after a few tears) I began my work.  I was told early in my competition career that to WIN Miss Gay Missouri, you had to BE Miss Gay Missouri.  I listened to that.  I went to each show packed and prepared as if I was MGMA, I studied and rehearsed make-up and hair techniques.  I worked, and saved my money (and ate a LOT of Ramen noodles) and bought the completion pieces I needed to hear my name called.  On that night, I realized it was my time.  I knew I was truly prepared and ready for this responsibility because I had done my WORK

Now is YOUR time, have you done your WORK? 

Lastly, the Miss Gay Missouri, America Alumni Committee would like to wish the best of luck to our representatives going to Miss Gay America.  We have excellent representation by Christa Collins and Adria Andrews and are all eager to see how their individual WORK unfolds on stage for all of us to see!  Knock ‘em dead ladies! 

Don’t forget we have several preliminaries already scheduled:

Miss Gay Kansas City, Fri and Sat.  Sept 27^th and Sept 28th—open preliminary

Miss Gay Springfield, Sun. Oct 20^th—open preliminary

Miss City-of-Columbia, Sat Feb 1^st—closed preliminary          

Miss Spirit of StL, Feb 23rd—open preliminary

   
Jeff Thompson/Atheena Voce', MGM 2004