Dawn Moss continues her work behind the scene

By Charles Ashley and Lonnie Ross Mississippi Tribune

On Monday, August 4, a celebrity panel of judges determined the winner of the “2009 Miss Black USA” crown, Miss Black Pennsylvania, Shayna Rudd. Mississippian Alicia Lewis came in 2nd. The winner  also received an academic scholarship along with a host of other prizes.

Dawn Moss, the 1996 Miss Black USA winner, a International Fashion guru,a Managing Partner for Carolina Kitchen restaurants and spokesmodel for 4Life research is the Executive Producer of the pageant. Her job she said “is to oversee the entire production, make sure everyone does what they are suppose to do, up until the queen is crowned.” As Executive Producer, Moss has volunteered her time over the past 3 years.

Her Mcomb connection? She met McComb resident, businessman and co-publisher of the Mississippi Tribune, Charles Ashley last year. He worked with her as an associate producer, to help her team produce the 2008 event in Las Vegas.

“I love what I do” she said. “It is my way of giving back. Each year there are new talents. The God inside of them will be revealed the moment their name is called. I try to convey the spirit of Christ in the work. I pray that a life was changed that night. Not only with the winner but in the crowd. We had everything from a dance performance depicting God and the Creation. to the evolution of woman and the road we have traveled to get to the point where we now have our first African American woman in the white House. Thats a huge accomplishment for our women. Our production tells our story....”

Moss always speaks highly of her team of pageant producers, like Ashley in the past and her current group of people. “I am blessed. I have the best staff in the world” said Moss. “CJ Phillips is my Choerographer and Creative Director/Producer. She makes me look good. She is the best in the world. And, she is also my friend...The show is a success because of the volunteers and people working behind the scenes.”

Moss is no stranger to the world of glamour. “I have been in the fashion business for over 20 years and it has taken me all over the world.” She said “I have been going back and forth overseas for the last 10 years. I Thank God for the chance to be a part of history.”