Jackson Free Press

Seated comfortably with perfect posture, Monica Jeany Minter calmly focuses on the photographer, her eyes never leaving his face until she thoroughly understands his instructions. Nothing about the busy Friday afternoon outside Banner Hall distracts her. The Murrah High graduate is a young lady with a new role—Mississippi's Miss Hospitality. Since being selected in July, 21-year-old Minter—a senior at Jackson State University where she is a political science major with a 3.4 GPA, the current Miss Jackson State and active in many campus organizations—has already been on the job.

What comes across immediately, though, is that she does not see her responsibilities as a job, but as an opportunity. Minter will communicate her pride in her state, its accomplishments, and its people as she travels across Mississippi and the United States. She says Mississippians do know how to communicate with each other, a key to eventually dispelling those hurtful beliefs that are out there. No, we're not all barefoot, living in houses without running water and electricity, treating each other terribly because of the color of our skin. Yes, there are some here who are closed-minded when it comes to race. That is true in other states, too. "I think it is important for us to realize that this is our Mississippi, and we should endeavor to change the things that go on one day at a time, one step at a time, one project at a time," Minter says. Not realizing when she won the title of Miss Hospitality that she was becoming the state's first African-American goodwill ambassador, Minter says she considers herself a living example that Mississippi has changed. "We're all brothers and sisters in the human race, not just any other superficial race that people have made up to classify, to quantify, to depreciate" ourselves and each other.

One of the winners of the Speech Award, a preliminary event in the pageant, Minter attributes her success to a strong foundation laid by Jackson Public Schools and her family. From both, she learned the value of reading, writing and being able to analyze things critically, while her strong belief in the power of prayer comes from her family.

When asked about her future, Minter candidly answers, "I have plans but I don't have plans." Earning a master's degree—she is leaning toward public policy, international affairs or international studies—at Howard University in Washington, D.C., is her first goal, to be followed by a law degree. In the future, she sees herself having a satisfying home life as well as a productive public life, one day serving as an ambassador or maybe becoming the first African-American woman on the Supreme Court.

Minter, ever mindful that God reveals his plans for us in His own time, believes right now that college is a "blank check," that you can write what you want on it.
— Lynette Hanson