Melanie Haynes, originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, now a Delaware is the 2011-2012 Miss North American Essence USA! Attending Delaware State University where she studied Fashion Merchandising Textiles Design. Melanie is currently a Behavioral Science major at Wilmington University aspiring to become Child Advocate & child/ family counselor and also plans to attain post masters cert. in Child & Family community counseling & Mental Health counseling. Not letting the crown make her, this African American beauty queen is actively involved with her community and considers giving back to be as important as breathing. Melanie has served as a volunteer for the Special Olympics Dover, Delaware, DSU Fashion Merchandising Club, Women’s Senate, Student Mentor. Melanie is also involved with the Susan G Komen Foundation, American Cancer Society, The Sister’s Network (a cancer network for women of color), Think Pink Cancer Outreach program as well as Poverty Delaware. In 2003 she started a non-profit organization entitled The Dreams Drive which enables disadvantaged families, reminding them that everyday is special.
Melanie’s current platform is Osteosarcoma a form of soft tissue & bone cancer that at this time has no cure. This cause is close to her heart, after the loss of her mother on Oct 7, 2010, only 3 days before the Miss Delaware Essence Pageant. Her cause work has been recognized by Vice President Biden, Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, Gov. Jack Markell, Sen. Tom Carper, Wilmington Mayor Baker and the Wilmington City Council to name a few. “I plan to raise awareness of this disease to the entire WORLD with hope of helping find a cure,” says Haynes.
Recently, Melanie hosted “The Royal Carriage Ride”, a fund-raising event with young girls, showing them that indeed they too were queens. For more information on Melanie and the Frances L. Haynes Osteosarcoma Cancer Memorial Foundation visit www.melaniehaynes.webs.com
