Valiyah T. Barnes

Miss Black America Illinois continues to serve with purpose and pride. 💚💗 This week, she joined the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated in passing out turkeys to families in need. She was accompanied by TLOD and Top Teens, showing her commitment to uplifting the next generation of leaders.
Through her advocacy, she mentors students in academics and athletics through service and scholarship, demonstrating what it means to lead with heart and purpose. ✨
Service isn’t just something she does—it’s who she is. 💚💗

Thank you so much for this post. Super excited to be apart of this ✨✨

Valiyah! Welcome to the Sisterhood of Miss Black America. Please Share this Post. And, Donate to Valiyah T. Barnes Today. Help generate support for Miss Black America Pagrant Delegates' Journey to the Crown! Valiyah's is coming to the Miss Black America Pageant and Positivity Cruise from the State of Illinois. She will join other Miss Black America Pageant Delegates of all ages from around the Globe in Miami. They will compete at Sea on the Carnival Horizon and on Land in Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, as we sail the Southern Caribbean to Exotic Locations. Join Us between Feb 14th and Feb 22nd, 2026
Must Book Your Cabins Exclusively via MissBlackAmerica.com
Support Valiyah's Journey via the attachment. J Morris Anderson

💎 Honored to attend the Civil Rights event hosted by the NAACP Committee of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. and the Akarama Foundation/Theta Omega alongside incredible leaders, including the legendary Diane Nash. Her tireless work in the civil rights movement reminds us why Miss Black America was founded, to celebrate Black excellence, leadership, and advocacy, and to give a platform for voices that have long been overlooked. Proud to continue this legacy of empowerment and service. 🖤👑

✨ As Miss Black America Illinois and a mentor, I was honored to invite some of the Top Teens of America to the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Advocacy & Leadership event. I had another obligation but the TOP Teens really showed out. This was a space led by remarkable advisors and top women leaders dedicated to supporting Black girls. These teens are the future of our communities, and through my platform, I champion mentoring Black teens in athletics and academics via scholarship and service, providing them with guidance, opportunities, and inspiration to lead. 🖤👑

Happy Thriving Thursday everyone! Miss Black America Delegate Illinois 2025 took a break to get adjusted to school, coaching, and work but she’s back 👑

Miss Black America Illinois 2025 proudly ran in the iconic Magnificent Mile Race—one of Chicago’s biggest and most challenging road races! 🏃🏾‍♀️✨ Her platform focuses on mentoring Black teens in academics and athletics, and by participating, she shows how staying healthy and active is key to success. She’s leading by example, inspiring youth to excel in school, sports, and life! 💪🏾📚

✨ What a powerful day at the 96th Bud Billiken Parade in Chicago!
Miss Black America Illinois joined the Top Teens of America to celebrate Black youth, culture, and the power of education 🎓📚

Along historic MLK Drive, she greeted families, took photos with children, and encouraged students to step into the new school year with purpose and pride.

📸 “As an educator, I believe every child deserves to be seen, supported, and celebrated — not just in the classroom, but in the community.” — Miss Black America Delegate Illinois 2025

📚✨ Back to School with a Purpose! ✨🎒

Miss Black America Delegate Illinois partnered with Top Teens of America (TLOD) to host a vibrant back-to-school giveaway at the local McDonald’s! Families from across the community came out, and children of all ages received backpacks filled with instructional materials to help them start the school year strong.

This community event was proudly supported by the Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc., who continue to uplift and serve youth and families through meaningful service.

Top Teens of America, a youth organization sponsored by Top Ladies of Distinction, empowers teens through leadership, community service, and personal development. Their mission is to make a lasting impact and today, they did just that.

Together, we’re making sure students are prepared, confident, and ready to learn! 🙌🏾📖✏️

As Miss Black America Illinois 2025, my platform is dedicated to enhancing college enrollment and graduation rates among African American students by expanding awareness of academic and athletic opportunities that support their educational and career aspirations.

Recently, I was invited to join an esteemed panel of educated women at the STEAM event, hosted by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Chicago Metropolitan Chapter. I brought passion, insight, and encouragement to the discussion, inspiring young minds to pursue excellence in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
I shared the stage with an incredible lineup of professionals—including doctors, educators, mental health experts, producers, dancers, actors, and leaders across STEAM-related fields—each offering valuable perspectives on career pathways, challenges, and opportunities available to today’s rising leaders.
My presence served as a beacon of empowerment, showing teens (of all cultures but predominantly black students) that with dedication, guidance, and the right support systems, success in STEAM and beyond is within reach. From the lens of a science teacher, I reminded them that education, mentorship, and resilience can open doors to limitless possibilities.
A huge thank you to the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Chicago Metropolitan Chapter for hosting such a transformative event—bridging the gap between inspiration and achievement for the next generation.
Together, we uplift. Together, we empower. Together, we rise! 💛✨

Although I am currently serving as Miss Black America Delegate Illinois 2025, I will forever be Miss Beyond Beautiful World 2024 💛💜. It was such a pleasure catching up with my sister queens while meeting and recruiting new delegates for the 2025 pageant and 2026 reign. I’m so proud of the work everyone continues to do even after the pageant is over. We are beyond beauty, service is our passion! Ria Rai Harris Yarbough Kokla Reynolds 👸🏽

Last Saturday, Miss Black America Delegate - IL, helped Top Ladies of Distinction Lincoln Park Chapter as well as C.H.A.M.P.S Male Mentoring program to celebrate Earth Day at a nursing home. Earth Day is celebrated annually to bring awareness about environmental issues & promote conservation efforts. In our efforts, we were able to dig out old weeds and flowers in order to place new plants such as carrots, cabbage, broccoli, onions, and more to grow. Once these plants grow, the nursing home will be able to provide organic home grown vegetables to residents which can also aid in positive eating habits as well as better health. Homegrown produce often tastes better and is fresher, with more nutrients, because it’s picked at peak ripeness and doesn’t endure the transit damage that store-bought produce does. Also, growing your own plants is generally better for the environment than buying them, as it reduces carbon emissions, minimizes reliance on pesticides and fertilizers, and supports local ecosystems. Making earth great again is our priority 🌍
It’s always a pleasure to work with TLOD Lincoln Park Chapter but it was also fun working with C.H.A.M.P.S male mentoring program as I continue to network with mentorship programs throughout the city and state.

It’s still and I’m still elated to have honored my Soror Dr. Michaelle Kitchen during the 91st Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated’s Central Regional Conference. The step team, led by myself, my mother, and Soror Marva, paid tribute to the women in the “Six Triple Eight” who were the largest & only group of black servicewomen to serve overseas during the WW2. While men in the army needed to feel a sense of comfort and have communication with their families, the Six Triple Eight made sure to send out all backed up and current mail to these hard working men. We all need to feel appreciated and valued, especially when we are sacrificing ourselves for the country, so I wanted to highlight the necessity these women were able to contribute. We ended up winning so I hope all 855 women apart of the Six Triple Eight are proud as I am of you all!