Queens that reign in certain systems may be required or encouraged to have a platform. A platform is an opportunity for public discussion. It can be a cause that is near and dear to your heart where you provide service and/or advocacy. Some platform examples can include cancer awareness, diabetes awareness, homelessness, literacy, foster care awareness, and the list goes on.
My personal platform is entitled CODE YELLOW: An Alert on Endometriosis. I chose an endometriosis awareness platform because I have a personal connection to the disease because I was diagnosed with it in 2008. In 2011, I had to write my 1st platform statement for a state pageant. The platform statement had to discuss my personal connection, facts, and activities planned for the platform. If your pageant requires you to have platform statement, here are three tips on how to write an effective platform statement.
- Tell your story.
Whether your connection to your platform is direct or indirect, everyone has a story to tell. Draw in your audience with your story by using descriptive words and emotion. You never know who can relate to you, and your story may empower them to tell their own or even take action.
- Educate your audience.
Do your research and provide your audience with the facts about your platform. Google.com is your best friend so use it to discover information to educate your audience about your platform. Remember, knowledge is power.
- Provide a plan(s) for your platform.
Let your audience know how you plan to raise awareness with your platform. Are you going to speak at events? Are you going to educate via social media? Will you be participating in awareness walks? Do you plan on authoring a proclamation? It is one thing to have a platform, but it is another thing to actually do something with it. Put some action behind your passion.
Once you have completed your platform statement, make sure it flows and it is free from grammatical errors. Your platform statement is very important because it gives a deeper meaning to your journey as a contestant. Below I have shared with your my original platform statement I submitted when I competed in 2011. Hopefully, it will help you as your create your own platform statement.
Code Yellow: An Alert on Endometriosis
Three years ago on a December night, I arrived at an emergency room suffering from severe abdominal pain. Prior to that night, I had suffered in silence for years with issues that affected my overall health. I went from doctor to doctor, and no definitive diagnosis could ever be established. Continued extreme discomfort caused me to finally seek the assistance of a specialist who was able to determine the cause of my illness. My suffering finally had a name; it was endometriosis.
According to the Endometriosis Association, endometriosis is a chronic pain disease that affects approximately 6.3 million women and girls in the United States. It is where the endometrial tissue that lines the uterus is found outside of the uterus. Some of the symptoms of endometriosis include severe pain during a menstrual cycle, lower back pain, abdominal pain, and fatigue. Women with endometriosis are at a greater risk of melanoma and ovarian cancer. Endometriosis can be seen in girls as young as eight years old, and many go undiagnosed for approximately seven years before ever knowing they have the disease. According to the Campaign to End Chronic Pain in Women, 50% of women with endometriosis see at least five providers before receiving a diagnosis and/or referral. This disease can also affect the fertility of women. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 30% to 50% of infertile women have endometriosis. Many don’t even know they have endometriosis until they try to conceive; therefore, awareness of the disease is crucial.
My plan is to raise awareness on a national and local level. On a national level, I plan to partner with the Endometriosis Association. Founded in 1980 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Endometriosis Association has a goal of finding a cure for the disease as well as providing education, support, and research. I will assist them by distributing their pamphlets, and I will assist them in their fundraising efforts. On the local level, I plan to implement awareness through my own group, Daughters of Faith, by partnering with schools, churches, and community organizations so I can educate these groups about the disease as well as offer support to those who currently suffer from it. Also, as a part of my awareness efforts, I plan to speak at health/nutrition workshops, participate in health fairs, write articles about the disease, and organize an Endometriosis Awareness Walk.
In conclusion, Code Yellow: An Alert on Endometriosis signifies the need for alerting the public about this debilitating disease, and the color yellow is the color for endometriosis awareness. Women and girls are suffering, and they need to be educated and supported. Society as a whole needs to be educated about this disease. The health and well-being of women and girls is important, and I believe this platform serves as an alert on endometriosis as well as brings focus to a condition that is rarely communicated to the public at large.
It was a informative article on endometriosis. Thank you, for sharing.