Meet Aaliyah Phillips | Miss Atlanta, Educator, Literacy Advocate, Brand Ambassador

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aaliyah Phillips and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aaliyah, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
While participating in team sports, Aaliyah learned the value of teamwork, leadership, and collaboration in search of reaching a common goal. Aaliyah’s mantra is Ubuntu (Um-boo-too) which means “I am because we are” which fosters her belief that we are all interconnected and one can only grow, progress, and achieve through the growth of their team and peers.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am from the historic township of Sharpsburg, Georgia. I am the newly crowned 2024 Miss Atlanta for the Miss Georgia Scholarship Organization which is the official preliminary competition for the Miss America Organization. I am a senior at Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia, majoring in Elementary Education. I was in kindergarten when I discovered that I wanted to be a teacher. My kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Cannon, had a magical way of making her students feel visible and valuable and these are attributes I want to emulate and carry into my future classroom. It is my fundamental belief that every student should have an equal opportunity to receive an excellent education and to develop the skills necessary to become an exemplary citizen.

I absolutely love identifying fun and innovative ways to present new information to students. I like to incorporate music, songs, and dance into the learning process. I truly believe that learning should be fun! Servant leadership is one of my core values, and I strive daily to embody the African proverb Ubuntu, I am because we are, by using my God-given talents to serve my local community through education, advocacy, and mentorship. I am a visionary leader who is passionate about advocating for students and following graduation, I plan to pursue my graduate and postgraduate degrees in Educational Policy. My hobbies include reading, listening to music, and watching old movies. My journey in pageant began less than a year ago when I won my first local title, Miss Columbus State University. It has been an honor representing my university. Through the Miss Georgia Scholarship Competition and the Miss America Organization, I have acquired and increased my business acumen, public speaking skills, and gained scholarships that will help me further my education while developing lifelong friendships.

Through my community service initiative SPREAD, Spreading Literacy Through Reading, I advocate for literacy equality for all students regardless of their zip code. SPREAD is a three-pillar approach aimed at providing early targeted interventions focusing on education, mentorship, and policy advocacy. In November, I kicked off my #ReadLikeMissAtlanta Literacy Tour traveling into Atlanta Title 1 Public Schools and across the state of Georgia discussing with students the importance of reading, reading to students, completing fun activities, and leaving books for their classroom libraries. At the end of every visit, I leave every student with books and resources to take home with them to promote lifelong reading. My goal is to increase literacy rates in Atlanta, across the state of Georgia, and nationally and to help kids develop an intrinsic love for learning!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As a believer, I think I was placed here for a specific purpose, and I believe that purpose is to help others. As an aspiring educator, this is why literacy advocacy is so vitally important to me. Literacy is a cornerstone to education that affords people the tools they need to lead productive lives, thrive personally, and contribute to their communities and it is an impactable social determinant. Additionally, education makes it more likely a person can gain access to quality healthcare, gain viable employment, and live in a safe environment and community. Equity among these factors often results in positive well-being. Access to quality education early in life graduating from high school and college can all provide opportunities for a positive socioeconomic trajectory. Since literacy is the conduit to unlocking the world and the gateway to freedom, I am a firm believer that planning and preparation goes a long way and it is my desire to help every child I come in contact with prepare for and achieve their goals. Therefore, I love spending my time at the Auburn Avenue Research Library followed by lunch at Poor Calvin’s and touring the King Center!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Fabian Ferguson, author of Jackie Wins Them All, Jackie Does It All, and In the Mirror, generously donated over 400 books in the hope of eradicating illiteracy across Georgia. His Jackie series will inspire students to develop a love for learning while increasing their critical thinking abilities.

Kendra Thomas donated books and literacy resources from her Kamari series that strive to inspire young children to face their fears and experience a life full of “firsts.”

Stanley Tucker, a former 2nd-grade teacher, donated books from his collection and from his collection of children’s authors that his Leap for Literacy program has published.

I am truly amazed by the number of people who believe in my dream and who have been willing to help me on my journey.

Instagram: @MissAtlantaga

Facebook: Aaliyah Phillips

Image Credits
Photo by Carlos Velez