Native Washingtonian MacKenzie Ann Green is the newly-crowned MISS DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA USA 2010. She gives hope and inspiration to a diverse group of girls and young women from various backgrounds not related to a lifetime of pageantry. Currently a double-major senior at the University of Miami (UM), MacKenzie has excelled in her chosen fields of broadcast journalism and sports administration/management. Recently named station manager at UMTV, she is the first African American and first female to hold this position in the 29-year history of the station. She continues her duties as UMTV-News Vision Lead Sports Anchor (Emmy-nominated); Sports Desk Commentator; Feature Reporter; UM Alumni Association Ambassador; and EDGE Reporter for the Miami Hurricane campus newspaper. Some of her charitable service has included: Relay For Life, team captain; Georgetown University Hospital, patient advocate; Washington Hospital Center, physical therapy volunteer; Reading Is Fundamental Book Drive; Juvenile Diabetes Association; Television Advocacy; and Metropolitan AME Church, Junior Stewardess, WDC.

A compassionate yet fierce competitor, clearly MacKenzie is use to winning—in the water since age four, as a champion swimmer from age eight, as co-captain and MVP of her high school Varsity Swim Team, cited in Swimming World magazine five times for setting NAG top 16 times, as a 10-Time Junior Olympic Finalist, and record holder in Breaststroke, Backstroke and Individual Medley. Also, as an award-winning equestrian, riding from age four, she holds a bevy of top honors including the Washington International Horse Show Grand Champion Local Children’s Jumper and tied for the Independent School League High Jump Record. Now, at 21, she has graced the runway for the very first time as a beauty pageant contestant, winning the swimsuit and evening gown categories on her way to the premier top honor—Miss DC USA 2010.

Even with her busy student schedule at UM, she felt something was missing since she was not swimming or riding competitively. At the beginning of 2007, she decided on a plan to train and run a 26.2 mile marathon, which she completed, and enter the Trump-franchised Miss DC USA Pageant to vie for the crown to represent her beloved hometown, and possibly move on to the Miss USA Pageant. Now she is eagerly anticipating that Contest in Las Vegas this May. “I have fulfilled a secret childhood dream” she confides. . .“I just loved watching beauty pageants, and my parents always let me stay up late for the entire productions, even when I had swim practice at 5 or 6 am. Wow, I’d say to myself, wonder if I could ever do something like that. . .” Not only has she done it, SHE WON.

MacKenzie is stepping up and out onto a new stage to create an incredible legacy of service through her passion for life and humanity. She has chosen to champion teen self-esteem and health and fitness for low income families, all under the umbrella of Education. She is truly excited to share her personal experiences and to be a living-achieving her dreams example to youth of all ages that you can survive the tough times growing up in our diverse school and childhood environments, and win in the end. “I did and so can you,” she says.

The daughter of Phyllis and Ernest Green (a Civil Rights icon of the Little Rock Nine, Ark.), her description of herself as Poised, Confident and Focused is totally accurate. She gratefully and joyfully lives her motto—To Whom Much Is Given, Much Is Required. So as we begin the first year of the second decade in the 21st century, a new vision of loveliness, beauty, and brains is the 2010 Miss DC USA . . . MACKENZIE IS HER NAME.