From a very young age Ventra Boykin displayed a passion for positively impacting the people around her and her community. A born leader at age 24, Ventra Boykin is the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur and Erna Boykin. A native of Paducah, Kentucky, Ventra learned at an early age that “Without struggle there can be no progress,” as she endeavored to overcome the effects of being hit by a vehicle at the tender age of seven. That experience has set the tone for her platform: Expanding Children’s Horizons through Social, Emotional, and Intellectual Development. With commitment, motivation and passion there are no limits to what children can achieve.

A 2000 Honor Graduate of Paducah Tilghman High School, Ventra was the recipient of numerous awards and honors: two-time state track winner, ladies varsity basketball captain, 4-H club president, Beta Club president, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) officer, peer mediator, and homecoming queen. During her high school tenure, she was also active in church and civic organizations. She was the Sunday school secretary, a choir member, and on the junior usher board. From the civic realm she was an active member of the NAACP youth council and a two-time delegate for the national convention where she placed third in the ACT-SO dramatic presentation competition. This is where Ventra was first introduced to her talent of dramatic speech and her love of service. Ventra was also a member of the Oscar Cross Boys and Girls Keystone Club, and served on the teen advisory board for Kentucky Oaks Mall.

Ventra was first introduced to the world of pageantry in 1999, as she succeeded in becoming Miss Ebony of Paducah, at age 16. Shortly thereafter, her accomplishments continued and she was crowned Miss Desert of Kentucky (1999), Miss Black Western Kentucky (1999), and was the first runner up in the Miss Shrine USA pageant (2000). Ventra also participated in the Miss Teen Kentucky pageant and placed as a semifinalist in 2000. Pageants have played a vital role in her lifelong dream of pursuing higher education and being a role model to other young, African American women and children. Through her affiliations with these various organizations she garnered a passion for helping others. Her involvement as a peer mediator, mentor, and teen advisor also greatly enhanced her ability to reach a broad spectrum of young people.

Her academic success, community involvement, and motivation earned Ventra a scholarship to Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. While matriculating through college she was crowned Miss Purple and Gold of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, Beta Psi Chapter (2002) and Miss Junior of Morehouse College (2003) and was also selected to become a member of Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honors Society. Throughout her collegiate career, Ventra participated in various extracurricular activities including the Pre-Alumni Council, NAACP, Co-Founder of the Mid-West Club, Sports, Entertainment, and Management Association, Women’s Initiative Program, and the Financial Services Institute. She dedicated her spare time to volunteer with the Flipper Temple Feed the Homeless Program, Ray of Hope Christian Church Family Outreach Program, Young Black Leaders Program to mentor youth, and as a Reading and Math volunteer at Edward L. Bouie Traditional Theme School in Lithonia. Her commitment to the community, and service to others around her, lead Ventra to the privilege of becoming a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Upon graduating Magna Cum Laude in May 2004, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing, Ventra truly realized her enthusiasm for the black family and community so she vowed to stay grounded, and a woman of service as long as she was blessed to do so. It was through God’s grace that Ventra was given the opportunity to impact families and the several communities all across the metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia.

Ventra moved to the beautiful state of Iowa where she is was employed by Archer Daniels Midland Company as a Merchandiser/Commodity Trader. In addition to her aforementioned achievements and experiences, in Des Moines Ventra is active with the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, a member of Corinthian Baptist Church, and a mentor with the Sisters for Success program, counseling and guiding troubled teenage girls. She believes that being crowned Miss Black Iowa has been a rewarding experience and a tremendous honor that she will cherish and remember for the rest of her life. Participating in the Miss Black USA pageant to gain a positive experience with an outstanding organization is only one facet of her agenda. Ventra truly believes that this experience will further serve as an avenue to reach and influence the lives of so many young people locally, nationally, and internationally.

Ventra’s long term goal is to be a Senior Marketing Manager of a Fortune 100 Company. Prior to this, she plans on obtaining a Masters in Business Administration. Being active in various leadership positions has allowed Ventra to witness and advocate the positive impact that individuals and organizations can have on the lives of our children. Ventra’s belief in the true measure of how well we live our lives is encompassed by the love and compassion we show to others. She hopes to trod unprecedented ground and set standards that will enrich our youth socially, emotionally, and intellectually. Her strength in God forms her power to give endlessly, because Ventra LIVES and SERVES knowing: “For Without God, I Would Not Be, and Could Not Give…Anything!”