Singer Chanté Moore fought through pain to speak to a royal crowd yesterday.
She was nowhere near England's Windsor Castle, but in downtown Winston-Salem at a leadership conference for students elected as the kings and queens of historically black colleges and universities.
Moore, who had a herniated disk in her neck, said she wanted the students to learn from her example.
"You have to be a person of your word," she told an audience of 90 people, made up of students and campus advisers from about 24 states. "Every step that you take is important."
Kings and queens participate in fundraising and advocacy on campus. They typically run for the position in the spring to serve during the next academic year.
The eighth annual Leadership for Queens conference, which began Thursday and runs through Sunday at the Embassy Suites downtown, gives them a place to prepare for the job.
Dale Williams, the director of student activities at Winston-Salem State University, founded the conference in 2002 to help queens be effective leaders at their schools.
"We try to prepare them as much as we can, mentally, for the road ahead," she said.
Williams was elected Miss Tennessee State University as an undergraduate. She said that being queen helped her become more outgoing and professional.
Campus kings joined the conference in 2004 when Anthony Jones, the director of student activities at Talladega College in Alabama, founded the Kings' Konnection leadership conference.
"When elected as a new king or queen, people expect you to know what to do," he said.
The conference offers workshops on talking to the media and proper etiquette.
Speakers and organizers form close bonds with the students, Jones said.
"They become little brothers and little sisters," he said. "It's like meeting with old family and friends."
Beyond being charming, kings and queens have to look the part.
Alex Ellis gave a workshop to help kings match their outward appearance to their inner strengths.
"You feel different about yourself when you dress well," Ellis said, explaining how appropriate attire gives students the confidence to be good leaders.
Ellis is author of the book Restoring the Male Image.
"We want to make sure we empower these students with every tool possible," he said.
As Moore delivered her keynote speech, she told the new leaders to maintain their identities, even if they have their royal flaws.
"What we call mistakes -- they should be lessons learned."
■ Christian Kloc can be reached at 727-7270 or at ckloc@wsjournal.com.
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