By Sandra Crenshaw
“From Where I Sit”
National Ms. Senior America , Dr. Terre Denise Quinn and her court will be a featured guests in the 2024 Martin Luther King Parade sponsored by the H.E.L.P.
Foundation.
Dr. Quinn, a general surgeon from Allen, Texas, won the nationally known pageantry during the Halloween weekend last October.
Terre, as she is affectionately called, was among forty-nine state winners whograced the stage in Atlantic City with beautiful women over the age of 60. The pageant which celebrates a woman’s “Age of Elegance.” It is a search for the gracious lady who best exemplifies the dignity, maturity and inner beauty of all senior Americans.
Each contestant competed in a private interview, evening gown competition, talent show, and a recorded speech on their philosophy of life.
Dr. Quinn. who was crowned Ms. Texas 2022-23 said from the Tropicana Hotel, “I hope God uses me in a special way — to serve my community with the combination of surgical knowledge and empathy.”
Dr. Quinn ,specializing in the diseases of the breast, hosts the Medical Minute, a 30-second social media clip that discusses health topics. The mother of two children , Dr. Quinn is involved in a nonprofit organization called Sister’s Network Inc, an organization that supports African American women affected by breast cancer.
“Medicine is big business, and I’d like to keep it feeling personal as long as I’m practicing, Quinn said. “ I would also like to partner with some of the local school districts to educate young women, especially about the warning signs of unhealthy/controlling relationships so we can reduce the number of victims of intimate partner abuse.”
The contestants competed all week long with preliminary rounds, interviews and special events including a masquerade ball.
Also In the audience was Sara Aarons, the oldest living Senior America winner at 104 years old. Several others celebrating birthdays of 100 years old were recognized at the life altering event.
Dr. Quinn will be accompanied by Ms. Joyce Brown, 2019 Texas Senior America, Ms. CJ Johnson, who competed in 2023 Ms. Texas Sr. America and Ms. Sandra Crenshaw, who will compete in the 2024 Pageant.
The MLK Parade is part of the City of Dallas MLK Celebration January 9– 15th which includes a MLK Banquet honoring Commissioner John Wiley Price as the MLK Trailblazer. Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III is the guest speaker.
The deadline to submit the application for the Parade is 5:00 pm on Tuesday, December 26, 2023, or until all slots are filled. For more information See: https://help-dallas.org/mlk-parade.
