Sherylene Grice

My name is Sherylene Grice and I hail from the beautiful Republic of Liberia, nestled in the West Coast of Africa. The only country audacious enough to elect the first female president on the continent.  I immigrated to the United States when I was 9 years old and currently reside in Riverdale, Maryland. I was raised by a strong and loving mother, dedicated stepfather and my hardworking and supportive father. I have a twin sister who is truly my heart personified. I am a lover of life, and thus do not take a single day for granted; despite any circumstances. I enjoy spending time with family, friends, and reading a great romance novel.

If I could describe myself in 3 words it would be: passionate, resourceful, and persistent.  All of which have been the driving force behind the woman I am today and the woman I aim to become. My passion for shining a positive light on Africa is what has led me to pursue my long desire of one day competing in the Miss Africa, USA pageant. 

Although I have many interests, passions, and talents, my love for the performing arts, particularly music, overpowers all. Ever since I was introduced to the arts in elementary school, I’ve been fascinated by it. My appreciation for it grew in middle school and my deep love only intensified in high school.  In pursuit of my dreams and to expand my knowledge of this forever love, I attended The Lincoln University of PA where I studied Music Education and Vocal Performance.  Since graduating in 2014, it is still my love for music and the desire to reach the world with it that has led me to currently pursue my master’s in business administration with a concentration in music. My goal is to one day run my own performing arts academy geared towards combining all areas of performing arts, in hopes of allowing its participants to appreciate the gifts of others while confidently developing their own. I aspire to own and run academies both in the United States and Liberia(dream big or don’t dream at all, right?).

I am a proud product of the performing arts and truly stand firm in its effectiveness in mentorship, leadership skills, time management, developing self-esteem, and most importantly discipline. I have been afforded so many opportunities from my participation in numerous choral ensembles and dance groups. My gift has allowed me to travel to South Africa twice to perform. I have also been to numerous states while touring with my college choir.  It has been fulfilling to say the least. It is my desire that every child who has the gift, the passion, the dream to perform is seen, heard, and has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential as an artist. This dream of mine led me to co-founding an organization called Inner Art. Inner Art creates a space for young creatives to develop their talents as well as challenge their fellow artists to do the same.

I hope to be able to highlight the mission of Inner Art on theMiss Africa, USA stage as a means of inspiring young boys and girls to maximize their passion for performing arts. I want to implement monthly programs that target areas that will develop self-expression, leadership skills and discipline. Another key focus of my platform is on self-esteem. Giving performers the opportunity to showcase their talents on stage will help them gain confidence and acceptance of their uniqueness. My overall goal for this platform is to show the world that the African continent is not only rich in resources but also in talent.  Emma Bombeck once said, “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me’.” My hope of becoming the next queen and my dedication to the title will ensure that I am using every gift that God has given me.