Eclectic Shades Magazine December 2014 Issue V | Page 37

SPRUCE DICKERSON by Imiko  

Spruce Dickerson is a motivational speaker, model, philanthropist, national-winning pageant queen, and a national-winning pageant coach.  She has had several media interviews and magazine articles on various aspects of her career, along with having two magazine covers and editorials to her credit in modeling.

Spruce won her national title of Miss Plus America Elite in 2011, and is currently the reigning Miss Plus America Essence. She has won numerous pageantry awards, along with a winning record for her pageant coaching. Spruce has used her pageantry and her platform of Volunteerism to create her charity, Flip Flop to Nigeria, where flip flops are collected for the orphans and the poor in Nigeria. And, to date, close to 3,800 flip flops have been collected in just three years.

Not only is Spruce a winner in pageantry, she is also a history-maker. By winning her title of Miss Plus America Elite in 2011, Spruce made history by being the first person to win this national title without having won her state pageant. In addition, the title of Miss Plus America Essence was created for, and bestowed to Spruce, for the embodiment of what the Miss Plus America organization represents. Spruce also made history by modeling in the first-ever full figured fashion showcases at LA Fashion Week and Austin Fashion Week. Plus, Spruce was the first full figured model to walk the runway at the Austin Fashion Week Awards.

As a speaker, Spruce speaks on How To Win on the Stage of Life through three foundational keys of Love, Live, and Give; has received Proclamations from her state’s Governor and Senator, and from her city’s Mayor, along with a Police Commendation from her city’s Police Chief for assisting in the apprehension of criminals; and was also a Finalist for 2014 Philanthropist of the Year with Austin Fashion Week, as well as with the Texas Women in Business organization.

Through everything that Spruce is involved with, the most important thing to her is to inspire and encourage others to live life. Her Love, Live, and Give philosophy will create a winning life because it is focused on serving others, not serving self. Spruce uses all that she is to show that we can rise above adversity, love ourselves, love others, and live life to the fullest.