Press Releases
15-Year-Old Founder of Cosmetic Brand Partners with Miss DC Teen USA
15-Year-Old Founder of Cosmetic Brand Partners with Miss DC Teen USA.
An exciting partnership has been made!
Maria Raquel Thomas Cosmetics has partnered with Miss Teen DC USA.
“Founder and teen entrepreneur Maria Raquel Thomas embodies everything we desire for the girls who come through the Miss District of Columbia Teen USA Pageant. Her company works to empower and uplift girls by providing products that enhance their natural beauty and build upon their self-confidence. And that’s not all, Maria Raquel Thomas Cosmetics gives back to the community. A portion of the company’s sales goes to a nonprofit organization that provides aid and resources to homeless youth. So, it’s a no brainer that we wanted to partner with this teen who is a Queen in her own right,” states Chelsey Rodgers, esq, Director of Miss DC Teen USA and owner of Brains & Beauties Productions.
Miss DC Teen USA is produced by Brains & Beauties Productions. The production company is a Washington DC-based pageant and lifestyle consulting and productions firm. The owner and Executive Director, Chelsey S. Rodgers, is a former Miss District of Columbia USA and has been involved in pageantry as a contestant, judge, pageant coach, consultant, and volunteer for more than a decade, so she understands the importance of empowering young women to share their community passions and professional aspirations while teaching them healthy self-confidence and public speaking skills.
Maria Raquel Thomas Cosmetics is a minority-owned cosmetic brand that supplies a quick and easy solution to the way girls apply and wear cosmetics. Today's girls are balancing their personal, professional, and community lives at a faster pace and their makeup application should not slow them down. By using Maria Raquel Thomas Cosmetics plus using this formula, glamourous looks are now easier and quicker.
“I look forward to working with the Miss Teen DC USA organization. Our goal is to uplift and support these young women coming up just like myself. With us uplifting each other, we can create more unity than division and my company is here for it!” states Maria Raquel Thomas, Founder of Maria Raquel Thomas Cosmetics.
Follow the brand on Instagram at @mrt_cosmetics. You can also shop products at www.mariaraquelthomas.com!
For interviews with Maria Raquel Thomas, please contact pr@aoagwllc.com.
AOAGWLLC Announces the Contestants for DC Pageant 2021
Mark your calendars and grab your popcorn as the District of Columbia sets out to crown 3 new pageant queens!
4-13-2020 Washington, DC Mark your calendars and grab your popcorn as the District of Columbia sets out to crown 3 new pageant queens!
There are 10 contestants who will vie for the title of Miss DC for America Strong, Mrs. DC American and Mrs. DC America 2021. The pageant will be streamed to the public on May 2, 2021 at 5pm. The winners of each division will move on to compete at their National competition Miss for America Strong, Mrs. American and Mrs. America, respectively.
The state level pageant is currently produced by An Officer and Gentlewoman, LLC, a Veteran-owned media and entertainment company headquartered in Washington, DC. The pageant event is presented by BlackKnight Medical, and it will be hosted by the “Voice of DC”, Rick Bernstein.
Contestants in both the Miss and Mrs. divisions, will be scored in the categories of: Interview, Swimsuit and Evening Gown. Due to COVID-19 restrictions the contest is being filmed and will then be streamed to audiences all over the country. The next day, May 3rd, the reigning Miss DC for America, LaKeisha Brown, Mrs. DC American, Helene Meister, and Mrs. DC America, Jeananne Roberts will each crown their successors live, in downtown, Washington, DC.
Here is the list of the contestants for both Miss and Mrs. divisions:
Mrs. DC American and Mrs. DC America Contestants 2020
Mrs. Capitol Hill-Anchyi Wei
Mrs. Georgetown-Cheryl Burghart
Miss DC for America Strong Contestants 2020
Miss Capitol Hill-La Kimbria Penn White
Miss Friendship Heights-Nicole Marie Johnson
Miss Lincoln Heights-Ebony Acton
Miss Logan Circle-Yvette Ilechie
Miss Near Southeast-Eunice Hicks
Miss Northwest-Faren Campbell
Miss Southwest-Ny’Zhea Green
Miss Takoma-Elisa Garcia
For tickets to watch livestream, click here.
For more information, please contact pr@aoagwllc.com.
From Boot Laces to Beautiful Faces: Army Vet Launches New Cosmetic Line
Raquel Riley Thomas, a former Army Officer turned beauty and fashion expert, has started her own cosmetic line! Raquel launched her new signature Raquel Riley Thomas Beauty Line using her 3GL Concept. The first of the line to launch is her Virtuoso Lash Collection.
6/3/2020 Washington, D.C. Raquel Riley Thomas, a former Army Officer turned beauty and fashion expert, has started her own cosmetic line!
Raquel launched her new signature Raquel Riley Thomas Beauty Line using her 3GL Concept. The first of the line to launch is her Virtuoso Lash Collection.
"I have been working in the beauty and fashion business for many years and the one thing I have learned is that today's women want simple, easy steps to their makeup routine. I came up with a new concept called 3GL: Glamour Lashes, Glamour Lids and Glamour Lips. They are cosmetic tools formulated to help women reach their ultimate glamour look quicker!" Raquel states.
The first of her collection to launch are eye lash extensions. This exclusive design was formulated to make lashes extremely lightweight and comfortable to wear.
Raquel Riley Thomas has worked in the beauty and fashion industry for 20 years. She is the owner of An Officer and Gentlewoman, LLC, a media and entertainment company, headquartered in Washington, DC. She is also a re-occurring expert on television morning shows.
Raquel is a decorated military veteran, having served nine years in the U.S. Army (5-years Enlisted photojournalist; 4-years Ordnance Officer). When making the cosmetic brand, she used military concepts to achieve her goal of simple yet efficient products.
Raquel is an alumnae of Hampton University. She graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Hampton. She simultaneously graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. She also has a Mastery of Negotiation certification from Harvard University.
Raquel's accomplishments have been noted in both her military and civilian career. In the Army, she was awarded the Army Commendation Medal (2x) and the Army Achievement Medal (3x). Raquel was selected as the "Veteran of the Year" 2011, by Women Veteran's Rock. She was recently inducted into the Library of Congress under the "Veterans History Project" where her military history is now stored in video and pictures. Raquel was also titled a "Leader of the Future," by Ebony Magazine and Washington Business Journal "People on the Move."
A portion of her company's proceeds have benefited non-profits such as: Luke's Wings, Vet Sports, Operation Renewed Hope, Victoria's Voice, Standup for Kids, and No Kids Hungry, to name a few. She started Queen V Day, a day in which she brings businesses together to pamper a deserving Veteran. In November 2019, she and other business owners in the community gave over $7,500 of self-care services to a deserving Veteran.
Raquel is married to West Point graduate Ron Thomas, Esq. with four children, a cat and six robots in their blended family.
For interviews, please contact pr@aoagwllc.com
An Officer and Gentlewoman, LLC Receives 2020 Best of Clinton Award
An Officer and Gentlewoman, LLC has been selected for the 2020 Best of Clinton Award in the Theatrical Production category by the Clinton Award Program.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
An Officer and Gentlewoman, LLC Receives 2020 Best of Clinton Award
CLINTON January 14, 2020 -- An Officer and Gentlewoman, LLC has been selected for the 2020 Best of Clinton Award in the Theatrical Production category by the Clinton Award Program.
Each year, the Clinton Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Clinton area a great place to live, work and play.
Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2020 Clinton Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the Clinton Award Program and data provided by third parties.
About Clinton Award Program
The Clinton Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Clinton area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.
The Clinton Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community's contributions to the U.S. economy.
SOURCE: Clinton Award Program
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About An Officer and Gentlewoman, LLC:
An Officer and Gentlewoman LLC (AOAGWLLC) is a Veteran-Owned media company specializing in theatrical productions, television commercials and casting. We oversee the following brands: Miss DC for America Beauty Pageant, Mrs. DC America Beauty Pageant, Mrs. DC America World, Little Miss North America Online Beauty Contest, AOAGWLLC Casting, Raquel Riley Thomas Imaging Consulting, Ria’s Slime Shop.
To see a list of other awards AOAGWLLC has been selected for, click here.