I am Ivy Kibagendi. I was born in Nairobi, Kenya and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. I relocated to Houston, Texas to attend college and decided to make Texas my home away from home. The idea of never having to shovel snow again is one of the main reasons I have resided in Texas as long as I have. Being raised in St. Paul, MN were some of the best times of my life. Minnesota is one of the most underrated diverse states. It is full of a diverse group of people that made my childhood a culturally rich experience. To this day my core values derive from my upbringing of being a humble girl from the Midwest.
I am currently making one of my dreams come true by working for an amazing luxury boutique as a department specialist. Every day I get to walk into an environment where I have the pleasure of assisting clients in making purchases on items that will dwell in their dream closet as a career. Due to it being a women’s apparel boutique, I have met an overabundance of wonderful women from all walks of life that have poured their wisdom and knowledge into me. They have also shown me the importance of being a philanthropist and continuously finding ways to give back to the communities that matter to me.
Studies show 65% of Kenyan girls and women cannot afford sanitary pads where some girls are choosing to stay home from school until their menstrual cycle is over. Due to lack of proper education on menstrual hygiene, it has greatly contributed to girls losing hope in education, resulting in elevated drop-out rates and an increase in teenage pregnancies. With the platform, I will highlight the effects of period poverty due to low income. It has been such a pleasure to share myself, my platform and my vision with you. In the Miss Kenya USA 2023 pageant, I look forward to representing my home country of Kenya and the great state of Minnesota all of which molded me into the woman that I am today.