Miss Black District of Columbia 2026 USA Leah Grace Peterson spent many of her childhood holidays in Clarksdale and is using her position to give something back.
Peterson helped serve meals at the Care Station on Tuesday. The Care Station has fed meals to the needy for decades.
Peterson, age 20, is originally from Fort Worth, Texas, but her grandparents, Lula Walton and Roosevelt Walton, are longtime Clarksdale residents. She is in her third year at Howard University in Washington DC studying economics.
Peterson talked about how she became Miss Black District of Columbia 2026 USA.
“I ran on the platform called squash hunger, which is all about combating food insecurity for sustainable solutions,” she said. “So that looks like fostering more community garden, working with non-profits to give out produce drives and do great work with the Care Station it’s doing here in Clarksdale.”
Spending time in Clarksdale added to Peterson’s perspective.
“They (grandparents) nurtured a lot of the different aspects of myself in which I am today to be a leader, to be a servant-leader, to give back,” Peterson said. “That’s why I’m back for Thanksgiving break to find ways to give back to the community and use my title to do so.”
Peterson stressed the importance of other communities learning about the struggles some Clarksdale residents face. She also felt it was important for people in Clarksdale to learn about other places.
“I think it all starts with the day-to-day conversations that we have with each other,” she said. “I think we’re grateful to be in a time where social media is booming now more than ever, so it looks like checking our privilege and more city-like spaces and more suburban spaces where we have access to more places to just be able to live and thrive.”
Peterson acknowledged being in Clarksdale was different from Washington DC.
“I know, from being in DC, it’s not really a food desert,” she said. “You come to Clarksdale, we have maybe one grocery store and a lot of unhealthy food options and restaurants and a lot of failing businesses and homes. It’s always great to see how I can use my privileges and my resources to give back.
“At the same time, how can the people of Clarksdale tell their stories? I know that Sinners was actually a great time to highlight the city, but I don’t think a lot of people understand Clarksdale and the character in the history of Clarksdale. Day-to-day conversations really help and using resources like social media to really connect with each other is important.”
