MARCH 26, 2021, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A9
LIFE
Keizer woman
vies for Miss
Petite 2020
By BROOKLYN FLINT
Of the Keizertimes
Kira Johnson, who was previously
crowned Miss Oregon Petite 2020, is
now after the title of 2021 USA Petite
Ambassador.
From the very beginning, Johnson
decided to use her platform to educate
about the harms of drug abuse in hope of
putting a stop to the current opioid crisis.
Before the 2020 pageant, Johnson did
community service by picking up trash on
walks and alongside roads. Throughout
middle school and high school, she took
part in student government and ASB.
After a while, Johnson felt like there
was more she could be doing for her com-
munity, she said.
“So I challenged myself to do some-
thing new, and I think a few days later
is when I saw the ad for the pageant and
decided I needed to apply to get out of
my comfort zone, try something new and
jump at the chance to grow as an individ-
ual,” Johnson said.
Doing so made Johnson feel more
confi dent and she felt like she was able to
fi nd herself again.
“Those feelings are what drives me
everyday to be a better version of myself
to not only benefi t the people who are
around my but my community, and most
importantly myself,” she said.
Johnson knew that she wanted to use
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Kira Johnson, of Keizer, is running for the title of Miss Petite 2020.
her platform to help people, but because
of COVID-19, she wasn’t sure how to. She
came up with the idea of making care
packages for homeless people and deliv-
ered fi ve diff erent donation packages.
Johnson continued to volunteer and
opened up a donation center in order to
help those in need.
However, the biggest infl uence for
Johnson to start pageants was the loss of
her brother from an accidental fentanyl
overdose. “He was everyone’s favorite, so
when he passed I really don’t think any-
one expected it. It was a city heartbreak,”
she said.
The loss has led to some of Johnson’s
other family members to start using
drugs, including her father. “Awareness of
the opioid crisis may not save my brother
but it may save my father, and it may save
so many other beautiful and wonderful
kids who have so much more life to live
and so much more to give to the world,”
she said.
Johnson feels the opioid crisis will
continue to worsen unless changes are
made for fi x it. She sees a system that
imprisons addicts as a particularly mis-
guided approach. The withdrawal addicts
face while locked up can damage their
physical and mental health, she said.
She encourages everyone to learn
more about the crisis and to donate to
organizations such as The Opioid Spoon
Project in North Carolina.
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“Together we can work on educating
our children and young adults of this
community and world. We can bring
awareness and talk about these things,
they’re hard conversations but you could
quite literally save yours or someone’s
life,” Johnson said.
If Johnson wins the pageant for 2021
USA Petite Ambassador, $200 will be
donated to The Opioid Spoon Project
foundation. Johnson said she will con-
tinue to use her platform to spread aware-
ness on the drug crisis and do what she
can to help others.
There is more information about the
pageant and how to vote on the USA
Petite website: www.usapetite.com/
peoples-choice.
City seeking
helping hands
The City of Keizer is soliciting appli-
cations for volunteers to be considered to
serve in roles on regional and city work
groups.
Openings are available on the
Willamette Water Trail Partnership,
the Mid-Willamette Valley Community
Development Partnership, the Keizer
Public Art Commission and as youth
committee liaisons.
Anyone interested in applying for a
position can pick up an application at
Keizer City Hall at 930 Chemawa Road
N.E., download a copy at www.keizer.
org, or call/email Deputy City Recorder
Debbie Lockhart at 503-856-3418 or lock-
hartd@keizer.org. Applications received
by Wednesday, March 31, will be consid-
ered at the Thursday, April 8, volunteer
coordinating committee meeting.