To my fellow Gen Z, life doesn’t just happen. You pull strings to bring things together and sometimes, the strings aren’t strong enough
Boss Queen.
We often try something in the hope of succeeding or getting good results out of it, but how many times are we supposed to try the same thing or something different without succeeding per our expectations?
That’s wholly dependent on one’s resilience or urge to succeed.
If you quit trying, you lose; if you try one more time, there is no guarantee of winning.
The concept behind winning or losing is that you are not the only one fighting the battle.
Empowerment is an important ingredient in the life of trying new approaches, and it remains continuously essential for all generations.
Gen Z is determined to win at whatever cost; compared to millennials, they are not quitters. But to what extent are they willing to go?
In an interview, we sought to have an up-close and personal with Boss Queen on her journey in life.
Tell us about yourself.
“I am Magdaline Moraa, popularly known as Boss Queen or The African Lioness. I am 20 years old and a trained Journalist.
I am one of the Founders of the Miss Independent Kenya Beauty pageant and the Independent Kenya Women Award. I was born and brought up in Kitale, Trans-Nzoia county,” she explains.
Boss Queen is one of the three founders of the Miss Independent Kenya Beauty Pageant organization, which has seen many girls get into the modeling industry.
For them, it has allowed them to travel around Kenya and interact with young Gen Z.
How was school like for you?
“I have a Radio and Television Programmes Production and Broadcasting Diploma from Kenya Institute of Mass Communication. School life wasn’t easy, to be precise. My mother didn’t have a job; all she had was dairy farming, and raising finances wasn’t easy.
I had to go the extra mile and hustle to boost school fees and other needs. Sometimes things happened at home, and they needed help, and I wasn’t in a position to help,” she says.
Which was your hardest moment?
“The hardest moment in my life was when I got a job in a club, and I used to work during the night shift and during the day, I used to be in class.
And after all the sacrifices, the person did not pay me for three months.
Even after reporting the case to the police, he has never paid to date,” Boss queen.
What do you think about Gen Z and Social Media?
“I love social media because it’s a great platform to showcase talent and grow brands. It has also been a source of income, especially for Gen Z.
But I also feel it is over-pressurized; the lifestyle young people are showcasing is unrealistic and not affordable to most people in their early twenties.
There is life beyond social media, real life. It’s not easy; success is a ladder, and everyone will get to the top step by step. Don’t let the pressure kill you.”
In her view, the focus of Gen Z should be on innovation in utilizing and exploring readily available resources and stop depending on white-collar jobs.
In reference to the recent sad cases of young people dying in relationships, “We, the young people, are too quick in building and breaking bonds. We better stop acting and trying to impress people.
Get into one when you are ready to keep up with it and make sure it’s healthy, with positive impacts on you and your partner,” she says.
Talk about your organization
“I am the founder of the Miss Independent Kenya Beauty pageant and Independent Women Award. Our first edition took place on June 1, 2020, and they involved women in tree planting in Starehe constituency,” she says.
Under the Beauty Pageant, there are two categories, Miss and Little.
Under Independent Kenyan Women Award, the categories are: Actress of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Fashion Designer of the Year, Female Artists of the year, Gender Equality Champion, Human Right Activist,
Foundation of the Year, People with Disability Inclusion Champion, Woman Leader of the Year, Social Media Influencer, Media Personality, Female Model of the Year and Female Radio Presenter of the Year.
There is online voting that happens yearly.
They have had forums with women from Mukuru Kwa Njenga and held talks on youth and women empowerment. They also had football tournaments, model showcasing and artists’ performances.
What is your main aim as an organization?
“We vision to empower women and girls by raising their voices about the challenges girls and women are facing.
Women are not yet fully empowered; they become vulnerable every day.
We also intend to acknowledge and reward valuable contributions in the creative industry and business.”
What is your most significant challenge?
“Funding the events is our main challenge. We hope to get more and more sponsors. So far, we have enrolled kids modelling who have represented them outside the country.”
Are you living your dream life?
“Not yet; my dream has always been to become a radio presenter. I have experience from campus, but I am not yet gotten a chance to pursue it.
I’m happy, though, that I am running a successful project, and we intend to take it to greater heights,” she says.
What are your final remarks?
“To my fellow Gen Z, life doesn’t just happen. You pull strings to bring things together and sometimes, the strings aren’t strong enough. You mend and continue to pull till you are satisfied with your expectation.
On the other side, beyond social media, life is not a walk into a five-star hotel and you pay a ransom for a plate of food and fine wine. It’s a hustle that is not meant to demolish and diminish you but instead build you to a strong person.”
She acknowledges her co-founders: Bernard Simanto, Morgan and Mueke Maleve.
Their next big event is on June 3, 2023.
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To learn more about their Miss Independent Kenya Beauty Pageant organization, Independent Woman award, and their events, please visit them on social media @MissIndependentKenya and @Bossqueen_ke.
