The Reign - Fall 2020

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ON THE COVER PHOTO BY: ZAC GRIMALDO | DALLAS, TX HAIR & MAKEUP BY: NICOLE WEST | DALLAS, TX MODEL: MISS SOUTHLAKE BRYTON BONACQUISTI

T

Our Mission

he Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization is an all-volunteer, 501 (c)3 non-profit organization.

Our mission is to provide cash and educational scholarships to young women based on achievement in the areas of academics, community service, public speaking, and the performing arts.

We serve as an official local preliminary to the Miss America's Outstanding Teen Pageant and the Miss America Competition.

The Miss America Organization is the largest provider of scholarships to young women in the world. It has served as a launching pad for careers for young women in a variety of fields.

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‘

BEFORE YOU

BEGIN Wonder of Women.

Our goal is to celebrate and highlight the attributes that make women unique.

In the last year, Bryton Bonacquisti and Laurel Jones embodied this mission through community involvement, record appearance numbers, and devotion to their social impact efforts.

The spread of COVID-19 reshaped the world. It challenged governments. It shifted our way of life. It forced us to pause and reflect on our leadership, our advocacy, our mission. Most importantly, the pandemic highlighted a critical facet of womanhood: resiliency.

We adapted by developing virtual programs to advance our causes. From hosting a Virtual Princess Party to developing weekly online shows to engage kids across the state, Bryton and Laurel rose to the occasion and demonstrated that innovation is critical to fulfill the Miss America mission.

August 2020 represents the centennial celebration of women securing the constitutional right to vote. September 2021 represents the centennial celebration of the Miss America. These anniversaries not only remind us of where we have been but where we still must go. These anniversaries demonstrate that to adapt in the face of an obstacle is to progress. And, Womanhood is a story about adaptation, a story of progress.

Approaching this magazine, we not only wanted to highlight the Wonder of Women but the Resilience of our community. As you read this issue, we hope that you too can find resilience in femininity and embrace the empowered Wonder of Women.

DaNae Couch Lowe Executive Director

TABLE OF

CONT

4 | THE REIGN

6 A Legacy the Size of Texas

44 Queen-Cap Recap

22 Shop Fall with Kendra Scott

58 Embracing Patient Resilience

26 After Five with Shimmer

62 The Value of Scholarship

FEATURED

FEATURED

12 FALL TRENDS

32 YEAR IN REVIEW

STYLE

SERVICE

ENTS 68 Behind The Camera

110 STEM Sisters

74 There She Votes

114 Let’s Talk Mental Health

80 A Tale of Two Movements

124 Facing COVID-19

FEATURED

64 THERE SHE FLIES

SCHOLARSHIP

FEATURED

78 FORCES OF CHANGE

SUCCESS THE REIGN | 5

A LEGACY THE SIZE OF

TEXAS 6 | THE REIGN

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Phyllis George reunites with her “NFL Today” cohosts Brent Musburger, and Irv Cross in 1999.

T

he mission of the Miss America Organization is: Prepare Great Women for the World; Prepare the World for Great Women. It is hard to imagine someone who embodied that mission more than Phyllis George—Sportscasting Pioneer, Acting and Business Trailblazer, First Lady of Kentucky, and American Icon.

June 25, 1949, Phyllis George was born in Denton, Texas.

George, a student at North Texas State University and the reigning Miss Dallas, won the title of Miss Texas 1970 at 21-years-old. In

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September 1970, Phyllis George was crowned Miss America 1971, officially becoming the 50th Miss America and the first to receive a golden crown— one of many firsts in George’s storied career. A classically trained pianist, George dazzled the Miss America audience with an energetic medley rendition of “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” and “Promises, Promises.”

Walking the runway as the newly crowned Miss America, with Bert Reynolds singing the iconic “There She Is” in the background, the so-called

crown incident happened. For the first time in Miss America history, the crown toppled from George’s head, landing on the runway. George did not skip a beat, becoming the first Miss America to carry her crown down the Atlantic City runway.

While the Miss America crown played a significant part in catapulting George to national fame, this trajectory would not have been possible without George’s dynamic personality, natural ease, and, of course, a good laugh.

“I started down the runway

for opening the sports broadcasting door for the dozens of talented women who took her lead and soared.

and turned to nod my thanks to the judges, and when I did, the tiara fell off and stones went everywhere. The audience gasped! All I could think was, ‘This is your moment, Phyllis— all your friends and family are watching—and look what you did!’ But even then, I could laugh about it. As I told Johnny Carson three nights later, ‘You’ll remember me—I’m the klutzy Miss America.’ The crown incident broke the ice with reporters, audiences, everybody.”

Recalling her crowning moment, George said, “It

was the springboard to everything I’ve done in my life.”

George became the nation’s first female sportscaster—shattering the glass ceiling in a historically male-dominated industry.

Robert Wussler, then-President of CBS Sports, recruited Phyllis George as a sportscaster after George appeared as Miss America on multiple talk shows, including “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.” George joined Brent Musburger and Ivy Cross as a sportscaster reporting games and interviewing players on the pregame show

“

“

[George] didn’t receive enough credit

on “The NFL Today” in 1975. Throughout her career, George covered three Super Bowls and six Rose Parades.

Phyllis not only broke barriers as a pioneer in sports television but also paved the way for women in television to follow in her very footsteps.

In a statement released by Brent Musburger following the passing of George, Musburger said that George “didn’t receive enough credit for opening the sports broadcasting door for the dozens of talented women who took her lead and soared.”

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Phyllis George with Paul Hornung, Joe Namath, and Carroll O’Connor at a Super Bowl pregame taping.

Hannah Storm, an anchor for ESPN, wrote in an email to the New York Times, “Sometimes you have to see it to be it; you have to know something is a career option in order to aspire to it.” Storm continued, “Which means someone has to be first. That was Phyllis George—a true trailblazer.”

In 1979, George became the First Lady of Kentucky when her newly married husband John Y. Brown, Jr., became the Governor.

In 1981, George established the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft in downtown Louisville to build interest in the state’s rich craft heritage.

Though George spent much of her adult life outside of Texas, George frequently remarked, “Wherever we go, whatever we do, the eyes of Texas are upon us.

Quite simply, you can take the girl out of Texas, but you just can’t take the Texas out of the girl!”

George became one of the 10 | THE REIGN

Phyllis George arm wrestles Vin Scully on “Celebrity Challenge of the Sexes” in April 1977.

first former Miss Americas to join the Miss America Board of Directors after Donna Axum Hayworth (1964). For George, Miss Americas offered a vital perspective: they had been in the position and understood what it was like whereas the other members were more insulated.

In an interview with Texas Monthly, George recalled, “When I was asked to go on the board, my children said, ‘Mom, this is part of your legacy. You have to protect it.’”

It is with great sadness that we write about the loss of Phyllis George. The Miss America Competition originally set for Fall 2020 would have commemorated both the 50th anniversary of George’s crowning and the centennial celebration of Miss America. A few days before, on May 8, the Miss America Organization announced that due to the spread and nationwide impact of COVID-19 it would postpone the 2021 Competition until next year.

We are so grateful for the contributions Phyllis has made as a forever Miss Texas and Miss America. Thanks to Phyllis George, the world has been changed for the better. Our thoughts and prayers are with Phyllis’ family. She will certainly be missed, her memory will be long remembered, and her legacy will last forever.

Newly Crowned Miss America 1971 Phyllis George poses with Pamela Eldred, Miss America 1970.

Wherever we go, whatever we do, the eyes of Texas are upon us. Quite simply, you can take the girl out of Texas, but you just can’t take the Texas out of the girl!

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WHAT’S

Chic

NOW

FALL 2020

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WHAT’S

TRENDING NOW

What’s Trending Now

PANTONE COLOR

AMBERGLOW

SAMBA

SANDSTONE

CLASSIC BLUE OF THE YEAR

GREEN SHEEN

ROSE TAN

ULTRAMARINE

GREEN

FIRED BRICK

PEACH NOUGAT

MAGENTA PURPLE

ALMOND OIL

BLUE DEPTHS

SLEET

MILITARY OLIVE

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TRANSITIONS Get the most out of your wardrobe by buying pieces that transition from summer to fall. Light sweaters are great to wear with breezy colors in the late summer months and then to pair with richer, deeper tones going into fall.

UPSCALE CASUAL Comfortable, chic pieces top the charts this fall with many people working from home. Choose bold prints or dress up your favorite graphic tee to have effortless style!

GO BIG, GO BOLD Enhance any outfit with a pop of bold jewelry! With colorful bangles to effortless gold necklaces, you’re sure to top the best dressed list.

MASK UP, GLOW UP The sweltering heat coupled with mask wearing has probably affected your skin! Make sure to keep your skin moisturized and hydrated heading into those cooler fall months.

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Transitions

Sweaters are Fall Staples.

Here’s How to Wear an Easy Fall Sweater with the Current Season

Wear Now Sweater by Lilla P Pistola White Denim Tkees Flip Flops Hat Gold Filled Bracelets

Don’t Fret when the Temperatures Drop! Just Pair that Easy Fall Sweater with Richer tones!

Wear Later Sweater by Lilla P Handbag Shoes Joe’s Jeans Gold Filled Bracelets

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$168 $138 $84 $178 $48-$98

$168 $98 $50 $138 $48-$98

Stay cool and stylish with this relaxed blazer and short combo in bold leopard print!

The Power of Print Leopard Jacket Shorts V-Neck Tank Veja Sneaker Woven Handbag Bangles

$110 $70 $44 $120 $68 $20

Upscale Casual Dress up your favorite graphic tee with this chic ruffled skirt and white sneaks for street style!

She Rocks Kiss T-Shirt Skirt Veja Sneakers Hat

$44 $68 $120 $68

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Prioritize

&Accessorize

$20 Convertible Chain for Mask & Glasses, Assorted

Accessories are big!

Gold Bangles are a go-to addition to any outfit this fall.

For added flair, gold-beaded is a welcome update to the traditional bangle.

Want more accessory tips? Shop Fall with Kendra Scott on 22.

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Mask Up, Glow Up Skincare is of the utmost importance always.

As we continue to wear face coverings, it is more important to consider options behind simply hydrating to protect your skin!

These products are especially lifesaving in the Texas heat and factoring in additional skin irritation from face coverings.

Los Poblanos Lavender Salve Soco Symphony Soco Cleanser Vitamin C Probiotic Serum One Love Microderm Scrub One Love Vitmain E Serum One Love Coconut Skin Dew

$24 $48 $42 $84 $39 $75 $58

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SHOP

with Kendra Scott

The Colors of Fall 2020 PANTONE COLOR

C O B A LT HOWLITE

GOLDEN OBSIDIAN

OF THE YEAR

BURNT SIENNA HOWLITE

DARK TEAL

AMAZONITE

WHITE HOWLITE

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Golden Hour Vintage gold provides a classic feel to modern pieces and adds a richness to any outfit! Feeling extra? Try mixing vintage gold with other classic metal pieces for a chic bohemian style.

Kaia Hoop Earrings in Vintage Gold $98

Falling for Layers From statements to pendants, this Fall is all about a layered look. Several pieces in the Fall 2020 Collection are pre-layered to achieve that effortless chic look! Adding a pop of one of our Fall colors allows you to incorporate these pieces with your favorite pieces from your personal collection.

Frieda Multi Strand Necklace in Burnt Sienna Howlite $78 Frieda Pendant Necklace in Burnt Sienna Howlite $98

Statement Shine When transitioning from bright summer colors to a deeper fall palette, it’s always fashionable to focus on statement pieces. Stacked bangles with a pop of our Burnt Sienna Howlite and a bold earring really help this little black dress pop!

Kaia Bangle Bracelet in Burnt Sienna Howlite $158

Marveling for Marble It’s easy to see why White Howlite is a fan favorite!

This milky white stone has a natural, marble-like veining, which is reminiscent of Italian marble. While this stone is super versatile, we love it paired with classic blue, Pantone’s Color of the Year, this season!

Faceted Danielle in White Howlite $78 Frieda Pendant Necklace in White Howlite $98

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Southlake Town Square 321 Grand Avenue West, Southlake, TX 76092 Phone: (817) 442-3859 THE REIGN | 25

AFTER

FIVE

with Shimmer Boutique

Channel Your Shine!

Luxurious details and sparkles are trending for short dresses this Fall!

This Alyce Paris fit and flare with multi-colored sequins is perfect to bring out your inner diva and be on trend! This dress features an open, criss-cross back, giving the dress a fun vibe while being functional to adjust for size and the best fit.

Alyce Paris $270

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Floral Laurel Jacquard and Floral Prints are also trending this Fall!

This Blush Prom features a black jersey, spaghetti strap fitted top that is not only comfortable but fashion forward with a touch of luxury. The turquoise metallic-threaded floral pattern is sure to stand out in a sea of LBDs. Blush Prom $150

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Let’s Have a Ball Ballgowns are always on trend, but this Fall, ballgowns with fun and playful components are trending.

This La Femme dress captures this trend with black layered tulle, an off the sholder neckline, and a builtin romper. This fashionable standout with an illusion skirt screams “Fashionista!”

La Femme Prom $478

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ZAC GRIMALDO

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ZAC GRIMALDO

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2019-2020

YEAR IN

REVIEW 32 | THE REIGN

Since earning the jobs of Miss Southlake and Miss Southlake’s Outstanding Teen 2020 in August 2019, Bryton Bonacquisti and Laurel Jones have had a whirlwind year of service, appearing, speaking, or performing at 72 and 58 events across Texas, respectively.

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FALL 2019 ABOVE (LEFT TO RIGHT): DaNae Couch Lowe, Miss Southlake Executive Director, poses with Miss Texas 2019 Chandler Foreman and Miss Southlake’s Outstanding Teen 2019 Dana Friend at the August 13 Kendra Gives Back.

RIGHT: DaNae Couch Lowe, Miss Texas 2019 Chandler Foreman, and Dana Friend Miss Southlake’s Outstanding Teen pose with staff at Kendra Scott - Southlake.

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SCHOLARSHIP

KENDRA

Gives

BACK

Kendra Scott - Southlake hosted on August 13 a Kendra Gives Back party, donating $1,200 to the Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization. The party featured Miss Texas 2019, Chandler Foreman, and Miss Southlake’s Outstanding Teen 2019, Dana Friend. Kendra Scott - Southlake also donated a piece of jewelry to every candidate that entered the 2020 Competition. The Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization is incredibly grateful for Kendra Scott Southlake’s continued generosity and support!

2020 COMPETITION

Wonder of Women The Hilton Southlake Town Square hosted the Miss Southlake 2020: Wonder of Women Competition on August 17, 2019. This marked the final appearance of Taylor Kilpatrick, Miss Southlake 2019, and Dana Friend, Miss Southlake’s Outstanding Teen 2019.

Bryton Bonacquisti won the title of Miss Southlake 2020 as well as overall talent for her ventriloquism. Laurel Jones won the title of Miss Southlake’s Outstanding Teen 2020, winning the awards for congeniality, Evening Wear and On-Stage Question, and Talent.

The Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization also welcomed 17 young girls as participants in the Southlake Princess Experience. Our Princesses participated in a party with Miss Texas and Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen 2019, performed during the on-stage competition, and were featured in the Evening Wear phases of competition.

Truluck’s Southlake hosted our newly crowned titleholders for their first official appearance as Miss Southlake and Miss Southlake’s Outstanding Teen 2020 at a reception following the competition.

ABOVE: Miss Southlake 2020: Wonder of Women promotional art designed by Bryce Couch and Caitlin Stephens. This piece was used for social media promotion and the official program book, available on Issuu.

RIGHT: Laurel Jones (Left) and Bryton Bonacquisti (Center) react to being crowned Miss Southlake’s Outstanding Teen and Miss Southlake, respectively, at Miss Southlake 2020: Wonder of Women.

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ADVOCACY

Confronting Stigma, Raising Suicide Awareness Did you know that September is National Suicide Prevention Month? Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. It is the second leading cause of death for Texans aged 15-34. There is no one single cause or predictor for suicide. However, research indicates that most suicides are preceded by certain warning signs, such as changes in talking, behavior, and mood.

Although only 1 in 25 suicide attempts result in death, it is vital that friends and family are capable of recognizing the signs. In September, the Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization launched an advocacy campaign to raise awareness, to educate about warning signs, and to encourage support. Miss Southlake strives to Break The Silence and End The Stigma.

SERVICE

Behind the SASH: Suicide, Anxiety, and Self-Harm According to Pew Research Center, anxiety and depression are on the rise among American youth. Seven-in-ten teens identify it as a major problem amongst their peers. When speaking to kids, Laurel Jones encourages her audience to: Speak Up for Their Needs; Find an Active Support System; Spend Time with a Passion; and, Help Others.

The Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization would like to challenge you: to #TAKETHECHALLENGE by reminding yourself daily to ask for help and be there for your friends and family; and, to focus on the #REALREEL by staying true to your authentic self rather than comparing yourself to other people’s highlight reel.

MISS TEXAS

Embracing Sisterhood

Laurel attends the annual Touched by Suicide awareness walk.

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Bryton and Laurel celebrated other local organizations at each respective competition. Thank you to the outgoing candidates on their years of service! Congratulations to all of the new members of the Miss Texas and Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen Class of 2020/21!

TEXAS TRADITIONS

Celebrating Texas Creativity at the State Fair The Fall celebrates the State Fair of Texas. Bryton and Laurel were honored to be a part of the nightly parade, representing the Southlake community and spotlighting various aspects of Texas.

The Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization represented various facets of the State Fair, including topics ranging from the Big Tex Scholarship, Big Tex Choice Awards, Texas Agriculture, and Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Scholarship is an integral part of the State Fair of Texas, just as it is integral to the Miss America Organization.

Bryton rode on the Big Tex Scholarship Float in the Opening Night Parade on September 27. To date the Big Tex Scholarship has awarded more than $12.5 million to over 2,500 students.

Education is also central to the State Fair’s mission. In fact, the State Fair of Texas promotes its own educational curriculum. In partnership with Big Thought, the State Fair expanded its educational initiatives to the classroom with a new TEKS-aligned curriculum that emphasizes the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). On October 13, Laurel rode atop

the Science and Technology float, representing the importance of STEM and the contributions of Texans to the development of these fields.

The State Fair and great food go hand in hand. On October 13, Bryton rode in the parade atop the float celebrating the iconic food of the State Fair. The Big Tex Choice Awards offers concessionaires the opportunity to concoct creative savory and sweet visions and to compete for a chance to become a finalist features at the State Fair.

The 2019 State Fair of Texas’ theme was Celebrating Texas Creativity. We are grateful for the people that make the Fair’s creativity possible. To honor these hidden faces behind the State Fair, Bryton debuted her new buddy, Lil Tex. To view the full performance with Lil Tex, follow Bryton (@miss. southlake) and Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization (@misssouthlaketx) on Instagram and Facebook!

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TIS THE SERVICE

(Butter)Fly Away!

Bryton and Laurel volunteered with the Northeast Tarrant County Kiwanis Butterfly Festival in Southlake Town Square, benfitting Children’s Miracle Network. Bryton and Laurel helped kids catch butterflies and took photos with their families.

COMMUNITY

Willkommen zum Oktoberfest Welcome to Oktoberfest in Southlake Town Square, an October tradition in Southlake. Miss Southlake Bryton Bonacquisti worked the Wiener Dog Costume Contest and Race on October 5. Congratulations to Bindi, the fabulous pup dressed as the house from Up, and Pete, a two-time race winner!

SPORTS

Friday Night Lights Kickoff Although it is not the official state sport of Texas, High School Football holds a special place in the hearts of Texans.

Miss Southlake Bryton Bonacquisti joined Miss Grapevine Jaelene Luper at the Keller football game to help the Miss Keller Scholarship Organization promote the Miss America program. Did you know that Miss Southlake’s Outstanding Teen Laurel Jones is a member of her varsity cheer team? In Spring 2020, Laurel was named Varsity Cheer Captain!

BluDoor Studios sponsored the official Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization’s seasonal photoshoot.

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SEASON(S) FUNDRAISING

Striving to End the Stigma on World AIDS Day December 1 marks World AIDS Day, an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight againt HIV, to show support for those living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have passed away from an AIDS-related illness.

While scientific and medical advances have improved HIV treatment, World AIDS Day is a remembrance of what has been done, a reminder of what is left to do, and an important call to end the HIV stigma. To commerate World AIDS Day, Bryton joined Miss Carrollton Natalie Merrell and Miss Richardson Kendra Land at the Resource Center’s Red Ribbon Bash. At the event, the titleholders sold ornaments made by the teenagers benefitting from the program.

HOLIDAY EVENTS

Holi-sleigh Extravaganzas From Bryton emceeing the Jingle Bell Run to Laurel attending a fundraiser benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospitals, December allowed the girls to give back to the community. Bryton and Laurel emceed and performed on the Main Stage at Southlake’s Home for the Holidays Tree Lighting Celebration, kicking off the Holiday Season in Southlake Town Square. They had the opportunity to perform along with other titleholders, Miss Texas Chandler Foreman, and Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen Allie Graves at Mama’s Party - Texas Royalty Society. Bryton performed with Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen, Allie Graves, at a Christmas Party. Bryton also performed at a private party at the historic Southfork Ranch. Laurel performed three sets with her sister and Lone Star Princess Ella at Six Flags’ Holiday in the Park at Six Flags Over Texas in Addison, Texas.

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NATIONAL COMPETITION

There She Is . . . Camille Schrier, Miss America 2020

PERSPECTIVE: LAUREL JONES

Bryton and Laurel both attended Miss America 2020 at the Mohegan Sun in Unscaville, Connecticut, in December. On December 19, Camille Schrier of Virginia was named Miss America. The Miss Southlake Organization was thrilled to support Miss Texas Chandler Foreman, a Miss America 2020 Finalist.

Favorite part of Miss America? Why?

What did you learn from Miss America?

I loved seeing everything behind the scenes: the teleprompter, the set crew, the parents getting moved into seats when their daughters were announced. It is an amazing perpsective! I also loved getting to be a part of the moment. Attending Miss America has been a dream of mine!

My biggest takeaways are: stay authentic to yourself and your beliefs; set goals and work hard to achieve them; and at the end of the day, let God work through you to be the best version of yourself as possible, in order to share your message with as many as possible.

Miss Southlake’s Oustanding Teen Laurel Jones and Miss Southlake Bryton Bonacquisti pose together with their mothers, Heather Jones and Lynette Bonacquisti, at the Miss America 2020 Competition.

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Mallory Lorant, Taylor Kilpatrick, Jaelene Lüper, Bryton Bonacquisti, and Averie Bishop attend luncheon.

ADVOCACY

Go Red for Women Did you know that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States? Although heart disease causes 1 in 3 women’s deaths per year, only 1 in 5 women view heart disease as their greatest health threat. In February, Bryton and other local titleholders volunteered at the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women luncheon in Dallas and learned about the early signs of heart disease onset, prevention, and treatment. The luncheon successfully raised $500,000 thanks to the generosity of American Heart Association supporters.

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

Celebrating #GenerationEquality On International Women’s Day, the Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization joined #GenerationEquality, envisioning a world in which every woman and girl is free from discrimination and every person can enjoy their human rights more fully and equally. To celebrate, the MSSO spotlighted the powerful women of the Miss Texas Organization who are everyday advocates for change within their communities.

The Miss Texas and Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen Classes of 2020/2021 pose at Winter Meeting with Miss Texas 2019 Chandler Foreman and Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen 2019 Allie Graves in February.

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SERVICE

Miss Southlake Goes Virtual In response to the COVID-19, the Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization developed virtual ways to engage with our community, including social media spirit weeks. On Wellness Wednesdays, we wrote messages of encouragement to others during quarantine and gratitude for our healthcare heroes.

On April 3, our Organization hosted our first Virtual Princess Party, emceed by Bryton and Laurel. Twenty-five members of the Miss Texas and Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen Classes of 2020/2021 contributed to the talent showcase. We welcomed Payton May, the reigning Miss America’s Outstanding Teen, as well as our fabulous state queens Miss Texas Chandler Foreman and Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen Allie Graves. The event welcomed 151 unique, participant computers, many of which were shared by multiple viewers. Special thanks are owed to Alanna Sarabia with Good Morning Texas for covering the event as well as Sweet & Sassy - Southlake for sponsoring party packages for our participating local Texas princesses.

On April 10, Bryton and Laurel hosted virtual Easter Egg Decorating with some of our Southlake Princesses via Zoom.

Bryton and Laurel also shared their competition talents for Ventriloquism and Singing by creating digital shows and competing in the virtual Southlake’s Got Talent Competition.

To view these performances or the Virtual Princess Party, follow Miss Southlake on social media.

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QUEEN-CAP 44 | THE REIGN

R

E

C

A

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Q We are approaching the anniversary of your crowning as Miss Southlake’s Outstanding Teen.

What was going through your mind on that day, and what were you thinking when you were crowned?

MISS SOUTHLAKE’S OUTSTANDING TEEN

Usually, competition day is hectic. Miss Southlake was completely different. It was just super fun and relaxing. It was a great environment because everyone was calm, together, and supportive. When my name was called out as Miss Southlake’s Outstanding Teen, I was just so excited! I was so ready for the year because I knew at the time that this was my last teen title. This is my last year, this is my last one, the best one, so I knew that I had to make it count.

As Elle Woods would say, “It was the perfect day!”

You really made the year count with 58 in-person and virtual appearances. What was your favorite appearance? Why? I loved the St. Jude’s Benefit in Southlake. It was such a great experience. I was so moved, I was bawling.

They talked about some of the children they were able to work with—some who unfortunately passed away—and spoke to the work they have done and the impact it has had on their lives. It was very moving. I also got to bond with a lot of the Southlake Emerald Belles. They had just gotten back from America’s Got Talent, and they were so sweet and so fun.

Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization held the Virtual Princess Party, hosted by you and Bryton. What did you learn

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from that experience?

That was my other favorite appearance. I felt like I was a kid again—literally. We were living our best life and coming together to enjoy Disney music.

We were so lucky to partner with Sweet & Sassy – Southlake. Because we canceled our princess get together, having that was super beneficial to them.

They loved it, and it was a really nice way to keep them involved and bring everyone together while we were all being introduced to this new life.

I know. It was so weird to think how that was just a few weeks after we were introduced to quarantine, and how what seemed so peculiar then feels like the new-normal now.

So crazy! It was also fun to have Payton May come.

The fact we were able to get local, state, and national titleholders come—who can say they did that?

I love your platform because I think it is so important to talk about mental health. I think this is a conversation generating a lot more notoriety during the quarantine. What have you been doing to help you cope with the quarantine?

I have been down lately—physically with my two surgeries. So, I have been doing a lot of journaling, a lot of singing, and just trying to make sure I am not keeping to myself or staying in my room too much.

Sometimes it is really nice to just watch Netflix and relax, but I am trying to get out of my room and spend time with my family. If I let my brain go to that dark place, that is when I get sad. Instead, I am looking towards new possibilities and new things in general.

I think you just hit on what is so critical during this time: reinvention and perspective. Nobody enjoys being in this position, but it is so much about taking advantage of innovation and resiliency of other people to create the experience that you want to have.

Exactly. We can look at this as something that may ruin our senior year, but we could also change our perspective and look at it as: What can we do that could be unique to my class while still being safe?

As a Cheer Captain and a Student Council Officer, I have so many resources to make a change and be the change, to come up with things for my class. I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that we still have fun and still have memories of our

If you were talking to someone that did not share that perspective and could not see the positives, what would you tell them about re-shifting their focus or taking better care of themselves during this time?

I would tell them: I was there too. Let this be a time to go out of your comfort zone and try something that is different. We are all growing and learning. This is something unique to us, something that we live with forever and look back on. I want to look back, and I do not want to think of all the things that didn’t happen. I want to think about all the things that we were able to create. I would tell them that we are all in this together.

&

senior year. There are just new ways to come up with how to do that. I am going to take this challenge, run with it, and make the best of the moment.

If you are struggling, reach out to someone. I am a resource. There are resources online—you can google a hotline and find e-counseling. I know it can “I want to look back, and I don’t want to be super hard when you are quarantined indoors. It is easy think of all the things that didn’t happen. to feel like you are alone and do not have someone. But, it is so I want to think about all the things that important to open up and be we were able to create.” vulnerable. Take the next steps.

I would encourage them to find something that they are passionate about. Start doing that and start having fun. Allow yourself to open up.

I think part of it is being kind to yourself and recognizing that everyone processes things differently.You and I are both overachievers and use this for self-reinvention. If I cannot do X, I do Y. But, not everyone processes that way. It is important to recognize what works best for you. If you feel bad on any given day, that is okay. You can feel bad in a specific moment. But, that does not mean it has to be translated into a bad life.

Whatever works for you, whatever is best for you. That is what matters at the end of the day.

Do you think that people in your generation and younger have an easier time articulating and talking about their emotions than people in your parents’ generation?

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I think that my generation is trying to make the world an open and honest place in that we don’t want to stay silent. We want to start the conversation, and we want to end the stigma. If you keep everything inside and don’t talk about it, it builds up until it’s like this volcano. When it erupts, it can be dangerous for yourself and those around you. So, yes, we want to talk and want to open up.

How do online platforms affect this issue and your advocacy during this time?

In the time of quarantine, I feel like social media is kind of a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it does provide you the opportunity to connect more when you’re not able to connect in person. But, on the other hand, it can provide an unrealistic view of the world. It is important to be yourself on social media and not worry about how many followers you have or how pretty you are. You matter, not all of these other feeds. Focus on your needs, your health, and stay true to you. You should be the metric—not everyone else.

MISS SOUTHLAKE’S OUTSTANDING TEEN

I love what you are saying about the importance of transparency on social media, and it actually reminds me of another project you’ve been working on with other titleholders: Girl Edition.What inspired this project?

So much is going on in the world right now. We are months away from the presidential election, we are beginning a necessary conversation about the Black Lives Matter movement, and, of course, COVID has affected us in so many ways. Time and time again, teenagers are thrown into the same category and told that our voice doesn’t matter, we are too young, or we lack experience. But, our voice does matter. So, I think that having this opportunity is going to be awesome because we’re going to truly talk and share our opinions. We can agree, we can disagree, and we can do that in a mature way.

COVID-19 has particularly affected students, necessitating a shift from the classroom to the e-classroom. How did you stay focused and motivated on your studies during this time?

I am the type of person who likes to get things done. I get scared of failure. I do not like to fail. It was different, but it wasn’t the worst experience.

I learn visually, so that was a challenge. When

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we switched online, I had to re-adjust my way of learning. I think after a few weeks, it clicked for me and became easier. As a whole, I think that our education was not as enriched as it would have been had we been in person. That is a downside of it, but we cannot control that. It is better to be safe.

Teachers really had to adapt so much, and they really were not given enough credit for learning new technologies, changing the curriculum, or finding new ways to engage or motivate their students when they aren’t there in person . . .

Teachers care so much about their students. My mom is a teacher, so I got to see that perspective as well. It was ten times harder for her working at home than in person. She was working until 9:00 p.m. every single night, making sure that kids were understanding things and that she was responding to emails at all hours of the day.

She did everything for her students to succeed.

When we focus on the negative and not on how we can be more collaborative, it puts a strain on someone’s ability to see how they can be a part of the solution. What we’re verbalizing is only how they’re part of the problem. As you said, that isn’t the case. Teachers are champions of their students.

Exactly! We need to highlight that and praise them for that—more than we’re doing.

Nobody gets the opportunity to hold a title for two years—this is unprecedented! What are you looking forward to in the upcoming year? What goals do you have for yourself?

When I first found out that Miss Texas was postponed, I was, of course, sad. After some time thinking about it, I realized that it was a blessing.

My main goal for the year is to make it memorable. I will be a senior, so this year really sets up my future in a lot of ways. I want to be present, have fun, be gracious, and make memories. I also get an additional year to do work with my social impact that I was not able to do because of the coronavirus. I hope to meet with Texas legislators to discuss mental health education.

Of course, I couldn’t be luckier than to represent Southlake. The community is incredibly welcoming and our sponsors are so generous!

Time and time again, teenagers are thrown into the same category and told that our voice doesn’t matter, we are too young, or we lack experience.

But, our voice does matter.

Laurel Jones

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Q We are approaching the one-year anniversary of your crowning as Miss Southlake, and this was your first preliminary competition in the Miss America Organization. What was going through your mind on that day, and what were you thinking when you were crowned?

The exact words that were going through my head were, “Oh my goodness! I cannot believe it!” Growing up in the Miss Texas Organization, I do not remember a time when I was not dreaming of becoming a titleholder. Starting as the first National Princess for then-Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen Kendall Morris, I grew with the best role models. When I earned the job of Miss Southlake, I felt so blessed that I would get to become a mentor to others. It was a dream come true!

MISS SOUTHLAKE

You have had a whirlwind year. By the numbers you have done 75 in-person and virtual appearances.

What was your favorite appearances, and why?

One of my first appearances was with 22Kill at an event at the Harley Davidson store in Maverick, Texas. 22Kill is a non-profit organization working on suicide prevention, and its work predominantly focuses on preventing United States military veterans from committing suicide. Their end goal is to create a community that raises awareness and combats suicide by empowering veterans, first responders, and their families through traditional and non-traditional therapies. This event motivated and impacted me in ways that I will never be able to comprehend.

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As someone who has been diagnosed with PTSD, I was in awe of the resources and support this one organization gives to hundreds of thousands of men and women who fight for our country every day. On this day, I was determined to do my part to create the same type of safety and environment for others with my social impact initiative, “Bryton the Day.” Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization held the Virtual Princess Party, hosted by you and Laurel. What did you learn from that experience?

What an amazing experience! There was nothing more that I loved than seeing my sweet Princesses as well as my fellow queen sisters. The Princess Party was a great reminder that even if we weren’t with the ones we love physically, we could still do it virtually.

In this tough time, it is hard to remember that we are not alone. The Princess Party was the start of a new era of technological advancements for the Miss Southlake Organization that allows us to convey our messages and inspire others while doing it safely.

Some of my fondest memories as a titleholder are interactions with children on appearances. Do you have any particularly heartwarming or funny stories you would like to share?

In October, I had the privilege of serving as the keynote speaker at the Gulf Coast Student Council Convention. It was my first time speaking at a school, and I was beyond nervous! The audience was filled with students of all ages—from third graders to high school seniors. I went into this convention with hopes of inspiring others to pursue community service and servant leadership. But, I actually left the convention inspired by these amazing, young leaders. They knew all about my speaking points and had already made amazing steps in the direction of mastering servant leadership.

Towards the end of my speaking time, several students asked me questions about how to deal with bullying. I shared my experience of being bullied to the point of severe depression, anxiety, and PTSD, all while holding a leadership position. When I told them my story, there was a very loud audible gasp.

This story broke down a barrier in which students being bullied was a norm. Opening this conversation led other students to asking me very hard questions.

As the appearance came to an end, a teacher came up to me, in tears, and thanked me. She told me that my story and my experience with anxiety and PTSD reminded me not only of her daughter but of the progress she was working towards in her own school district. She thanked me for my work to make a change and end the stigma.

Never in my life had I ever been so moved. I discovered my “Why” on this day. I realized that everything I went through was worth it if it meant that I could help others like I did on this day.

&

Hearing and students, in tears from sharing their stories, had me in tears myself.

You are a legacy of the Miss America Organization.

Not only were you the first National Princess for Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen Kendall Morris, but your mom was Miss New Jersey and your sister was Miss Louisiana. How has the Miss America Organization shaped you while you grew up?

I grew up with the best role models possible. I grew up seeing that servant keadership, helping others, and sharing your story can move mountains. I tried to emulate them whether it was with confidence, kindness, intelligence, humor, courage or humility.

I know that I would not be the woman I am today without this organization. For that, I am so grateful!

What lessons have you learned from your mom and sister’s experiences as state titleholders?

The road to winning is not easy. A state titleholders’ journey does not begin with their first competition, or the moment they first decided to compete. It starts with the moment we face our biggest trials and tribulations and overcome them. The moment we decide as young women that we want to make a change is when a true leader is born. Growing up with a mother and sister who were also state titleholders had its rewards, but in many ways, their life experiences shaped mine. Their trials and tribulations were also in many ways mine. Their platforms were the foundation of mine. My sister and mom showed me what a true leader was, not just from their reign but every day of their lives. I found my purpose with their guidance and the knowledge that came from their service as Miss New Jersey and Miss Louisiana.

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Appearances as a Titleholder are a central component of the job of Miss Southlake. Is there any advice that they gave you that has helped you perform the job?

Authenticity is key. There is no right way to be a titleholder. Everyone is different, and that’s what makes us as individuals amazing and powerful. Just be you and use the gifts and talents that the Lord gave you.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has dramatically transformed the way people live and the way in which Miss Southlake performs the job. How have you been coping with quarantine? What adjustments to your regular routine have you made?

I am not going to lie it has not been easy. It was hard at the beginning not to get down when you are stuck at home. My biggest adjustment was my perception.

I learned that I just had to get creative and turn a negative into a positive. With this new thinking I was able to find a new way to inspire my community.

I created “Bryton’s Buddies!” It is a 30-45-minute show I do on Facebook where I read a story and help solve a problem with my puppets. My favorite part is that at the end of the show I pick one viewer and send them the book I read, signed, along with candy, a coloring book, and a personalized autograph card.

Even though this is a tough time, I choose to think about how I have had so many unique and once in lifetime opportunities I would not have had before, including adapting to new technology and appearing virtually on Seacrest Studios! Instead of thinking negatively I made this scary time a chance to further my message and inspire others.

People have been taking up new activities during this time. Have you learned a new skill?

Oh, my goodness yes! I have taken up photography, which I recently used to photograph an amazing family moment. I have also started learning to ride a motorcycle!

Your dad is on the front-lines of the battle against COVID-19. How has his work informed your opinion of this crisis?

Because of my father, I have known the facts from the beginning. My opinion has been formed and shaped from the truth of data from doctors and scientists and 54 | THE REIGN

the experience of having someone I love walk into the line of fire every day. It is terrifying not knowing whether every morning when he walks out the door if it is going to be one of the last times I see him.

I’m so proud of my dad and his heart to serve others no matter what the cost. He is my role model and my hero. I love you daddy.

A significant part of your advocacy effort is mental health awareness. How can people better address their mental health during this time?

Anyone can suffer from mental or emotional health problems—and over a lifetime most of us will. This year alone, about one in five of us will suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder. This time is especially difficult for people, such as myself, who have or are developing a mental illness. I have discovered many helpful ways to combat mental health through research and personal experience. Some of the best ways to combat mental health issues are exercising, keeping a journal, communication virtually with friends, listening to music that makes you happy, keeping a healthy diet, speaking online with a counselor, and, most importantly, remembering our goals and our purpose.

Miss Southlake has gone virtual. From appearances with Seacrest Studios to the Virtual Princess Party, what has your experience been with virtual appearances?

I love virtual appearances! They are an amazing name to spread our message and reach beyond our immediate communities. Of course, the Miss Southlake Organization has done an excellent job adapting to these difficult times. I am really thankful for the oppotunity to continue spreading my message during this unprecedented time.

What are you looking forward to in the upcoming year? What goals do you have for yourself?

I feel so blessed to spend another year representing the Southlake community! My goal for next year is to find more opportunities to brighten people’s days by serving others while doing my part to stop the spread of COVID-19. I also want to build on my online show Bryton’s Buddies and to send kids across Texas entertainment care packages. Overall, I just want to enjoy this opportunity and the chance of working with the Miss Southlake Organization again!

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HEALTHCARE HEROES

Embracing Patient Re Amidst COVID-19

T

he spread of COVID-19 posed an unprecedented challenge to hospitals worldwide. An underreported impact of the pandemic is how it affected the provision of educational and entertainment resources to child patients.

The Reign spoke with Abbie Maynard, Media Programs Manager of Seacrest Studios at Children’s Health Dallas, on June 29 about how Seacrest Studios continued to fulfill its mission during the pandemic.

Established in partnership with the Ryan Seacrest Foundation in 2012, Seacrest Studios affords patients the creative opportunity

to explore radio, television, and news media broadcast. Maynard described Seacrest Studios as “bringing joy to patients and their families through fun, therapeutic live programming curated just for them.” Through Seacrest Studios, patients discover how to cope with their hospitalization, interact with popular celebrities and entertainers, and connect with other children experiencing similar situations.

Patients visiting the studio have a variety of involvement opportunities, including observing production, working behind the scenes with the

audio-visual team, and hosting their own show. Although Seacrest Studios broadcasts programming twenty-four hours per day, its flagship programming is weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Live programs include morning and afternoon shows and two gamerelated broadcasts.

Empowering patient choice and creativity is the center of Seacrest Studios’ work, according to Maynard. Because children often lack choice in the nature of their medical care, Maynard emphasized how important it is for their patients to generate their own content in

esilience

Established in partnership with the Ryan Seacrest Foundation in 2012, Seacrest Studios at Children’s Health Dallas affords patients the creative opportunity to explore radio, television, and broadcast.

the studio. Specifically, Maynard explained how this uplifts the patients, giving them control and expression outside of their ongoing treatment. Maynard fondly described one patient that hosted the show about his vacuum collection and how several patients submit engaging ideas for game show broadcasts.

To Maynard, this patient-focus helps Seacrest Studios effectuate its mission in providing patients a sense of normalcy during their stay at Children’s Health.

Seacrest Studios also hosts celebrities, artists, and other performers who visit Children’s Health and provide patients with

entertainment. Regarding her favorite, recent visit, Maynard definitively picked American singer Lauren Daigle. Recalling Daigle’s visit and performance in early 2020, Maynard said, “the best part about this visit was that a patient hosted the entire interview with Lauren.”

The pandemic reshaped the way people live and the ways in which people can interact.

For Seacrest Studios, however, the pandemic is a minor shift in form rather than function.

Patients no longer physically visit the studio. Instead, patients interact virtually. Even before the pandemic, however, patients

unable to leave their rooms for medical reasons were able to host broadcasts directly from their rooms and interact with the on-air programming via phone. According to Maynard, the pandemic has only heightened the importance of its work and highlighted the continued necessity of virtual programming in children’s hospitals.

Although the studio stopped in-person visits, it continues to produce quality programming by virtually hosting celebrities and other performers. Miss Southlake Bryton Bonacquisti virtually joined the fun at Seacrest Studios along with Buddy, Betsy, Shirley the Sheep, and more on April 29 and May 27 for a sing-a-long and story time.

Discussing her appearances, Bonacquisti highlighted the role of Seacrest Studios in

brightening the days of each patient: “Seacrest Studios is absolutely incredible, and it truly warmed my heart to be a part of its work for the patients.”

During her programming, Bonacquisti and her ventriloquism buddies offered encouragement to the patients: “Each and every one of you is special just the way you are.

Be true to yourself, and never change who you are” Children are the perfect symbol of the present moment, according to Maynard. “Kids are the embodiment of resiliency,” she said. Many patients watching Seacrest Studios’ programming have dealt with social distancing, wearing protective masks, and feelings of isolation due to the nature of their diseases. To Maynard, “[t]his season reminds us how amazing our patients are and how important gratitude is.”

Do you want to get involved?

Seacrest Studios is always looking for talents and stories to share with their patients.

If you would like to submit a talent video or recording of your favorite story, please send an email to redballoonnetwork@ childrens.com for additional details.

Bryton performs on Seacrest Studios with Shirley the Sheep on May 27. To view the performance, follow Miss Southlake on YouTube!

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S O R I

C H L A S H P

Increased student loan debt coincides with a dramatic increase in the cost of U.S. education.

Student loan debt reached $1.6 Billion in 2019, and the number of families burdened by student loan debt has significantly increased over time. Data provided by the Century Foundation demonstrates that one in five U.S. households have student loan debt in 2020, compared to one in ten in 1989.

According to CollegeBoard, the average tuition and fees tripled at public four-year and more than doubled at public two-year and private nonprofit four-year institutions, after adjusting for inflation, between the 1989-90 to 2019-2020 school years.

Despite the consistent increase in the cost of education, the burden is not shared equally. Educational and employment disparities in terms of gender, race, and class indicate that the populations that are burdened most by these debts are women and people of color.

A report produced by American Association of University Women (AAUW) indicates that: women hold nearly two-thirds of the overall debt; and, 57 percent of black women face economic difficulties while trying to repay student loans.

These statistics are compounded by a variety of factors. Because of COVID-19, 2020 Graduates are

“Educational and employment disparities in terms of gender, race, and class indicate that the populations that are burdened most by these debts are women and people of color.” ... entering the worst employment crisis since the Great Depression, according to data compiled by the International Monetary Fund.

Entering the job market, female college graduates are paid 74 percent of their male counterparts, according to AAUW data. These factors are exacerbated by the continuous increase in the cost of education despite the fact that median household incomes have only grown 14 percent since 1987.

This economic reality is a continued reminder of why the Miss America Organization is vital.

Educational Scholarship is the foundation of the Miss America, Miss Texas, and Miss Southlake Scholarship Organizations.

On July 25, 2019, the Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization announced for the first time an all-female Board of Directors, all of whom are products of the Miss America program. These women have not only benefited by developing experience and advocacy skills but also by securing educational scholarships. DaNae Couch (Miss Texas 2012) and Kaitlin Gates (Miss West Virginia 2012) used their scholarships to obtain Juris Doctors while Cristie Kibler went on to complete a Master’s in Social Work.

“The Miss Texas Organization and Miss America Organization have touched my life in so many ways. It helped me graduate from law school debt-free and empowered me to be a strong female leader in my community. I am thrilled about the opportunity to give back to an organization that gave me so much and contribute to the Miss Texas Organization’s inspirational legacy,” DaNae said.

The Miss Southlake 2020: Wonder of Women Competition made available approximately $35,000 in cash and educational scholarships.

To help support these fundraising efforts, the Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization became a non-profit member of North Texas Giving Day on September 17, 2020.

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There She Flies Miss Southlake’s Outstanding Teen, Friend advanced her social impact initiative, “The Sky’s Not the Limit,” raising awareness BRYCE COUCH of and advocating on behalf of DANAE COUCH LOWE Women in Aviation. To help in these efforts, Friend volunteered with organizations including Women in Aviation International and the Ninety-Nines to promote aviation careers.

The lack of representation in aviation is apparent to Friend who recognizes the seeming contradiction in pursuing a field in which “the odds are against me.” The gender gap fuels Friend’s advocacy for “The Sky’s Not the Limit.”

“I believe [the gender gap in aviation] is due to a lack “I believe [the gender gap in aviation] is due to a lack of introduction or exposure as a child to of introduction or exposure as a child to certain careers,” certain careers.”

Friend said. Recognizing that WOMEN IN AVIATION

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Female pilots make up about seven percent of all certified pilots, according to the Pilot Institution.

Unfortunately, according to Women of Aviation, professional pilot ranks are even less diverse, with women holding merely 4.3 percent of airline transport pilot certificates. This staggering gender gap in aviation exists despite a decade-long effort to reverse these numbers.

Dana Friend, Miss Southlake’s Outstanding Teen 2019, is looking to reverse these numbers and prove that girls fly too.

During her year of service as

to many her desire to become a pilot is “non-traditional,” Friend continued, “It could also be due to the lack of a role models’ influence in a child’s life or even gender stereotypes regarding ‘traditional’ roles.”

Because of the gap in representation, Friend is particularly passionate about serving as a visible example of lady aviators and educating young girls about aviation.

Her mission is simple: she wants young girls to know that becoming a professional pilot is a realistic goal and dream.

Friend recalled a particularly impactful appearance at Solar Preparatory School for Girls on STEM Careers Day. “Many of our favorite Disney princesses—Tiana, Mulan, and Belle, for example—have the

Dana Friend is an advocate for “The Sky’s The Limit,” showing young girls that aviation is a viable career.

same qualities it takes to be a skilled pilot. Hard work, courage, and a love for reading are exactly the things that help aviators become better at what they do,” according to Friend. The room immediately lit up with a flurry of excitement, Friend recalled.

When asked why this particular appearance stood out to her, Friend immediately said, “Even if the idea of becoming a pilot was new to them, they all had a favorite Disney princess that they could relate to. Because of that, the idea that they too could

be a professional pilot became a realistic goal and dream.”

The crux of Friend’s social impact is that representation is the key to knowing that the door is open for you too, regardless of gender. To communicate her social impact, she used the acronym FLY: Find a Mentor or Leader in your field; Let Yourself Get Involved through Volunteering; and You Got This. By surrounding yourself with positive mentors, Friend explains, “It makes recovery from emotionally difficult

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situations possible, it allows for personal growth, and it can further drive and influence someone to succeed and follow through with their goals.”

Friend credits the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen program for preparing her for the next stage in her educational and professional journey: “The process of building a resume, understanding what may be asked of me in a professional environment, and being wellspoken while explaining details are valuable skills that have transferred into my everyday life.”

On July 15, Friend successfully completed her checkride, officially earning her Private Pilot’s License.

In Fall 2020, Friend will begin the Professional Pilot Program at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma—one of the

top-ranked aviation programs in the nation. At Oklahoma State, Friend will pursue her Bachelors of Science in Aerospace Administration & Operations.

Friend will continue her flight training with the hopes of earning her instrument and multi-engine ratings, as well as commercial and air transport pilot licenses.

Friend’s dream job is to become a U.S. Air Force Fighter Pilot. With Friend’s acceptance to Oklahoma State, that dream is increasingly becoming a reality. While at Oklahoma State, Friend will be a member of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corp (AFROTC), one of the primary commissioning vehicles for the U.S. Air Force and Space Force. After flying in the U.S. Air Force, Friend hopes to return to the civilian track of aviation

as a commercial airlines pilot.

Reflecting on her time in the Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen Organization, Friend said, “I hope to inspire others that their dreams are attainable, and that if their dream career happens to be one that is male-dominated such as mine, learning to build relationships and joining support groups is a valuable and beneficial asset to their journey.”

Asked what advice she would give current candidates, Friend eagerly responded, “Be confident in what you do. Confidence is a powerful ally!” She continued, “Even if you’re a ball of nerves on the inside, being confident in your decision making shows others what we know you already are: a mature, brilliant, and beautiful leader and role model.”

Being confident in your decision making shows others what we know you already are: a mature, brilliant, and beautiful leader and role model.

Fly Away Dana Friend received her Private Pilot’s License on July 15, passing her final checkride.

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Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

the Mustang PonyUp Pre-Game show at Southern

EmmaKate Few, Miss Southlake 2018, reports for

BEHIND THE CAMERA WITH EMMAKATE FEW SUCCESS BRYCE COUCH DANAE COUCH LOWE

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EmmaKate Few joined KTAL (NBC) in Shreveport, Louisiana as a Sports Reporter/Anchor in July 2020. As a member of the team, Few will produce and host the Grambling University

football show. The Reign spoke with EmmaKate Few about her new job, experience in the Miss America Program, and how her extracurricular activities prepared her

“

THEY EXCEL DUE TO A REAL

DESIRE TO SHARE LOCAL STORIES

for her new endeavor.

Few graduated from Southern Methodist University (SMU) with a double major in Journalism and Sports Management. While gaining work experience as a broadcast journalist, Few is also working on obtaining a degree in Meteorology and Geosciences from Mississippi State’s distance learning program.

As Miss Southlake 2018, Few placed second-runner up at the Miss Texas 2018 Competition.

According to Few, building the future leaders of our nation through servant leadership and mentorship will always be an important part of her

work. As Miss Southlake, Few advanced her social impact initiative, “Walk the Talk.”

Through her social impact, Few aimed to inspire in young students a heart for service while simultaneously fostering a sustainable environment through shoe collections.

Since her involvement in the Miss Texas program, Few has expanded her social impact efforts to include disaster relief and natural disaster preparedness. According to Few, “Educating students on how to prepare for natural disasters and severe weather works hand-in-hand with

“

OF TRIALS AND TRIUMPH.

shoe collections. Many of the donated shoes are distributed to individuals directly affected by natural disasters.” Few hopes to combine her educational background and work experience with the National Red Cross Youth Council and Soles4Souls to educate students about disaster storm science and how shoe donation can benefit those affected most.

Joining the Sports Department at KTAL (NBC) in Shreveport is an exciting endeavor for Few. She recalled how witnessing her brother’s athletic schedule taught her what dedication and hard work look like for Division

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EmmaKate Few is an advocate for “Walk the Talk,” inspiring a heart of service and shoe collections.

Few broadened her social impact by advocating for shoe donations to benefit those who are the most vulnerable to natural disasters.

I Athletes. This example prepared her well when she became a member of SMU’s Women’s Cross Country team.

Few is not new to sports broadcasting. As a high school student, Few started her own weekly coach’s show. While at SMU, Few was an ESPN Campus Correspondent for the American Conference Digital Network and covered SMU Mustang Athletics as the host of PonyUp. After graduation, Few reported on XFL’s Dallas Renegades. Her prior experience as an executive director has prepared her for the rigors of running a new show covering the Grambling State University Football Program.

Outside of her broadcast 70 | THE REIGN

background, Few credits her participation in the Miss America Organization as uniquely formative in her professional development. According to Few, “From interview prep with Mental Management and Crown Connections to learning how to carry myself across a stage, I know that my experiences in the Miss Texas program prepared me for my job as a sports broadcaster.” In fact, Few joked, “I was more nervous for my Miss Texas interview than I was for my actual job interview!”

A common thread between the Miss America Organization and Sports Broadcasting is a passionate advocacy for the community you live in and serve.

According to Few, to succeed in the industry, you must have a passion for storytelling and connecting with the people in your community looking to make an impact.

“I believe the most effective media personalities excel because of their ability to relate to their interviewees and viewers because of a real desire to share local stories of triumph and trials,” Few said. She continued, “I am looking forward to sharing the stories of local athletes in the ArkLaTex area in creative and meaningful ways!”

To those interested in the broadcast industry, Few emphasized the importance of investing in others through mentorship as a means to achieve success and open doors.

Reflecting on her burgeoning broadcasting career and her experience in the Miss America Organization, Few advises those currently competing: “Take every opportunity you can to learn from the experts in this field. The skills you develop during your preparation and service will definitely come in handy in the ‘real world.’”

Few will produce a show about the Grambling State University Football Program for KTAL (NBC) Shreveport.

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There She Votes QUESTION & ANSWER

PAYTON MAY

MISS AMERICA’S OUTSTANDING TEEN

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Your platform is, “Your Voice Matters: Educating the Voters of Tomorrow.” How did you select your platform?

Growing up, politics were a frequent topic of conversation in my household, and it was expected that I would start voting once I turned 18. It wasn’t until I began high school that I realized this wasn’t the norm for everyone, as a majority of my classmates weren’t registered and couldn’t understand why it was so important. As time passed, I became more and more fascinated with the youth vote and its impact, and realized that this was a passion I needed to pursue. Pageants allowed me to dive even deeper into this issue, and I’m so thankful I have another year to continue advocating for it.

How do you talk about your platform with different demographics?

My favorite age to talk about voting and democracy is actually with elementary aged students! Since they have a much more limited worldview, I get to talk about voting in a way that excites them and correlates to their daily life. This includes electing a class president between two puppet friends (aptly named Pinky Pie Cupcake and Marvin the Martian) or voting on new class rules they want to establish. I then connect this to the larger topic of voting and how important it is! With middle-school aged students and up, I tend to drop the theatrics and instead explain my platform outright to them.

I always ensure though to discuss voting in the context of their lives. It’s proven that individuals are far more likely to be politically involved if they’re moved by someone’s story or empowered to act by injustice that affected them, so vulnerability is a key component to this age group. I also take my conversations with high schoolers fairly seriously, as many of them are first-time voters, and their experience talking with me could have a large impact in their civic involvement within the next few years.

You are in a unique position as Miss America’s Outstanding Teen. You not only got to serve during the primaries, but because of COVID-19, you will hold your title during the election as well. How has this informed your advocacy or shaped your goals for the next few months?

It has definitely made me have to pivot my plans a bit!

Not only did I not expect to serve an additional year, but I could’ve never predicted a global pandemic halting my life and everyone else’s. As a result of this, it has made advocating for my platform extremely difficult. In normal circumstances, I’d be out every weekend holding registration drives, going door-todoor, and visiting high schools across the country; but now, the majority of my work takes place on social media or Zoom. Despite this setback, I’m still doing everything in my power to mobilize the youth vote, and I even got 13 new voters registered this week!

From now until election day, I’m focusing my time on reaching out to eligible voters across social media and asking everyone I encourage others to register their friends. It’s micro-level work, but I’m hopeful we can make a difference in turnout come November.

Voter turnout amongst those between 18-24 years old has reached record lows in recent years. Why do you think that is?

Overall, I think young people are frustrated with the current system. The majority of our elected officials across the board are above the age of 60, and many aren’t focusing on the issues that our generation cares about. That, coupled with young people not seeing their votes make a difference, results in a perfect storm. What I try to communicate to my peers and other young adults is that voting is a collective effort, and our democracy can only function effectively if everyone is a participant in it.

You partner with Kids Voting USA. How can we encourage younger generations to engage in the political process from an early age?

It all starts at home! Parents of young kids should be involving them in conversations, explaining the importance of election days, and even taking them to the polls! My parents always made an effort to inform me about the political process, and I truly believe that they were a large factor in my later interest in politics. Outside of the home, teachers can also do their part to inform and educate their students.

We all learn about United States history and our founding fathers at some point but rarely does the conversation include voting and how imperative it is to our democracy! If voter rights and registration THE REIGN | 75

information was integrated into our curriculum, I believe we would see an uptick in civic engagement and voter turnout among the next generation.

it’s important to remember that this amendment really only granted voting rights to white women.

Native Americans were only granted citizenship in 1924, with many not being able to vote until Younger generations are making their voices 1948. Chinese immigrants weren’t able to vote until heard on a range of issues. Students from Marjory 1943, and neither were first-generation Japanese Stoneman Douglas High School launched the Americans until 1952. While the Nineteenth March For Our Lives Movement, seeking gun Amendment was a monumental step in granting control measures. Greta Thunberg was named Time equal rights to women, it didn’t include all of us, and Person of the Year for her climate change advocacy. it’s imperative that we band together and continue Recently, teenagers have been using social media advocating for one another even 100 years later. platforms (like TikTok) to raise awareness for Black Lives Matter. How do you think this advocacy/social Women have made significant progress since the awareness will translate into the political process? ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, securing greater social, political, and economic rights. In I think already it has put more pressure on our your opinion, what is the greatest issue facing elected officials to hold true to their promises. women today?

Nationwide movements like Me Too, Black Lives Matter, and so many others, have put the spotlight The most prevalent issue I still see is a lack of female on our local, state, and federal politicians, forced representation across the board. Only six percent them to acknowledge these injustices and, in turn, of CEOs at Fortune 500 companies are women, we to do something about them. In the future, my make up only one fourth of the U.S. Senate, and we hope is that these students who are marching in have still yet to see us represented as the President or the streets and advocating for change are the same Vice President of the free world. Don’t get me wrong, people who one day will step up and run for office. women have made incredible strides in earning more seats at the table, but for making up 51 percent of What is different about teen-driven advocacy now the population, our society sure doesn’t reflect that. in 2020 compared to 2016, 2012, etc.?

Lack of female representation is a nationwide issue, and it’s time for our voices to be heard in all settings.

Like many people my age, a large amount of the media I consume comes from Twitter, Instagram, According to Represent Women, women comprise: TikTok, or YouTube. At first thought, these might 25 percent of the U.S. Senate; 23 percent of the not sound like reliable sources to get information, House of Representatives; 29 percent of statewide but platforms like these are increasingly used to elected executives; and 0 percent of American reach the younger population and have proven to presidents. These stats are similar on the state and be successful in doing so. The expansive network local level. Why do you think that is? How can we created by social media sites have connected address this? teenagers from across the world and have mobilized hundreds of thousands of individuals to engage Due to the history of sexism and misogyny against with the political process who normally wouldn’t women, particularly women in the spotlight, I have. Whether this makes a difference in youth think there’s a hesitancy to put oneself out there voter turnout? I’m not sure, but it’s exciting to see and run for office. Regardless of party, female so many new young people enter the political arena. politicians have been subject to name-calling and ridicule by male politicians and the general public August 2020 marks the centennial celebration of for years, making it an almost certainly unattractive women securing the right to vote, constitutionally career path for so many women. Although there protected in the Nineteenth Amendment. What are many possible solutions, I believe the first step does this mean to you? in addressing this issue is holding those who use While it’s still unbelievable to me that women hateful and sexist rhetoric of any kind accountable were granted the right to vote only 100 years ago, and ensuring that our female politicians are treated with the same honor and respect as their male 76 | THE REIGN

OUR GOVERNMENT HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO BE AN ACCURATE MICROCOSM OF THE GREATER WORLD WE LIVE IN, WHICH MEANS HAVING WOMEN PRESENT IN ALL POLITICAL SPACES IN A NUMBER TO THAT OF MEN.

counterparts. It’s not enough to just give us a seat at the table; we deserve to be treated as equals, and we won’t have true representation until we get there.

As an aspiring US Congressperson, why is it important for women to be part of the political process?

I think in any arena, but especially politics, women are an important and necessary asset. We provide a much-needed perspective on a multitude of issues that directly affect us, including reproductive rights, violence against women, constitutional equality, and so much more. Sure, men can have an opinion on women’s issues, but how is it fair that they get to decide the fate of laws that don’t even affect them? Our government has a responsibility to be an accurate microcosm of the greater world we live in, which means having women present in all political spaces in a number to that of men.

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F O R C E S OF C H A N G E THE WOMEN OF

MISS AMERICA “It is incredible to me that any woman should consider the fight for full equality won. It has just begun.”

— Alice Paul, 1920

One year after securing Women’s Suffrage, these women joined together to march in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City, New York on March 27, 1921.

79

A TALE OF TWO

MOVEMENTS Inside the intersecting legacies of Women’s Suffrage and Miss America: two significant transformations in the opportunities available to women through the twentieth century.

MARGARET GORMAN Representing the District of Columbia, Margaret Gorman became the first Miss America in September 1921.

80 | THE REIGN

SUFFRAGETTES Women’s Suffrage advocates march before the Capitol in Washington,

O

ne Hundred Years, 19202020. Ratified by Congress on August 18, 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment guaranteed and protected the constitutional right of women’s suffrage, the culmination of a 72-year movement led by the trailblazing Suffragettes. The year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of this historic milestone, and in many ways serves as both a celebration of the progress that has been made and a reminder of work left to be done.

On the eve of the Women’s Suffrage Movement’s centennial celebration,

the 116th Congress, elected in 2018, delivered a historic milestone in women’s history post-adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment. The 2018 midterm election was hailed for harboring a new set of diverse, political leaders, with a grand total of 131 women serving in the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, combined.

Although the century since the Nineteenth Amendment has witnessed a transformation in women’s legal rights, obstacles still remain, especially in terms of

D.C.

in

1913.

political representation. According to data compiled by Represent Women, although women represent 51 percent of the U.S. population, women comprise: 25 percent of the U.S. Senate; 23 percent of the House of Representatives; 29 percent of statewide elected executives; 29 percent of state legislative seats; 22 percent of mayors in cities with populations exceeding 30,000; and 0 percent of American presidents.

According to American Progress, merely 27 percent of sitting federal judges are women. Controlling THE REIGN | 81

In December 2019, Camille Shrier, representing Virginia, became the first titleholder to perform a science demonstration as a talent to earn the job of Miss America 2020.

for additional demographic information, including race, ethnicity, sexuality, religion, and political affiliation, yields even worse statistics.

In September 1921, Margaret Gorman, Miss District of Columbia, won the title of Miss America on the boardwalk of Atlantic City, New Jersey. An American icon—Miss America— was officially born.

Miss America’s emergence coincided with the outflow of women’s rights and liberalization in the aftermath of the 82 | THE REIGN

Nineteenth Amendment. The Miss America Organization for 99 years has been one of the most recognizable household names throughout the United States. As one of the single largest providers of scholarship to young women, the Miss America Organization has provided a launching pad for women’s educational and charitable endeavors.

Since its founding, the Organization accumulated its own decorated history of milestones. Norma Smallwood became the first Miss America

of Native American heritage in 1926. Fourteen years after Miss Iowa Cheryl Adrienne Brown became the first Black candidate for Miss America in 1970, Vanessa Williams became the first Black Miss America in 1984. Miss Hawaii Angela Perez Baraquio became the first AsianAmerican Miss America in 2001. Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri made history as the first Indian-American to win the title.

The competition format has also noticeably changed since

The 116th Congress, elected in 2018, made history.

Now, women are more represented in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate than ever before with 131 combined members. Comprised of 91 women, the House Democratic Caucus includes more women than any other caucus in U.S. history.

its founding. In the 1930s, Miss America implemented the talent portion of competition, welcoming talents ranging from dance, vocal performance, twirling, and ventriloquism.

Camille Shrier made history in December 2019 as the first Miss America to win performing a scientific demonstration, redefining what society views as a talent. In the 1990s, Miss America candidates were required to adopt a social impact issue to raise public awareness during year-long speaking tours.

In 2018, the Miss America Organization removed the swimsuit portion of competition.

On the eve of Miss America’s Centennial Celebration, the Organization continues to progress, constantly looking forward. The Miss America Organization, more than ever before, amplifies the voices of its participants. Candidates are at the forefront of community improvement, social awareness, and issue-based advocacy.

The two movements represent significant transformations in the

opportunities available to women through the twentieth century to the present day. To better understand the intersecting legacies of the Women’s Suffrage Movement and the Miss America Organization, the Reign spoke with several trailblazing women from the organization that have gone on to run for and hold political office. This is the first part in a series of articles honoring the legacies of these two movements.

For additional features, follow the Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization on social media.

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84

TRENEÉ McGEE

to [Miss Connecticut] that’s different”—as an asset. According to McGee, her sister told her that not only would Miss Connecticut benefit from her uniqueness, but she would benefit from her participation in it likewise. After a return from studying abroad in Italy, McGee began a whirlwind preparation for the Miss New Haven County Competition.

McGee recalled a particularly impactful realization while applying her makeup for the last time at Miss Connecticut: “Some people shy away from the glamour, and I understand that. But, I needed to see that glamorous side and know it existed.” Describing this realization to her sister, her sister pointed to her advocacy, passion, and service-oriented heart and said: “I literally encouraged you then because I wanted [your participation] to bring out a different side of you.”

I was thrown into politics!

Just like competing for Miss Connecticut, McGee did not envision herself going into politics. In January 2019, McGee, a trained actress, was actively applying to casting assistant positions in an effort to pursue a career as a casting director.

Something about her trajectory did not feel right. To McGee, it was a “heaviness” that she just “couldn’t shake.”

Yet, the Miss America program opened the door to her involvement in public service.

After a few weeks, McGee received a call from members of her town Democratic Council, members that she previously met on appearance as Miss Shoreline raising money for Children’s Miracle Network. Having seen her community service in action, they wanted her to run for the town committee. After winning a seat on the town committee, they approached her again in March: “We want you to run for City Council.”

“I was thrown into politics,” McGee jokes. After wrestling with that decision for three months, she launched her campaign to challenge an incumbent in July 2019, won both the primary and general election that fall, and was finally sworn in. “That’s how quickly that happened,” McGee exclaims, “just a matter of months!”

WEST HAVEN CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 7

C

ompeting for Miss Connecticut was never something that Treneé McGee envisioned for herself. A self-described Denise Huxtable fan, McGee viewed herself as the opposite of what a “stereotypical, black pageant queen” looked like, pointing to her “very hipster, very boho chic” style.

With her sister’s encouragement, McGee decided to take her first step in the Miss America Organization. Her sister viewed McGee’s individualism—her ability to “bring something

“

Politics is something that

primarily men have been able to benefit

Thankfully, serving as a titleholder prepared McGee in many ways for the campaign trail.

Just like interacting with people as a titleholder, McGee explains, “People want to connect. They want you to listen to them. This is across race, gender, religion, age, socioeconomic background, political views.”

To many, her identity is of particular importance. Elected at 25, people described her as the “youngest black woman elected to Connecticut public office.” By the numbers, she’s 40, 30, 20, and 15 years younger than the other members of the City Council.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, voter turnout among those aged 18- to 29-year-olds increased from 20 percent in 2014 to 36 percent in 2018, the largest point increase for any age group. Despite an increase in interest and conversation about politics amongst younger voters, stereotypes persist that paint younger generations as lazy or apathetic.

Recognizing this stereotype, McGee said, “That’s the natural way in which people have thought about young people.” McGee refuses to accept this descriptor.

For McGee, young people are 86 | THE REIGN

increasingly becoming active in politics because they want to change things, pointing out to naysayers, “What about me?”

Navigating the generational divide between a predominantly older City Council and younger voters in particular, McGee likens her position on the City Council to a bridge. McGee recognizes the role that she can play in helping each party understand the other’s view and working towards a common ground.

Talking about U.S. political discourse at-large, McGee observes apparent divides between the generations,

“

from and to manipulate.

specifically regarding issues of continued systemic racism and sexism.

Discussing racial disparity and how our communities can better address the needs of our most vulnerable populations is a common theme for McGee’s work. As a titleholder, McGee talked about the importance of racial diversity “from the day [she] first competed to the day [she] left.” Through Miss Connecticut, noticing racial disparities in the ability to go to and succeed in school, McGee developed Be The First to connect first generation college students

with the necessary resources to succeed.

For McGee, discussing racial disparity, especially in the aftermath of George Floyd and amidst ongoing Black Lives Matter demonstrations, is particularly poignant. “Systemic racism is the foundation of everything,” McGee paused, “and there’s fighting with younger generations because of this continued mistreatment experience that is actually similar to Civil Rights.”

On July 21, McGee attended a meeting with the West Haven Police Commission where she shared a particularly impactful experience at a Black Lives Matter protest: several police officers turned their faces, refusing to speak to her despite knowing her status as a public servant.

For McGee, the difficulty in that particular situation, especially

for younger generations, is that “people want to express how they feel, to tell police officers how they want to be protected.”

People just want to be seen and heard.

For McGee, a shift is coming.

“It’s just so interesting to live in the awakening, where people are like, ‘Wow, I now realize that this was happening and this is happening,’” McGee said. She continued, “I think it’s something just powerful happening in today’s society.”

Despite representing 51 percent of the U.S. population, women are historically underrepresented in public office. For McGee, the reason is simple: “politics has been something that primarily men have been able to benefit from and to manipulate.” The result being a historical exclusion of both women and people of color from representation in

public service positions, forcing these candidates to work twice as hard to be seen as equally viable candidates and leaders.

To McGee, people want to see themselves reflected in their leaders. McGee observes: “There are a lot of little black boys who think, ‘I can actually be president because of Barack Obama.’ There are probably a lot of girls who know they can actually run for office because of Hillary Clinton.”

She continued, “It’s important that people see politicians as three-dimensional people, not these—characters.”

Representation, for this reason, is critical to addressing these statistical gaps: “If Congress was seen as a space where—50 percent, or 75, or whatever—has to be this, then I think that we would position ourselves for more women, more people of color, like every identity represented.”

THE REIGN | 87

Pointing to a particular race between two women for a Congressional seat, McGee notes, “We are seeing [diversity] more now.”

August 2020 celebrates the centennial celebration of women securing the right to vote. To McGee, this is a “celebration of power.” Yet, for McGee, it is also bittersweet because the culmination of those fights was not victory for all people, all women. While the 19th Amendment is a significant achievement, it did not secure the right for all women. Black women, for instance, did not get the right to vote until 40 years later, McGee notes.

“It is important to acknowledge that this fight laid the foundation for what’s to come,” McGee said.

She continued, “In this fight and in this celebration of it, we must recognize that this advocacy looks different for everyone.”

The fact that the centennial celebrations of the 19th Amendment and Miss America coincide is not lost on McGee. In 1920, at the time of Women’s Suffrage and Miss America, freedom was not available to all.

It was exclusive to a particular group of women. Today, in 2020, the conversation is changing.

“This is the year of liberation, this hundred years of both women’s suffrage and Miss America, it gives us the opportunity to help others be liberated,” McGee said.

For McGee, Miss America 2.0 accomplishes exactly that: “It gives room for other women to be inspired, impacted, to learn, to 88 | THE REIGN

McGee speaks at a Black Lives Matter rally in June.

Photo: Kamra Images

grow, and to develop.” According to McGee, Miss America 2.0 paves the way for other types of women seen in society today, noting that Miss America should not be limited to a particular political view, person’s body type, or other characteristic. In this way, McGee explains, “Now, because of 2.0, you have all types of women who can experience liberation together when in the 1920s, we couldn’t.”

Being a public servant is a lot like being a Miss America titleholder.

“Sometimes,” McGee explains, “you may not see what it is you want until you do it.” She continues, “This is why we must encourage and empower one another to run for office and support each other.” And, to McGee, “it starts in your local community. It starts by paying attention.”

Now, because of 2.0, you have all types of women who can experience liberation together when in the 1920s, we couldn’t.

THE REIGN | 89

COURTNEY PELOT HANSEN 90 | THE REIGN

ALDERWOMAN Courtney Pelot Hansen, the 80th Miss Wisconsin, was appointed Alderwoman in Septmeber 2019 and won a special election amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

a speech or work behind the scenes. I can do it myself.’”

Hansen’s path to City Council is a unique one. In the words of Hansen, it was much more like “applying for a job position” compared to the traditional “big campaign.” Following the resignation of the alderman representing District 10 in August 2019, the City Council decided to fill the seat through an appointment process, soliciting resumés and letters of interest.

Of the four candidates applying, Hansen was the youngest and one of three women seeking the position. The City Council overwhelmingly selected Hansen for appointment.

Her path to City Council continued following her appointment. While Hansen began the position in September 2019, Hansen ran in a special election in spring 2020 to secure the seat for the remainder of the term.

At the time, nobody could have expected an election in the midst of a global pandemic. Hansen explained, “I had to keep shifting what I was doing because the pandemic started when I was going to start going door-to-door.”

COVID-19 complicated her campaign: “The State of Wisconsin kept going back and forth on the rules for the election, if it was going to be by mail or

ALDERWOMAN

G

rowing up and witnessing the aftermath of September 11, Courtney Pelot Hansen always had an interest in government and politics. This watershed moment in American history may have planted the seeds of interest in public service, but it was not until Hansen’s involvement in the Miss America Organization that the meaning of service in action truly inspired her political ambitions.

In 2016, Courtney Pelot, a Manitowoc native, was crowned the 80th Miss Wisconsin. During her year of service, she advanced her own social impact initiative Open Books, Open Opportunity, promoting the importance of literacy in our communities.

Hansen explained, “I loved what I was doing [as Miss Wisconsin].

I loved service. I loved to make an impact.” During her year, Hansen had an important revelation: “I realized how much I loved Wisconsin and that I never wanted to leave. I realized I wanted to continue to serve my community in a capacity as an elected official, to continue this amazing job.”

Initially, however, Hansen envisioned a different form of political involvement for her future. Discussing the impact of September 11, she recalls being particularly struck by the speeches of public officials, the confidence of their delivery, and their desire to bring unity despite tragedy.

While her interest in politics and government continued to grow through junior high, high school, and college, her initial ambitions, cemented by her awe of the post-9/11 speeches, were quite different from the role she serves in today. Hansen explains, “There was a time in my life I wanted to be a speechwriter. I wanted to work in the Communications department.”

However, Hansen observes, “All of a sudden—seeing more women running for public office—I was like, ‘Well, I don’t have to be the person that writes

Courtney attends an elementary school appearance as Miss Wisconsin 2016.

THE REIGN | 91

As Miss Wisconsin 2016, Courtney Pelot Hansen advanced her social impact initiative Open Books, Open Opportunity.

not, by what date you could turn things in. Sometimes I would post multiple times a day updates on how voting would occur on election day.”

Hansen won the election despite the pandemic.

As COVID-19 rages throughout the United States, Hansen is proud to discuss her first big policy as an Alderwoman: implementing a mask mandate. Thanks to Hansen’s efforts, masks became mandatory in all city facilities on July 27. Governor Evers issued an executive order requiring masks indoors beginning August 1.

This is one of the most progressive City Councils in Manitowoc history. Hansen is the only woman on a tenperson City Council and the 92 | THE REIGN

eighth woman to ever serve in this capacity. She is also the youngest member of the council, mostly occupied by men between 40- and 60-years-old. Recently, the council appointed its first African-American member.

For Hansen, having a younger voice involved in City Council is critical to encourage others to not only run but to get involved. She argues diversification of the City Council will bring different voices than the “typical, middle-aged, white businessman.”

With diversity comes responsibility, according to Hansen. Recognizing that she has a different viewpoint—a millennial woman— compared to others on the

council, she feels a particular responsibility in engaging in conversations that will move the community forward and elevate other marginalized communities and voices. She explains, “We are a predominantly white, conservative community, but we’ve been having a lot more conversations about race, equality, and what our diversity plans need to be city- and county-wide.”

Although Hansen is the only woman on the council, she believes her fellow councilmembers are incredibly receptive to her voice: “They are really open and want to move the community forward and want more younger voices involved with the council.”

The spirit behind Miss America is that it really is a year of service. To parallel that, for politicians, it is called public service. Despite this, Hansen notes, misperceptions persist: “People perceive Miss Wisconsin is just riding in parades and preparing for Miss America. “In reality,” Hansen explains, “I was busy all year round and continued to promote my social impact initiative, speaking about the importance of literacy.” The same can be said as a public official. Hansen continued, “I am serving all the time, not just sitting at a couple meetings or running for office.

Hansen viewed this parallel as an asset when she initially applied to fill the Council vacancy. Hansen noted that she routinely discussed this similarity in her interviews: “People did not realize that in many ways I already did certain aspects of the job and already understood the responsibility.”

Even after receiving the position, Hansen notes the similarities between her role as Miss Wisconsin and her role as an Alderwoman continue: “There are tons of crossover community events attended by Miss Wisconsin and local elected officials.”

People fight hard to be represented by people that look like them because it gives other people who might have innovative ideas hope that they can actually make changes as public officials.

This knowledge sticks with Hansen, who reflects on the

particular pressures women face in public service.

“I feel like there’s almost a little bit of pressure on you while you’re doing your job to also inspire someone else, another young woman, to want to do what you’re doing for their district or state, or wherever they may want to get involved,” Hansen observes. She continues, “In a way, I think that’s part of the responsibility I feel to inspire other women.”

Hansen recalls an interaction with a particular young girl at a city council event. This young girl looked at Hansen, then at the rest of the council, with confusion.

The girl approached Hansen and asked, “Are you on the City Council too?”

Hansen, smiling, said, “Yes, I am, and you can be too!”

Hansen poses with other members of the Manitowoc City Council and the mayor.

“All of a sudden, seeing more women run for public office, I was like, ‘Well, I don’t have to be the person that writes a speech or works behind the scenes. I can do it myself.’” ...

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- candidate for state rep -

TRISH TIDD

94 | THE REIGN

T

rish Tidd is not a stranger to the Miss America Organization, a threetime candidate for Miss New Hampshire drawn to the organization for its combination of educational opportunities and community service. For Tidd, this is largely owed to Miss America 1988 Kaye Lani Rae Rafko, who used her year of service and her background as a nurse to work with hospice patients and visit hospitals.

She explained that Rafko’s legacy is widely credited as the inspiration for what became known first as the platform and later the social impact initiative component of Miss America.

As a student at the New England College of Optometry, Tidd used her years of service to work with kids to ensure early detection and intervention for eye disorders.

Tidd noted, “By the time kids get to Kindergarten or First Grade, you only have a finite amount of time to catch and address readily correctible eye disorders.” For Tidd, this meant getting actively involved in her local community to conduct more in-depth screenings and at an earlier time than when screenings are offered in schools.

To do this, she partnered with Lions Club International and visited daycares, fairs, and other community events where she set up quick screenings.

Following her years of service in the Miss New Hampshire

“One of the Representatives fought against banning gay conversion therapy because he had a private practice where he practiced it in my town. I can’t believe that was happening in my town.” ...

Organization, Tidd became a local director to provide other women a platform to conduct their service-oriented initiatives. For Tidd, the local programs have always been the heart of Miss America and its broader mission by maximizing Miss America’s visibility and expanding its ability to make a community-level impact.

Tidd currently serves as the Co-Executive Director for the Miss Exeter and Miss Stratham Scholarship Organizations.

Tidd’s spirit of service, born in and fostered by the Miss America Organization, is one that directly translates into her desire to pursue public service. And, just as the spirit of service is embodied by the Miss America Organization, the spirit of public service largely defines New Hampshire.

While many know that New

Hampshire is the first primary in the United States, what many do not know is that its democratic fervor translates into its statelevel representation. Though it may be one of the smallest states, New Hampshire boasts the largest House of Representatives in the United States with 400 members. In addition, serving in the legislature is treated much more like a service than a viable career path, with members earning $200 for a two year term. Although the New Hampshire House of Representatives has not secured gender parity, women are fairly well represented—greater than the national average—and New Hampshire became the first state to send an all-female delegation to Washington, D.C. Despite this, Tidd warns that New Hampshire is not entirely a beacon of progress: “You see that and think that New Hampshire is on the right track, but recently, one of the representatives fought against banning gay conversion therapy because he had a private practice where he practiced it . . . in my town. I can’t believe that was happening in my town.”

Worse, for Tidd, is an increasing partisan divide between Republicans and Democrats, resulting in detrimental gridlock. “Most of the people in the House of Representatives are older. They’re retired. Many have been there for a while,” she notes. Continuing, Tidd THE REIGN | 95

ABOVE: Trish Tidd served in the National Guard for 12 years.

RIGHT: As a candidate for Miss New Hampshire, Tidd advanced her social impact about early detection for eye disorders. She is pictured here with the eye screener.

explained, “In the past session, partisanship became so bad that the Republicans blocked an amendment allowing the legislature to meet remotely.

This forced the House to meet in-person in the Whittemore Center, an ice arena. This resulted in only 15 percent of the normal amount of bills, a small fraction of what New Hampshire needed, especially during a pandemic.”

For Tidd, her campaign is premised on a spirit of compromise. Though she is running as a Democrat, Tidd is a self-described moderate, more interested in finding common ground and seeking solutions.

“I think that compromise is something that we need because you have to get things done,” Tidd said, continuing, “You can’t just sit on your hands and say, 96 | THE REIGN

‘I’m not going to pass anything,’ because then we don’t have the thing we need in our state.”

Affordable Education and Veteran’s Issues are two policy areas critical to Tidd’s campaign.

A professor at a community college, Tidd finds particular joy in working with non-traditional students, many of whom recognize the value of a college education but elect to pursue a community college degree to avoid debt. For Tidd, it is vital to ensure that college remains an affordable option, pointing to the fact that the University of New Hampshire is ranked sixth nationally for highest in-state tuition. In addition, she is particularly concerned about educational disparities and inequality, explaining how the Supreme Court of New

Hampshire held that the state has a constitutional obligation to provide an adequate education, an obligation that is undervalued and underfunded by the state with the burden largely falling on local governments.

After serving 12 years in the National Guard, Tidd is also particularly passionate about veteran’s affairs. Because of her background, Tidd wants to ensure veterans continue to have access to the same rights and benefits after their service, to facilitate access to these resources, and to guarantee that veteran’s receive timely treatment.

Preparing for the campaign trail, Tidd is thankful for her involvement in the Miss America Organization. To be an effective public servant, Tidd explains it is vital to know both sides of

Seeing people around you who are doing different things, it gives you the idea that you could do it too. the issues, continue to educate yourself, to listen to others, and to effectively communicate your message and point a view in a nuanced and diplomatic way.

For Tidd, many of these skills directly relate to preparation for interview and to the basic advocacy skills necessary to carry out a social impact initiative.

Speaking to the struggle for women’s equality and the struggle for civil rights, Tidd points to the 2008 election of President Barack Obama, who she campaigned for in New Hampshire.

“When Obama won, many thought that: We did it; Anybody could be President; Maybe we have moved beyond these other issues,” Tidd says, pausing, “But, today, we see voter suppression, police brutality, and so many other issues.” Reflecting, Tidd continues, “In 100 years, we have come so far, but in the past three or four months, I have realized we have not come as far as we thought.”

The dichotomy between perceived progress and continuing inequalities is particularly apparent when she speaks to her experience as a woman. Throughout her

life, Tidd has always been surrounded by powerful women. In her National Guard Unit, her First Sergeant was a woman. When she attended Optometry School, her class was predominantly female, despite the fact women are traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. As a teacher, Tidd is surrounded by intelligent, hard working women.

Yet, when it comes to politics, Tidd sees a disconnect between her prior experiences and her reality in this particular maledominated space. She points to increased scrutiny placed on female candidates, particularly for a candidate’s appearance, referencing the public debate surrounding Amy Klobuchar’s bangs, the language employed to minimize female candidates, and the 2016 election. “It is almost bizarre to me to be in a position in which being a woman is limiting in many ways and to wonder: Why are we not allowing women to do everything and to be anything? Why are we moving backwards,” Tidd questions.

In late-July, Barbie as a part of its #YouCanBeAnything campaign partnered with She Should Run

to introduce girls, especially girls of color, to public leadership roles with a goal of inspiring women to pursue leadership.

Tidd highlights the campaign, saying, “I grew up hearing that, and I always thought it was true.

It never occurred to me that I couldn’t become a doctor or join the military because I was female. But, following the 2016 election, I realized maybe it is not true.” She continued, “As adults, and especially as women, we have a responsibility to make sure that this is true for all kids, regardless of gender or color.”

For this reason, Tidd emphasizes the importance of more women running for public office and the outreach of organizations like Emily’s List and Run For Something.

Visibility and representation are critical to making these words— You Can Be Anything—a reality for young girls: “Seeing people around you who are doing different things, it gives you the idea that you could do it too.”

So, Tidd encourages other women to take the leap, to run for office. “You can do this,” Tidd exclaims.

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S

ince its founding in 1921, the Miss America Organization has always been on the forefront of the conversation about who women are and what women have the potential to be. The Miss America mission—To Prepare Great Women for the World; To Prepare the World for Great Women— recognizes the value of both providing training and resources to candidates while simultaneously amplifying their individual impact.

This mission is reflected in Mallory Hagan, who after dedicating a year of her life to service as Miss America 2013 realized that she could have a more expansive impact as a public servant.

Hagan’s involvement in the Miss America Organization

began in her home state, Alabama, as a candidate for Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen. After moving to New York, Hagan placed as first runner-up twice before becoming Miss New York 2012. In January 2013, Hagan earned the job of Miss America 2013, the last to be crowned in Las Vegas, Nevada. In her 11 years in the program, Hagan earned over $75,000 in educational scholarships.

According to Hagan, “As Miss New York, I really began to understand just how impactful my voice could be.” Hagan listed several Miss New Yorks and Miss Americas who had a “tremendous impact.”

But, for Hagan, one Miss New York particularly exemplifies

As Miss New York, I really began to understand just how impactful my voice could be.

social impact: Claire Buffie, Miss New York 2010. “Claire worked tirelessly in the State of New York with a platform called Straight for Equality: Let’s Talk,” Hagan explains, continuing, “and she was instrumental in helping pass Marriage Equality in New York.” Buffie’s advocacy stuck with Hagan, who credits Buffie for demonstrating the importance of honing your voice and impact as Miss New York, then Miss America.

For Hagan, performing the job of Miss America meant not only taking very seriously the amount of impact that she could have with her social impact Stop It Now: Child Sexual Abuse but also leveraging her platform as Miss America to amplify her voice for positive change.

Mallory Hagan

I knew that Alabamians deserved better and more assertive leadership in Washington.

Either I run or my current congressman— who has done nothing in Congress for 16 years—gets to sail through.

If not me, then who.

If not now, then when.

Mallory Hagan, Miss New York, earned the job of Miss America 2013 at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

As Miss America, Hagan spent time in Washington, D.C. where she worked with the National Children’s Alliance to lobby the U.S. House of Representatives to reinstate funding for child advocacy centers nationwide.

Through Hagan’s efforts, Congress reinstated funding worth $14 million. Beyond Capitol Hill, Hagan partnered with the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children to advocate for better internet protections to combat child sexual exploitation and trafficking. She also worked with the National Child Advocacy Center (NCAC)—the first colocated child advocacy center— to educate on the importance of co-located centers across the country. Now, Hagan is set to begin training as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and will resume her work with the National Child Advocacy Center.

Serving as Miss New York and

Hagan received local and national appearances on NowThisNews, Kasie Hunt, Fox Business, and more. Here, Hagan interviews with CBS42 before the 2018 election.

Miss America, Hagan found her voice and her ability to make an impact. This service was only the beginning for Hagan. Engaging in her year of service fueled Hagan’s desire to continue in public service in the long-term: “I always knew that I would want to either run for office or hold a position that would allow me to have a greater influence in public policy issues.”

It all began with a Facebook message. A group of Democratic Party activists from Opelika, Alabama contacted Hagan to run for election in Alabama’s Third congressional district.

Hagan declined their offer, noting that “all of my no’s were based on self-doubt.” She listed many of the questions that stuck with her in that moment: Can I do it? Will I be successful? Will people take me seriously?

But, for Hagan, the decision to get involved was more complicated than self-doubt. She notes, “There are a lot of hurdles

to getting involved, especially if you’re a woman and, even more so, if you’re a woman with a family.” The biggest hurdle, for Hagan, is the financial barrier: Hagan observed that if you are not someone with generational wealth or a significant amount of excess money, the cost of filing ($2,500) deters involvement.

Ultimately, Hagan came to a critical juncture. No one else was running. Hagan explained, “Either I run or my current congressman—who has done nothing in Congress for 16 years—gets to sail through.”

Hagan’s decision was simple. “If not me, then who. If not now, then when.”

“When I decided to run, I knew that Alabamians deserved better and more assertive leadership in Washington,” Hagan said.

Discussing Alabama’s national standing, Hagan noted that there are very few areas in which Alabama is not ranked either at the bottom or close

to it, pointing to education, government transparency, and infrastructure as examples: “It’s a never-ending list of ways in which [Alabama] is behind the rest of the country.”

The campaign, admittedly to Hagan, may have been a longshot given her district’s demographic makeup, but for Hagan, it was significant in creating discussion about these critical issues. In part because of Hagan and her campaign’s efforts, democratic voter turnout increased by 57 percent in 2018—“a good win for Alabama,” according to Hagan.

The significance of her campaign as a 29-year-old running in Alabama as a Democrat is not lost on Hagan.

Knowing that her campaign would receive national media attention, Hagan wanted to be an example to young people not only in Alabama’s Third congressional district but across the country that they too can run. Hagan explained, “Politics is for [younger generations] too.

Each of us have every right to be here and serve in this position.”

In many ways, Hagan likens the campaign trail to her year of service as Miss America. In that particular job, Hagan fondly recalls her interactions with people, specifically children and one memorable encounter with Beyoncé. She explains, “It is the little moments—when you take the time to connect with someone—that truly change you.”

Despite the general similarities, Hagan notes, running for office weighs on a candidate differently than the year of service weighs on a Miss America. She explains, “I consistently met with people who were actually sharing the inner workings of their lives and so desperately seeking someone to help.” Of these issues, Hagan recalls the plight of mayors seeking to raise awareness and get national media exposure about their town’s lack of access to clean water. She continued, “This happens all over our state on a daily basis, and it weighs heavily on you.”

Discussing the centennial celebration of the Nineteenth Amendment, Hagan urges for

more perspective. Of course, Hagan explains, the Nineteenth Amendment, a culmination of a nearly 100 year fight, should be celebrated. But, to Hagan, it is important to be reflective during this time about how “[the United States] is still not a place of equality, especially among women.” Hagan notes, “White women got the right to vote 100 years ago, not all women.”

This recognition of progress yet reflective reminder of necessary progress is fueled by her Alabama roots and the legacy of Civil Rights. She continued, “Not everyone in my state has the right to vote because my state tries very hard to suppress people’s vote.” The Civil Rights

legacy, constitutional promise of voting rights, and the reality of voter suppression are reminders that she—a young person aspiring to stay involved in politics—must carry the torch and continue to fight for equal rights.

In fighting for equal rights, Hagan emphasized the importance of women having a seat at the table. “Our country is built on systems that were intended for white men to succeed,” Hagan explains, “and our political system is no different.” Including female voices in policy debates is critical for Hagan, who points to studies demonstrating that companies function better when women are

make the world a better place for future generations.

at the table. “I can’t imagine that our country wouldn’t function better with more women at the table too,” Hagan said.

However, to ensure greater representation, Hagan believes systematic changes are necessary to reduce the barrier of entry for political involvement.

For Hagan, that starts with overturning Citizens United and placing boundaries on the financial makeup of politics.

Beyond the significant filing cost, money is essential to make a campaign run. The downside for Hagan is that aspiring candidates spend “more time on the phone asking for money than meeting people face-toface to discuss the issues.”

Speaking to the legacy of Miss America and the importance of social impact, Hagan continues to come back to a consistent theme: “We have a responsibility to make the world a better place for future generations.”

Making the world a better place necessarily involves evolution.

For Hagan, the continued evolution of the Miss America Organization parallels the continued evolution of women.

Just as women have a greater voice and ability to participate meaningfully in public discourse, the Miss America Organization historically has amplified the voices of women and provided a platform for public service. Hagan explains,

“

“

We have a responsibility to

“It is refreshing to see Miss America empower women that it is not only okay but appropriate to have an opinion and to share it.” She continued, “I love that this program encourages and coaches women on how to do that in a way that’s diplomatic and respectful.”

Not everyone immediately sees these parallels, Hagan jokes.

She pointed to one particular encounter where an individual asked, “If you can do pageants, why would you run for office?”

Recalling the encounter, her year as Miss America, and her congressional campaign, Hagan noted, “It’s literally the same thing.”

T

he Year of the Teacher.

Political pundits and newsrooms nationwide coined this official moniker for 2018 after observing an unprecedented number of teachers run for public office in the wake of a series of teacher strikes that spread from West Virginia to Oklahoma. One of these public-school teachers, Carri Hicks, amidst a ten-day strike in Oklahoma and with a newborn baby girl strapped to her chest, filed her candidacy for State Senator, representing District 40.

The second youngest of seven kids, Hicks recognized that the only way forward in pursuing a higher education, given her family’s financial constraints, was with the support of the Miss America Organization scholarships.

Hicks began

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competing in the Miss Oklahoma Competition at 17, placing twice in the top ten to Jennifer Berry, Miss America 2005, and Lauren Nelson, Miss America 2006.

Through Miss Oklahoma, Hicks won nearly $100,000, enough to pay for her Master’s Degree at Oklahoma City University.

“For people like me—low-tomiddle income, just trying to get by—there was a very real fear that our state legislature had gotten out of touch with everyday problems,” Hicks explained.

According to Hicks, Oklahoma has a “constitutional obligation to make sure that every student gets a great, quality education.”

Hicks observed, “they’ve failed to do that.”

In her seven years in the classroom, the budget for public schools had been cut consecutively every year, more

than anywhere else in the United States. Seeking to reverse this trend, Hicks would take personal days for years to advocate at the Capitol, hoping to explain to legislators the reality of overcrowding, an apparently outdated curriculum with insufficient classroom materials, and the needs of students. Each time, her efforts were to no avail, and state legislators continued to defund public schools.

“It just continued to get to the point where it was like— you’re not listening, you don’t really understand, or you don’t believe that things have gotten as bad as they really are—and if you were to sit where I am, you would realize we don’t have a lot of options left,” Hicks explained.

She continued, “It was clear that my previous senator was neither responsive nor willing to engage

CARRI HICKS

OKLAHOMA SENATOR THE REIGN | 105

If he was unwilling to do his job,

then I could do it better. with me in conversations about the challenges we have in our public schools.”

When Oklahoma hit a critical point on the future of public education, Hicks had very few options. “To be blunt,” Hicks said, “I either needed to shut up or stand up.” She continued, “I decided that if he was unwilling to do his job, then I could do it better.”

Hicks started campaigning in 2017, a year in advance of the walkouts. Talking to constituents, education would occasionally be pinpointed as an issue at the forefront in the election, but Hicks observes, “You could still sense that the general public was unaware of the groundswell.”

In contrast, Hicks explains, “Any teacher would have told you that something was going to happen.” If the legislature failed

to come up with a revenue raising measure, Hicks explained, “We’re not taking another year of cuts, we just can’t. We’re going to wait until [the legislature] finds the revenue to support what should have been funded decades ago.”

The groundswell in support and actions amongst teachers, for Hicks, “underscore[d] how out of touch our representation truly was on the issue.”

During her campaign, Hicks not only balanced the fact that she was a mother of two but the fact that she had a third on the way. For Hicks, her pregnancy is symbolic of “a reality for working women who don’t put their career or their family on hold—they do both.” Caring for a newborn, Hicks described this as an “incentive to build in breaks and prioritize hydration” during her campaigning, noting that

she created her entire campaign and knocking schedule around feeding the baby.

Her race was tight, and the primary was difficult. To Hicks, her primary race demonstrates the civility of two women running against one another.

The race never went dirty. It never went negative. Both candidates ran on the merits of their campaign. At the end of the day, Hicks won by 252 votes.

Primary night was full of surprises, including the loss of her predecessor, an incumbent.

Positioning the campaign to run against the incumbent, his loss in the primary changed the entire dynamic of the election.

The good news for the Hicks campaign was that she faced a completely new opponent.

Ultimately, Hicks won the general election by 20 points.

A reality for working women who don’t put their career or their family on hold—they do both.

Entering the Oklahoma Senate, Hicks became one of nine female senators out of a 48-member chamber. Reflecting on the representation gap, Hicks points to several pragmatic barriers that prevent people, women in particular, from running. In most of America, Hicks notes, the primary responsibility of childcare and childrearing falls to the woman. So, in many households, running at a certain age is a non-starter. Hicks also points to a fundraising gap: Like the pay gap, women can raise 70 cents to the dollar of a male candidate.

Notably, for Hicks, women have to be talked into running unlike men: “If you look at a job description, you think [as a woman] if I don’t have 100 percent of the attributes, I’m not going to apply. Whereas, the

statistic I have seen, is that if men have 60 percent of the attributes, they’ll go for it and take the risk.”

Women have made significant strides in the last few decades, Hicks notes, pointing to the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment and recounting a story of her mother-in-law when she opened her very first checking account. For Hicks, these moments should be celebrated, but Hicks emphasizes the importance of self-awareness of the challenges that still exist in many communities, specifically communities of color.

Recalling her pregnancy, Hicks points to a study demonstrating how the United States has amongst the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the developed world, a statistic that disproportionately impacts people of color. “I’ve carried that

with me since that moment,” Hicks said, pausing, “Everyone deserves access to prenatal care.”

These are the things that keep Hicks up at night. As a public official, Hicks tries to be mindful that she is a learner, an observer, and an ally in trying to bring these issues to the forefront because the people impacted most often do not have the elevated voice to fix these issues.

Legislating in Oklahoma, as a Democrat, is no easy feat, however.

Navigating the legislative process, Hicks is grateful for the communication skills that she developed in the Miss America Organization: “That’s what I do all day every day as an elected official. In my campaign, for example, it was really trying to make sure that our essence was captured in our

communications.” More broadly, Hicks explains, “Preparing for the private interview teaches you to think deeply about the world around you and not just what you are passionate about.”

Surprisingly, Oklahoma is the only state that does not require minors between eight and 18-years-old to wear seatbelts in the backseat. For Hicks, this was a no-brainer, an easy fix. To her surprise, the bill failed miserably, with several senators fearing an “impingement upon their liberties.”

Driving home from the Capitol that evening, Hicks passed three car wrecks. She cried. “People are going to die because we didn’t do this,” Hicks said remorsefully.

Since her bill was rejected, her male counterparts have introduced identical bills for consideration.

Hicks is unphased, however: “Women are always about putting someone else’s needs ahead of their own. If passing good policy sacrifices the credit or reelection, I will gladly do that any day of the week to make sure that we have greater protections in place.”

Unfortunately, this is not a one-off occurrence.

“There is a lot of gamesmanship that goes on in politics, and Oklahoma has no shortage of examples on that front,” Hicks noted, “Let’s just say, six of my bills have passed in the two years I’ve been there. Only one has had my name on it.”

If passing good policy sacrifices the credit or reelection, I will gladly do that any day of the week to make sure that we have greater protections in place.

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Diversity in representation and experience is critical for Hicks. The Senate’s Democratic Caucus is the first in Oklahoma’s history, of any caucus, to be majority female. Hicks explains, “We have five women, and each of us are from a different decade. It is really great to have five decades of the female experience in Oklahoma.”

Hicks points to the representative gap in Oklahoma when speaking to some of the difficulties in legislating.

Although women represent 51 percent of society, Oklahoma is near the bottom for female representation in the legislative process, according to Hicks.

Practically speaking, Hicks argues that it is difficult to “adequately represent individuals who you have a limited understanding of their truth and of their needs.” As a result, Hicks notes, “The reality is that policy is not created with those voices in the conversation.”

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed a lot of these flaws in our systems and institutions, according to Hicks. She emphasizes, “We need to be mindful that as we tear down our oppressive systems we are careful not to rebuild them in their absence.”

“As more women run for office and more women are serving,” Hicks says, “I think it’s very important that we continue to look for ways to be equitable because we owe it to our society.”

“

We need to be mindful that as we tear down our oppressive systems we are careful not to rebuild them in their absence.

”

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SOCIAL IMPACT

STEM SISTERS:

PROMOTING WOMEN IN STEM FOSTERING REPRESENTATION IN STEM THROUGH THE MISS AMERICA ORGANIZATION

BY VICTORIA GRACE MUIR

E

ngaging in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education helps students of all ages succeed. STEM activities require inventiveness, creativity, and teamwork. Experimenting with science and engineering offers opportunities to build resilience, as students learn from failure and triumph over challenges.

The problem-solving and criticalthinking skills gained from exposure to STEM are valuable in every career field.

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Victoria volunteering as a Guest Scientist at the Delaware Museum of Natural History, teaching local Girl Scouts how to make slime using chemistry.

112 | THE REIGN

Unfortunately, due to the lack of representation of women in STEM, many young girls opt out of pursuing a STEM education. Women make up less than 25 percent of the STEM work force in the United States. Only 18 percent of all engineering professors are women, and less than two percent of engineering professors are women from minority groups. Sadly, without visible role models to look up to, young girls may think STEM is not for them.

As a current Bioengineering Ph.D. candidate at University of Pennsylvania and a future engineering professor, it is my mission to encourage young girls to participate in STEM by increasing visibility of female role models. For the past eight years, I have been actively involved in promoting women in STEM through community outreach in my hometown of Wilmington, Delaware. I frequently volunteer as a guest scientist at local museums and lead interactive science activities for young girls.

To expand my advocacy, I decided to bring my passion for promoting women in STEM to the Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization. My interest in the Miss America Organization began

while I studied chemical engineering at the University of Delaware and some of my friends competed for the title of Miss Delaware. My friends spoke so highly of the competition experience, describing it as a wonderful avenue for networking, professional development, community outreach, and scholarship opportunities. Competing for Miss Delaware provided a unique way to get young girls excited about STEM by combining a lab coat and a crown. I won the local title of Miss Blue Gold 2019 and headed to the Miss Delaware 2019 competition.

My goal as a local titleholder was to engage young girls and show them that STEM is a possibility for their future careers. As a local titleholder within the Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization, I created a series of “Princess Science� demonstrations for local museums and schools. Some of my favorite demos include making seaweed slime inspired by The Little Mermaid and engineering fizzy ice castles inspired by Elsa. Mixing princesses with science was a fun way to encourage girls to engage with something familiar and to explore STEM. My year as Miss Blue Gold was a memorable one. Competing for the title of Miss Delaware 2019, I placed 3rd-runner up and became the first candidate to conduct a science demonstration as a talent on the stage at Miss Delaware. After this experience and to continue promoting women in STEM in Delaware, I decided to compete for and won the local title of Miss Capital 2020 in August 2019, preparing to compete for Miss Delaware in 2020.

While I loved organizing outreach efforts on a local level, I had a desire as Miss Capital to broaden my initiative to a larger scale. In Spring 2020, I posted on my Miss Capital 2020 Instagram

account asking if there were any Miss America local titleholders from around the country pursuing a career in STEM. My initial goal was to join forces with other titleholders to coordinate STEM outreach efforts. I expected a few titleholders may reach out, but not many. Much to my surprise, within a few weeks, dozens of local titleholders from around the country reached out to me. From this initial post, I formed “STEM Sisters,” a group consisting of more than 40 Miss America Organization titleholders from across the country who are pursuing careers in STEM. Camille Schrier, Miss America 2020, even joined the group!

Our advocacy consisted both of internal networking and external promotion. To facilitate the STEM Sisters network, we created a GroupMe and set up Zoom calls. We used these platforms to chat about how we could create social media content to increase representation of women in STEM, promote each other’s outreach initiatives, and discuss our experiences as women in STEM and as candidates in the Miss America Organization.

Outside of these conversations, I started “STEM Sisters Spirit Week”, a social media campaign that ran from April 20-24, 2020, celebrating women in STEM. STEM Sisters Spirit Week included: Major Monday (sharing details about our STEM college majors), T-Shirt Tuesday (sharing our favorite STEM T-Shirts), Women in STEM Wednesday (sharing our favorite female STEM role models), Thank You Thursday (thanking our STEM mentors), and STEM Demo Friday (sharing our favorite STEM demos for outreach initiatives). The campaign was a huge success due to the participation of the amazing members of the STEM Sisters group,

and the Miss America Organization even joined and promoted the efforts all week long from the official Miss America Instagram account.

The amazing young women in the STEM Sisters group will continue to promote women in STEM across the country as candidates prepare for the 2021 state competition season. I will continue working with the Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization as a volunteer and promoting women in STEM on a local and national level. I am so grateful for my STEM Sisters, the Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization, and my amazing Miss Delaware Class of 2019 and Class of 2020 sisters for making my time with Miss America such a wonderful experience.

Are you interested in joining efforts to promote women in STEM? Do you want any advice on making your STEM outreach as impactful as possible? Do you need suggestions on how to continue STEM outreach efforts virtually? I am more than happy provide advice and resources!

Feel free to reach out to me over email (muirvg@gmail.com) or connect with me on social media (Instagram: @victoriatheengineer, LinkedIn: https:// w w w.lin ke din.com/in/vg muir/).

Victoria Grace Muir is a graduate of the University of Delaware Chemical Engineering Department and a current Ph.D. candidate in Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania.

With the Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization, she led many outreach initiatives promoting women in STEM as a Miss Delaware candidate. Victoria started STEM Sisters, a group of 40 Miss America Organization titleholders from across the country pursuing careers in STEM.

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MENTAL HEALTH,

SOCIAL IMPACT LET’S TALK ABOUT IT ENDING THE STIGMA

ALEX ANDREWS JENNA MARTORANA

N

early 50 million adults in the United States face the reality of managing a mental illness every day. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five Americans had a mental illness diagnosis before the global pandemic, and that number is expected to grow. Now, more than ever, telehealth services have stepped up to serve a community that is finally opening its eyes to the impact of mental health disorders, but resources are understaffed, underpaid, and lacking overall funding.

Advocates from across platforms see the long-term effects of COVID-19 and have also shifted their efforts. Not being able to interact in person has forced us to come up with new social media strategies to be able to continue making change happen, and advocacy has suddenly included a significant amount of Zoom calls and Instagram Lives. Creativity and flexibility have been key in continuing the efforts we started before the pandemic, but what does that adaptability look like?

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- jenna martorana -

perspective Mental health advocacy has become my life since becoming involved in the Miss America Organization, so I am always looking for ways to reach more people so they know they are not alone in their battle. One of the best parts of the Miss America Organization is the sisterhood that comes with it.

Being able to connect with girls from all over the country and create lasting friendships is not something I had expected when I first started competing, but that is exactly what happened.

Alex is one of the sister queens

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who I have had the pleasure of interacting with (via social media since Pennsylvania and Texas are not too close) so when she reached out to me about some of her ideas for how we can reach more people, I knew it was going to be the start of something amazing. What is amazing is that we were able to create a group with over 80 local and state titleholders all who have a passion for mental health.

These girls have social impact initiatives ranging from ending the stigma like my own to eating disorders and suicide prevention.

The realness and honest conversations about life and our own struggles that have occurred in this GroupMe chat show just how powerful each girl’s story is.

They are all using their titles to reach people across the country in their individual counties and states; many of their passions are fueled by their own stories.

These young women have all proven that we are more than pretty girls with crowns. We discussed a hashtag to use to showcase the work we are doing and connect each other on social media thus creating

the #CrownsCareCampaign.

All throughout the month of May, we used a social media calendar with different topics to discuss in posts, and the hashtag allowed us to track it.

Some of the different topics on our calendar included sharing how one can become a mental health advocate, sharing what your favorite mental health organization is (which both Alex and I chose NAMI of course), and sharing how or what helps you stay connected, which has been extra important with the current pandemic.

Part of the calendar also included our Mental Health Spirit Week, which was definitely the most entertaining part of the month! Whether it was getting to twin on Tuesday with a sister queen while sharing how you talk to someone who is struggling or discussing how to handle hard feelings on Friday while being your favorite emoji, it allowed us to connect with not only each other, but also our followers and friends on social media.

Through the creation of this group as well as our social media content, we, as titleholders, were able to create even more change by not being afraid to talk or post about the topic of mental health.

I always say that it is okay to not be okay. I believe that all of us showed that to be true by sharing our experiences or struggles and how we have used them to create change across the country.

One of the best parts of the Miss America Organization is the sisterhood that comes with it.

Service Through Advocacy

Miss Liberty Bell Jenna Martorana Here isfor the space add description of the image you advocates Mental to Heath ipsum space te si nosam, siti. duringplace an above officiallorem appearance.

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- alex andrews -

perspective

I am constantly saying to anyone who struggles with mental illness, ‘You are not alone.’

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Mental Health Spirit Week

The

#CrownsCareCampaign

started a national conversation about

mental

health

by

encouraging participants to take part in the Mental Health Spirit Week Daily advocacy challenge.

I’ve only ever known Jenna through social media, both as a titleholder and a small business owner, but we connected a few months ago through our mental health advocacy.

Right after our Miss Texas Spring Webinar, I was inspired to share my six-word-story: a short impactful phrase that sums up your mission. Through my Instagram I asked for others to do the same, and I loved Jenna’s response so much I illustrated it! That started a latenight conversation between the two of us about how important it was for us to see queens doing extraordinary things while talking about their own struggles with mental health.

Thus, the nation-wide GroupMe was born. We created a group chat dedicated to titleholders

across systems advocating for all aspects of mental health.

We utilized the chat to work with women across the United States and created a month-long posting guide to start a cohesive conversation across social media on the topic of mental health. The most fun and impactful part was our Mental Health Spirit Week!

Monday’s theme centered around representation as we participated in Color Day to showcase the color of mental health awareness (green).

Tuesday was “Talk about it Tuesday,” and we twinned with a friend or a group to start a conversation on how to have a conversation with our friends.

We asked the question, “What would you say to a friend who is struggling?” Wednesday was Wellness Wednesday,

and everyone shared a hobby, workout, talent, or wellness practice that helps them manage their mental health during quarantine. On Thursday we shared advocates that meant a lot to us for Mental Health Heroes Day, and Friday was Feel the Feels Friday where we dressed as emojis to talk about the big emotions we often get overwhelmed with.

Overall the theme for the week, and ultimately the month, was to start a national conversation through social media on the topic of mental health. It was incredible to be a part of a movement that shared the message of togetherness because I am constantly saying to anyone who struggles with mental illness, “You are not alone.”

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ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH DURING COVID-19 SOCIAL MEDIA

It has been difficult being online even more than we already were before the pandemic happened, because social media does take a toll on one’s thoughts and emotions. It has been necessary to address our own needs, and sometimes that does mean stepping away from the screen and doing something for ourselves.

Nobody can pour from an empty cup, and mental health advocates are not exempt from that. Having our lives turned upside down and routines completely thrown away has put an emphasis on self-care;

we have to continue listening to our bodies’ needs.

That being said, we have seen a significant shift online towards self-care and mindfulness as people start to realize the impact of mental health on daily life. We are seeing this especially now that more people are losing jobs, working or schooling from home, and trying to maintain social distancing requirements. Online platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter have become essential to sharing mindfulness information and healthy coping mechanisms.

Mental Health professionals, volunteers, and advocates are continuously adapting programming and generating larger amounts of useful/free online content.

Peer-to-peer and experiencebased advocacy has always been about sharing our story, starting a conversation, and sharing information, but now we are opening up platforms to answer questions and provide help where we can.

According to Healthline and YouGov data, Americans are reporting significant and sustained increases in symptoms of depression and anxiety during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

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“Unfortunately, the entire population is finally starting to see and experience symptoms of common mental health disorders the longer the pandemic continues, but as advocates armed with tips and tricks, we are glad to be able to share our knowledge with others who need it.� ...

be able to share our knowledge with others who need it.

Daily life looks a lot more like a fine balance between boundaries and fine-tuned mental health practices, online education and resource sharing, and actual guidance for friends and family who are reaching out.

As advocates within the Miss America Organization, we have been able to connect and communicate with candidates from across the nation to coordinate our efforts online.

Through a nation-wide GroupMe of individuals with mental health-related social impact initiatives, we’ve been able to field discussions, plan campaigns, and share our stories with likeminded individuals who share our passion. Having a community to come together with and share a common cause at a time like this is critical even for advocates.

Mental health will always be a hard topic to discuss. It is personal.

Sharing your story and letting people in on the journey has to have boundaries, and it is crucial to have a team behind you with unyielding support: that is what our MAO community has become.

COMMUNITY

DAILY LIFE

For many advocates with lived mental health disorder experiences, we have known this way of life before it was globalized.

COVID-19 has altered daily existence for an entire population, and the symptomology looks eerily familiar to us: isolation, excessive worry, nagging fear over what is next, even fluctuating energy and motivation levels.

The truth is, we have had decades of practice, research, and coping mechanisms built up to deal with this specific kind of stress, and we are finally seeing an opportunity to share what we know. Unfortunately, the entire population is finally starting to see and experience symptoms of common mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression the longer the pandemic continues, but as advocates armed with tips and tricks, we are glad to

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We have an opportunity to work through society’s fear of mental illness to rebuild communities with a greater appreciation for our health and our happiness.

GOING FORWARD Social media has always been an important tool that we utilized as titleholders to share our social impact initiatives, but it has seemed during quarantine more people are turning to social media to share how they are feeling and handling the pandemic. Being open on social media about one’s mental health and their struggles normalizes talking about these hard topics while showing others they are not alone in what they are feeling. It would be a much needed change for these open conversations to continue after the pandemic, and will go a long way in ending the stigma that surrounds mental illness.

As advocates our next steps will be building on the momentum that we have generated online to start creating lasting changes within our communities.

Going back to school with conversation starters on dealing with the mental health fallout will be important. Sharing and allocating resources for those out of work and staying home for economic reasons will be invaluable. Advocating for 122 | THE REIGN

continued telehealth and in-person social care within communities will be vital to rebuilding communities, and mental health advocates will be on the front lines.

We have an opportunity to work through society’s fear of mental illness to rebuild communities with a greater appreciation for our health and our happiness.

We are inspired by those who have had the strength to share their stories and what has been happening in their head because it is not easy to do. Much of what we are seeing is people commenting that they have been feeling the same way and finally understand what they are going through.

Remembering these feelings will be paramount to sharing in the future because people now relate, and this serves as a great reminder of the impact stories can have in our lives.

Going forward we will continue encouraging, empowering, and inspiring others to share their stories, because if this pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that we are not alone, and we are stronger together.

ABOUT ALEX Alex Andrews is a graduate of Baylor University and the reigning Miss Fort Worth. She has been in recovery from anxiety and depression for four years and works with NAMI North Texas to advocate on behalf of her social impact initiative: Mental Health Education, Advocacy, and Action. Alex will be competing for the title of Miss Texas in June 2021.

ABOUT JENNA Jenna Martorana is a graduate student at Kutztown University where she is pursuing a master’s degree to become a school counselor. She represents Pennsylvania as Miss Liberty Bell.

As someone with depression, anxiety and body dysmorphia, she knows how harmful the effects of stigma surrounding mental health conditions is. She advocates for her social impact initiative, #CureStigma, by sharing her story and partnering with local chapters of the National Alliance of Mental Illness.

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COVID-19 & INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

FACING COVID-19 Colleges are at the forefront of COVID-19.

Public discourse, however, often overlooks the pandemic’s impact on international students.

BY CORA DROZD 124 | THE REIGN

UK USA

The Millennium Bridge leads pedestrians across the River Thames to St. Paul’s Cathedral.

I

n London, there is a residential sanctuary in the heart of the city, situated in a leafy green square, called Goodenough College, where I call home. One might be skeptical given its name, but it’s a rich intellectual environment of international postgraduate students belonging to different universities in London. Queen Elizabeth II is a patron of the College, and it boasts of connections to London’s business and political elites.

I’ve shared meals with judges at the Old Bailey, the famous

criminal courthouse, as they were adorned in their traditional robes and wigs.

I’ve participated in port talks (literally, listening to talks while drinking a glass of port, an English dessert wine) with advisors to some of Britain’s past prime ministers. It’s a larger-than-life environment; fruitful for understanding the past and present, where national identities and politics seem to color our discussions.

In spite of the pomp and circumstance, the College is embodied for the most part by

its nearly 700 graduate and PhD students hailing from some 80 countries, most of whom are supported by scholarships. The majority are in London doing one-year master’s programs.

Within six months of living in this community, you’ve made some of your best friends in these people, having weathered a few exam periods, celebrated holidays together, laughed plenty, and cried some. I will always remember this as the year I got to walk through life with a Pakistani researching Nutrition for Global Health, an THE REIGN | 125

Muzna waited for three and a half months for the sole airport in Beirut, Lebanon to open so that she could be reunited with her family.

Weeks later, she’d experience the explosion that would devastate her city.

Indian studying Zoroastrianism, a Mexican studying Comparative Literature, and a South African researching the Control of Infectious Diseases, to name a few.

Musicians play at the official Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

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Ironically, just six-months into our master’s programs, an infectious disease controlled us.

By March 18, we were learning how to mute ourselves through Zoom classes. By March 23, all universities had closed their campuses and assumed virtual learning. This wouldn’t be too disruptive, as we were near the end of Lent term—the last of our coursework before we would begin working on our dissertations. The decision was made instantaneously by all the universities that our Summer term exams would take place online, which meant that we had no reason to convene in person again. Most goodbyes among classmates were left unsaid.

The UK government advised

Cora Drozd visits the Tower of London, current home of the Crown Jewels, with Tower Bridge in the distance.

international students to return home. But many postgraduate students uproot their lives—and in some cases their families—to make London home. For some whose home was in another country, the choice of returning was not an option, whether because of the expense or the risk of infecting an immunecompromised loved one upon return. So, the decision was ours whether to leave or to stay, but for many, this wasn’t really a choice.

What further prohibited our “choice” was the uncertainty of the longevity of the virus.

We understood this was a pandemic, but we didn’t know what that meant. Will life be back to normal in three months?

If I leave now, can I come back?

Will they revoke my student visa if I leave? An impending lockdown intimated many into leaving. My friends and I had what felt like secret meetings in each other’s rooms, where we’d walk through every scenario

(after watching an episode of Love is Blind to numb ourselves for just a moment). Do I leave my belongings? Where will I leave them? Can I afford to keep paying rent? Do I pack up quickly and anticipate never seeing these people again? The one absolute that my three closest friends and I settled on was that if we left, we’d make a commitment to come back before our programs ended in September.

Rumors of shutting down borders brought waves of panic.

Which countries would close their borders? How long would the borders stay closed? If I leave, do I get out now before the borders close? Will my own country let me back in tomorrow? This was the fear that drove my parents and I to decide I should come home. The decision was made on a Friday night that I’d leave on the first flight Saturday, so my friends helped me pack up my room in the middle of the night. I passed

my belongings onto friends “to hold onto until I returned”—if not to feel as though I had some currency still in the UK. I intentionally waited for U.S. customs to sort out the mess that kept passengers waiting in crowded airports. I landed in Dallas on March 21, where my parents picked me up and drove me five-hours to our home in West Texas. I knew I was lucky to have this stability during a precarious time, but I couldn’t help feeling angry for the hopelessness of the situation.

Universities in London are known for their cosmopolitan makeup.

Among my international peers, I would estimate that 60 percent went back to their home countries and 40 percent stayed. For those who stayed at my College, the lockdown was very difficult.

We went from sharing every meal together, participating in evening sports together, taking late nights in the library, to complete isolation. Stripped of this shared lifestyle with nowhere to retreat to, it was lonely, spent day and night in an 8’ by 10’ dorm room. I worried a lot about my friends who stayed.

For my friend Ian, a photographer and art student, his artistic genius came to life.

For my friend Muzna, she spent her days waiting for the sole airport in Lebanon to open up again so she could return home.

It would be three and a half THE REIGN | 127

months before that would happen and she would be reunited with her family in Beirut, where weeks later, she’d experience the explosion that would devastate her city.

People like Ian and Muzna are the reason I set out on this year. Muzna is Pakistani-born and lived in eleven different countries growing up. On paper, our lives seem so different.

But she speaks through memes, soaked up dance floors, loves people, and spent a night in the ER with me when I broke my wrist playing soccer late one night. Janke, my close South African friend, was unable to do her fieldwork on HIV because of the pandemic, but I have no doubt she’ll prevent the next pandemic.

All thanks to technology, we didn’t skip a beat when we parted ways. A friend at the College hosted biweekly trivia for all of us dispersed throughout the world to come together through Zoom. When we weren’t playing virtual pub trivia, we were studying together via Zoom calls. It was these virtual study sessions—along with my mother’s cooking, daily walks with my dad, and my cat—that got me through those three months.

LSE was well-equipped to transition to online learning, as they make use of the digital learning platform, Moodle. Professors were sensitive to the time differences—I received recognition when I showed up for my Terrorism and the Rule of Law seminars from 3am - 5am in Texas. When it came time to taking exams, we had a 24-hour window to complete them. I made use of at least 20 of those hours on each of my exams. After a grueling few months of waking up and walking 128 | THE REIGN

I came here to understand America from outside America.

In a way, it’s the best form of civic education to discuss comparative political systems and climates among an international cohort. ... to my dining room table to sit down and work, I finished the ‘taught’ component of my master’s in June, feeling compelled to go back to London.

Muzna, Ian, and others were still at the College. Janke and I felt similar determination to return and finish the year we started. We agreed that even if life didn’t resume as normal, we’d be happy being together, writing our dissertations in London parks. But the strict lockdown from March until June actually meant that the virus in Central London was relatively contained by the time I arrived at the beginning of July. After brief questioning at the airport, my student visa proved my ticket back into the country.

My first two weeks were spent

in government-mandated (and College-enforced) quarantine in my room. By this point, I knew that conquering isolation meant putting mind over matter. I was lucky enough to have Muzna make deliveries of food and flowers. She finally was able to return to Lebanon on my last day of quarantine. Janke would return to London a day later, and I would care for her as Muzna cared for me during those two weeks in isolation. There was the shared feeling that our coming and going symbolized a full life cycle.

There’s no doubt that we’ve shared in each other’s pain and happiness this year, making tearful goodbyes and excited hello-agains.

I came here, in large part, to understand America from outside America. In a way, it’s the best form of civic education to discuss comparative political systems and climates among an international cohort. America does capture the imagination and attention of those around the world—for better or for worse.

While I’m afraid this may be reductionist, my best explanation of the differences in COVID-19 attitudes between the U.S. and the UK is that of genuine cultural disparities. The U.S. is more of a liberal democracy, favoring individual freedoms, whereas the UK is more of a social democracy, understanding freedom as being something held in common. I think the latter’s attitudes were more conducive to getting through a pandemic, where people complied with the lockdown and have cooperated with recommended

guidelines. The lockdown, which my friends described as apocalypselike, seems draconian to an American like myself, but it was more or less effective in containing the virus. Businesses are opening slowly but surely.

Masks are required on the tube and bus systems, although you’ll find the occasional dissident without a mask.

I’m indeed spending lots of time in London parks, working daily on my dissertation, and I see this time as a privilege, having gotten back the days I thought I had lost. As I mentioned that most of us who are lucky enough to study in London

receive scholarships for our studies, I owe much appreciation to my local Rotary club in West Texas, which helped me secure funding through a Rotary Global Grant.

Nearly a decade ago when I was competing as a teen in the Miss America Program, I used the Rotary four-way test in my platform: Of the things we think, say or do: 1.) Is it the truth? 2.) Is it fair to all concerned? 3.)

Will it build goodwill and better friendships? and 4.)

Will it be beneficial to all concerned? How loudly these considerations ring during a pandemic, where the risks are shared but so are the solutions.

“How loudly these considerations ring during a pandemic, where the risks are shared but so are the solutions.” ...

Cora Drozd graduated from Texas A&M University with a BA in Philosophy. As a Rotary Scholar for Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention, she is completing an MSc at the London School of Economics, where she researches privacy and data rights. She previously worked as a paralegal at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Dallas and plans to return to Dallas this Fall.

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JOIN THE REIGN To our readers, thank you for reading the premier edition of the Reign! To our writers, thank you for making this possible.To our interviewees, thank you for sharing your time and lived experiences.

The Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization, an official preliminary to the Miss Texas Competition, launched the Reign in Fall 2019 as a newsletter to keep our supporters and community involved in our outreach efforts. In January 2020, our internal team began discussing how to reconceptualize the magazine to feature the work of the Miss America community at-large. With the spread of COVID-19, the

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Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization began developing the Reign as a magazine focused on the four points of the crown— Style, Service, Scholarship, and Success.

The purpose of this magazine is to provide titleholders, formers, and volunteers a platform to not only spotlight their advocacy but to engage in dialogue about critical issues that connect our communities. To serve this purpose, our goal

is to include voices from across the nation.

We are incredibly grateful to those who contributed to this edition of the Reign.

Without your help, this would not have been possible.

Are you a current titleholder, former, or volunteer interested in being featured in Reign? Are you interested in spotlighting the work of your community leaders? We are seeking collaborators for the next edition of the magazine willing to spotlight their social impact initiatives and advocacy efforts. If you have an idea for a feature story, we would love to hear it!

For additional information or other inquiries, please email DaNae Couch Lowe at DaNae@MissSouthlake.Org.

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