2 minute read
glo Girl : Elayna Hasty
ELAYNA HASTY
By Dezaray Clawson | Photo by Meagan Gilbert Photography, Hair and make up by Ashley Urban Artistry
Miss Northeast Indiana Elayna Hasty is a superstar that dabbles in a little bit of everything, but her passion lies in caring for young girls in rough situations. From starting an anti-bullying nonprofit at the age of 9 to now working towards becoming a family law lawyer – protecting these girls has become central to her life.
When Hasty was in fourth grade, she responded to being bullied by turning it into positivity and posting anti-bullying quotes from celebrities on Facebook page called Girls Against Bullying Girls (G.A.B. Girls). At the time, she never expected it to grow much beyond that. Through a lot of support from family and friends, G.A.B. Girls had its first workshop in 2014 and was licensed as an LLC by 2016.
“The hardest part of growing G.A.B. was being underestimated because of how young I am,” Hasty said. “I was constantly being told by professionals not to be so serious and to learn to be a kid when I wanted to make a difference.”
When she was 15, a friend contacted her and suggested she enter the Miss America little sister program. That same year she won Miss Fort Wayne Outstanding Teen, a process that required a personal interview with 5 to 6 judges, a personal message on your social impact, a talent segment where Hasty sang Opera, and an evening gown segment. Hasty has kept competing since and currently holds the title of Miss Northeast Indiana and is in the running for Miss Indiana in June.
“I’m so proud to be representing this area of Indiana,” she said. “I’m proud of where I come from, and I’m so excited to compete to represent Indiana as a whole.”
Hasty is in her third year at Trine University as a prelaw major with a triple minor in communications, psychology, and criminology. While in school, she has remained active in contributing to G.A.B. Girls and with other nonprofits like the Humane Society. She also works part-time as a barista.
She says being so busy has helped her learn to be dedicated and stay balanced, and it has taught her a lot of life skills like time management. She also recognizes it’s important to give herself a chance to have fun too.
“When I have the time, I love to go out to the lake with my friends,” she said. “I love journaling and giving myself affirmations and manifesting my goals. Oh, and playing with my cat Charlotte, of course.”
When her time is done at Trine, Hasty’s dream law school is the McKinley School of Law at IUPUI. She wants to work in family law, freeing children from abusive home situations and defusing custody battles. a
