A traveling queen: From Louisiana to Texas- Ms. Curvy USA 2013

I was looking for queens to interview for my blog and come across this lovely woman that I got the chance to meet in Texas in 2011 while competing for a different pageant system. I contacted her and asked her about her title and her pageant experience and asked her if she would liked to be a feature. I was inpressed with her community service with her charity and she is also the first queen to be featured from her pageant system.

1. What is your current title?

Ms. Curvy USA 2013

2. How did you feel when you were crowned?

It was an amazing experience, and do be surrounded by so many phenomenal women. I was also bittersweet because I competed against two of my close friends. 

3. Do you have a platform or charity?

 My platform was the North Texas Food Bank serving the needs of seniors,

4. How has being a title holder helped your charity/platform?

In the pageant system a lot of contestants use platforms such as AIDS awareness, Breast Cancer, and Juvenile Diabetes. While those are all are wonderful platforms, mine is one that goes unnoticed all the time which is starvation. Working with the North Texas Food Bank has educated me on the severity of the issue and how much we take for granted. Most think of starvation as those in 3^rd world countries, but there are people here in the state of Texas that are starving every day.

5. What do you hope to gain by your participation in pageants?

I gained a greater sense of self, and a lot of new women that I can call sisters. Coming from a family of only 2 kids, I wasn’t used to being around a lot of women and bonding.

6. Is you family/partner supportive through your journey?

I have been blessed with a family that supports all of my endeavors, big or small. In 2011, when I competed in my first pageant, I had family to come in from Baton Rouge, LA, Houston and Killeen TX. I always win with family.

7. How do you feel about title holders who pose nude, semi-nude?

I believe that all things can be done in a tasteful manner.

8. What titles have you held?

Ms. North Dallas County Triplex 2011

Texas Plus America Cover Girl 2012

Ms. Curvy USA 2013

9. Has competing in pageants helped you grow as a person? as a woman? mother? how so?

Competing in pageants made me realize that importance of family and having positive role models in your life. It also allotted me the opportunity to make others that look like me feel better about themselves.

10. Do you watch "Toddlers and Tiaras"? How do you feel about children in pageants?

I’ve seen the show a time or two and I believe that level of children pageantry is extreme. I think at that age, they should be learning about healthy competition and good sportsmanship. A lot of those mothers use the girls to live out some dreams they weren’t able to fulfill and a child. 

11. How do you feel about "pageant hopping", going from state to state within the same pageant system to compete?                 

 I feel that those that pageant hop don’t understand what pageantry is about and is competing for the right reason. Unfortunately, everyone is not meant to be a queen. 

12. What made you compete in your first pageant?

When I first heard about Miss Plus America, I still lived In Louisiana. I wanted to learn more about it but at the time I was in school and just didn’t have the time to put into it. After moving to Texas, the “pageant state”, a good friend of mine Andrea Sledge was directing her first pageant and talked to me about competing. At first I was apprehensive because I was over 30 and thought I was just trying to fulfill a childhood dream.  After talking to her and learning more about it, I was ready. I was blessed to compete and win my first title in 2011.

14. How long have you been competing? 

I began in 2011

15. What was your first title? 

Ms. North Dallas County Triplex