As a young girl I grew up watching the Miss America and Miss USA pageants on television every year. The contestants were absolutely beautiful with amazing bodies. I found it so amazing that they were able to compete at such a level along with representing their state in the process. Like with everything else that appears on tv, seeing a black woman was a rare sighting. So whenever any state had a Black Woman as its titleholder I always prayed extra hard that she would win. Seeing her win gives me hope and says loud and clear “HEY WE THINK BLACK WOMEN ARE JUST AS BEAUTIFUL AS ANY OTHER RACE”.
Miss America and Miss USA are the two biggest pageant systems in the United States. These are the only two pageants that are aired LIVE on national television besides the Miss Universe pageant. Miss America is a scholarship pageant that focuses heavily on a platform and also requires its contestants to perform a talent. Miss USA is more of a beauty/glam pageant that does not focus on platforms nor does it require its contestants to perform a talent. I like to say that Miss America is the girl next door and Miss USA is the girl that you wished lived next door.
I always wanted to compete in either of the two pageants and decided that the Miss USA system was better suited for me. While I was deployed to Bahrain late 2014 early 2015 I was talking it over with one of my Best Friends ( Erica) and decided to compete in the Miss Alabama USA 2016 pageant. I was deployed and stuck in the middle east so why not use the time to prep for the pageant.
Being that I was stuck in the Middle East and not actually home in America I had to be strategic about going about the pageant prep . I scheduled my head shot in in April which was the time I was back home in the states on a 2-week leave from the Army. The shoot was done in Dothan, Alabama at Studio EnVogue and the photos came out amazing .
I tried on a couple of dresses and did a few other things to prepare.
I also became heavily focused on improving my makeups kills because in the end this was a Beauty Pageant and I was severely lacking in that particular department.
In September of 2015, I redeployed and returned to El Paso, Texas where I hit the ground running. I found my evening gown dress at Ella Blu Boutique. It was a fabulous Sherri Hill design, therefore I knew I had made the right choice.
The big day finally came November 6, 2015, and I was more than excited. I drove down to Montgomery from Birmingham, got my face beat by the lovely Jayson Glenn, and headed to the Montgomery Performing Arts Theater to check in.
At the theater, I met by my extended mom/big sis Jessi who drove up from Pensacola Florida for the big event. She is literally one of my biggest supporters and I love her. She held me down while I was deployed making sure I never wanted for anything and made sure to be my biggest fan while competing and I truly appreciate her friendship, love, and support.
After registration, I spent the day with the lovely contestants at rehearsals and had a blast getting to know my competitors who eventually evolved into my Sister Queens. We all knew there would be only one crown and one winner yet we still had the fierce determination to chase the crown.
The competition started with us performing an opening number. It is not anything to complicated just a little two step. The 2016 theme was under the Tahitian sun, therefore all the ladies opening number attire was inspired by the island of Tahiti.
I kept it simple and rocked an island themed dress, I just did not have the energy to go all out for opening number when it was not being scored.
After the opening number and introductions, the competition kicked off. Preliminary swimsuit and evening gown took place on the first night of competition. I’m usually comfortable in my body but I was super nervous walking on to stage in a swimsuit. The reason being that if you know me personally you know I have been blessed with the “BLACK GIRL BOOTY” even as a distance runner in high school and college somehow I was able to put in mileage and maintain a round derriere. Do not ask me how that is possible. I’m going to contribute it to the little bit of sprinting that I did once or twice a week. So it’s time for swimsuit and all that is going through my head is that I hope the judges do not deduct points away because of my butt.
Physically I was not happy with where my body was, I was a long way from the collegiate track and field days. I was confident in what I brought to the table and that’s what matters the most.
After swimsuit we had the opportunity to slay the stage with our evening gown and I was so loving my Sherri HIll dress.
My sash would not let me be great
The next day we had our interview with the judges. Interview was round robin style. Each contestant got 2 minutes with 5 diferent judges for a total of 10 minutes on interview. I honestly felt as if interview was the best part of the entire competition. I was able to simply talk to the judges and be myself. I had put on my bio sheet that I was a lieutenant in the Army so most of the judges wanted to focus on that or the fact that I graduate from West Point.
The second night of competition started and once again we did the opening number, introductions, and the top 15 was announced. Sadly I did not make top 15 and it was not a great feeling being asked to leave the stage. Backstage in the dressing room was complete silence. Majority of the girls were trying to accept the fact that their dream of earning the right to wear the Miss Alabama USA crown was officially over with for this particular year. Other ladies had done pageants before and were able to accept not making the top 15. The competition continued on and the final two ladies were remaining. Eventually the runner-up just so happen to be Miss Alabama Teen 2011 and the winner was Miss Alabama Teen 2012.
In the end, the beautiful Peyton Brown was crowned Miss Alabama USA 2016.
Now you know that’s not all I have to say about competing. I realized and learned very quickly that there was a such thing as pageant politics. No I am not talking about the horrible political questions the ladies get asked during the onstage question, but instead I’m talking about the behind the scenes schemes of maneuvers that take place. Let’s just say everything that glitter is not golden and sometimes the production company has a certain look they are going for each year when a new queen is being crowned.
Overall although I did not place or win I did enjoy my experience and made some life long friends.
I was not to pleased that RPM production company would not provide the ladies who competed with their score sheet. I wanted to know how I did and what area I scored the lowest in so that I could work upon improving. That would have possibly motivated me to compete again this year instead of choosing to sit in the audience like I will be doing this year cheering on the ladies.
Overall I enjoyed my first pageant. I learned a lot about myself and will cherish the friendships made. I will definitely compete again in the future
Lastly, I would like to say good luck to the Fabulous Barron Rae Williams as she competes this weekend. I met Rae last year while competing and had a blast hanging with her, she kept me laughing. She has such a positive spirit and I love it. Bring home the crown girl, we have not had a melaninated queen in 20 years in ALABAMA (it is long overdue)
Remember To Always B e
Fierce and Fabulous
xoxo Lela Victoria
