Why I'm competing for Miss Massachusetts USA

In less than a month, I'll be competing for Miss Massachusetts USA 2020. It's my second time competing, and I feel more prepared and ready than ever to get the crown.

This isn't my first time competing in a pageant. I competed for Miss Massachusetts USA 2017 and placed Top 15 - at my first ever pageant! Since then, I've had such an itch to get back into pageants and in March, I decided to take the plunge and commit to the pageant which takes place in January. I've been slowly telling my family and friends about my big goal and I've been getting a lot of questions on why I'm doing a pageant... questions like..."Why would you ever want to walk around in a bikini on stage?!" "Isn't that wrong in today's age?" "Shouldn't you be spending your money on something more important?!"

For me, the truth is that competing for Miss Massachusetts USA is so much more to me than a beauty pageant. 

For me, it's a natural next step as a former Celtics Dancer. While representing one of the largest, most well-known sports franchises in the WORLD, I learned how to act professionally around some of the biggest stars (um hello Steph Curry!!!), athletes and Boston figures and I learned how to command attention in a way that also commands respects. I learned to how dedicate myself to an organization and something so much bigger than myself and most importantly, I learned who I am.

To me, becoming Miss Massachusetts USA is a way to continue to positively impact my community beyond my reach as a Celtics Dancer, a fitness instructor and my current involvement with Read to a Child. I want to be a role model at community events. I hope to be that woman that girls get excited to see, and hug, and talk to because to them, Miss Massachusetts USA represents working hard and achieving all of your dreams. I want to advocate for Read to a Child, educate the community about the causes of low literacy rates in Boston, and tell stories about the impact my reading buddy Nichol has had in my life.

The last time I competed in Miss Massachusetts USA, it changed my life. I gained way more confidence than I had ever had, and had the confidence to chase after and achieve all the dreams I never thought I'd be able to. I worked hard with the pageant sponsors and my coach, Kaet, to achieve a look that suited me, and for the first time, I learned the importance of investing in your appearance and the confidence you can gain when you find your LOOK. I proved to myself that through hard work and dedication I could reach my fitness goals I had only dreamed of and I finally saw myself in a new light - one that my friends and family who love me had already seen. I proved to myself that I could successfully do something that scared me, and that the only way to succeed is to push fast fear with confidence. With my newfound confidence, I went out on a limb and tried out for the Patriots Cheerleaders (and failed) but didn't give up and tried out for the Celtics Dancers and made the team! Without pageantry, I would have never gone for it like I did and I can't wait to see where this year's pageant takes me.

For me, becoming Miss Massachusetts USA gives me the chance to become a true leader in Boston, one that I've always known I can be. I'm confident that with the leadership skills I've gained teaching fitness classes, coaching a college dance team and representing my company as a spokeswoman gives me an edge in this competition and that I have a real shot at becoming a leader and a role model in my community. 

This isn't the best blog I've written or the most grammatically correct one. But I hope that after reading this you too, will go for all your dreams. Life's too short not to chase after your dreams, no matter how big or small. You've got this!