>>
>> THAT
>> THAT IS IT. WE'LL SEND YOU BACK TO THE
PAGEANTRY OF GREAT DAY HOUSTON.
>>> HELLO, I'M MISS HOUSTON
TEEN 2019.
WHAT
WHAT MAKES SOMEONE ENTER A PAGEANT AND WHAT LESSONS DO
YOUNG LADIES VALUE LONG AFTER
HANDING OVER THE CROWN?
WE'LL ASK OUR GUESTS TODAY.
WELCOME THEM TO GREAT DAY
HOUSTON.
HOUSTON.
HOUSTON. GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU TWO.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A
JUDGE.
JUDGE.
JUDGE. THANKSFOR ASKING ME TO DO THAT.
I SAW A WHOLE DIFFERENT
CONTESTANT THAN I SAW 15 YEARS
AGO.
AGO.
AGO. HERE
AGO. HERE IN HOUSTON, WE SAUDI
VERSETY.
VERSETY.
VERSETY. >> UH-HUH.
>> UH-HUH. >> WHICH IS KEY FOR ME.
HOUSTON IS A MELTING POT OF
DIFFERENT CULTURES AND
ETHNICITIES.
ETHNICITIES. I WANTED TO SHOWCASE THAT.
>> GROWING UP WATCHING PAGEANTS
IF YOU WATCHED MISS TEXAS OR
MISS CALIFORNIA THEY WERE
ALWAYS BLOND AND BLUE.
>> WHEN I COMPETED, I WAS THE
SECOND AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO WIN
MISS TEXAS USA.
HASN'T BEEN ONE SINCE.
WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THAT.
>> JUST BECAUSE WE WANT EVERY
YOUNG LADY TO HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, PAGEANTS HAVE
TAKEN A HIT OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL YEARS.
SEVERAL YEARS. TELL ME WHY YOU DECIDED TO
ENTER THE PAGEANT.
DEFEND THE CROWN.
>> ALWAYS BEEN A DREAM OF MINE.
I'M VERY HONORED AND THANKFUL
TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
BEAUTY PAGEANTS BROUGHT ME OUT
OF MY SHELL.
THEY INSTILLED CONFIDENCE.
BRINGING IN MYSELF.
JUST SHOWED HOW STRONG I CAN BE
AS A WOMAN.
YOU'RE FIRST GENERATION
AMERICAN.
AMERICAN.
AMERICAN. >> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> WE SAW A LOT OF IMMIGRANTS
IN THE PAGEANT THIS TIME
AROUND.
AROUND.
AROUND. >> DEFINITELY.
>> DEFINITELY. UH-HUH.
UH-HUH.
UH-HUH. MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS.
MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS. A LOT OF THE STUFF THEY SAID
WAS LOOK, OUR PARENTS GOT US TO
THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE OF
EDUCATION.
EDUCATION. IT'S NOT FREE AROUND THE WORLD.
ANYWHERE WE CAN FIND A
SCHOLARSHIP DOLLAR WE'RE GOING
TO FIND IT.
IF I'M SLAPPING ON A BIKINI I'M
GOING TO GET A SCHOLARSHIP
DOLLAR.
DOLLAR.
DOLLAR. WHAT ABOUT FOR YOU?
>> FOR ME WAS MORE OF A SELF-
CONFIDENCE THING.
CONFIDENCE THING. GROWING UP I WAS NEVER
COMPLETELY CONFIDENCE IN
MYSELF.
MYSELF.
MYSELF. LAST YEAR I WAS FORTUNATE
ENOUGH TO GO WITNESS MISS
HOUSTON AND ALSO MISS TEXAS AS
WELL.
WELL.
WELL. THAT WAS A DOOR OPENING
OPPORTUNITY FOR ME.
IT WAS SO MUCH MORE THAN PEOPLE
HAVE GIVEN IT CREDIT FOR I
WOULD SAY.
WOULD SAY. IT WAS DEEPER THAN SKIN BEAUTY.
>> WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO
COMPETE?
COMPETE?
COMPETE? >> WE WERE IN THE FOOD COURT.
I THINK YOU SHOULD COMPETE IN
PAGEANTS.
PAGEANTS.
PAGEANTS. I DON'T THINK SO.
I SAID YOU KNOW WHAT, OKAY.
LET ME GIVE IT A SHOT.
I DID AND COMPETED IN MISS
HOUSTON.
HOUSTON.
HOUSTON. I COMPETED FOR FIVE YEARS AND
NEVER WON IT.
>> BUT IT TEACHES YOU LESSONS.
>> EXACTLY.
>> EXACTLY. I KEPT ON.
I WENT ON, HAD A JOURNEY FOR
FIVE YEARS.
FIVE YEARS. AVENUE MY LAST YEAR OF
ELIGIBILITY I WON.
>> BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE.
YOU WENT ON REPRESENTING TEXAS
IN THE MISS USA PAGEANT.
>> YES, I DID.
ONE THING THAT JOURNEY TOOK ME
THROUGH IS PATIENCE,
PERSISTENCE AND PERSEVERANCE.
THE THREE P'S I GO BY.
I WENT ON TO MISS USA AND WON.
>> BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE.
THEN YOU WENT ON TO MISS
UNIVERSE.
UNIVERSE.
UNIVERSE. >> I DID.
>> I DID.
>> I DID. I WAS IN THE TOP TEN.
GIVING OUT AN EVENING GOWN.
AND I FALL.
>> YOU FELL.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT WAS THE
MOST GRACEFUL GETTING BACK UP
I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.
YOU FELL, BUT IN THAT MOMENT
AFTER WORKING SO HARD WHAT WAS
GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND?
>> YOU KNOW WHAT, I DIDN'T WANT
TO DISAPPOINT THE PEOPLE THAT
SUPPORTED ME THROUGHOUT ALL THE
YEARS.
YEARS.
YEARS. IT
YEARS. IT WAS A TRUE TESTAMENT OF MY
CHARACTER.
CHARACTER. YOU CAN SIT DOWN AND CRY OR GET
UP WITH GRACE AND SHOW PEOPLE
WHAT YOU'RE REALLY WORTH.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. YEAH.
YEAH.
YEAH. ALL
YEAH. ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. SOME OF THE OTHER GIRLS WE SAW.
A COUPLE OF THEM WE FOUND OUT
HAD BEEN IN HOMELESS SHELTERS.
I'M BREAKING THE CYCLE AND MY
MOM IS LIKE YOU GO.
AND THE CONFIDENCE THING.
YES, I'M COMING FROM A HOMELESS
SHELTER.
SHELTER.
SHELTER. OR WE HAD ONE GIRL WHO HAD BEEN
SHOT.
SHOT.
SHOT. >>
SHOT. >> ONE GIRL THAT HAD CANCER AND
COULDN'T WALK ANY MORE.
THERE WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT
STORIES.
STORIES.
STORIES. THE AUDIENCE DON'T GET TO SEE,
TO BE HONEST.
THEY JUST SEE THE GIRLS IN
THEIR FITNESS OUTFIT AND DOING
THEIR INTERVIEW.
THEIR INTERVIEW. THEY HAVE NO IDEA THE JOURNEY.
QUESTION HAVE TO CHANGE THAT.
>> GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR
JOURNEY, BLAINE.
JOURNEY, BLAINE. >> SO THIS IS MY THIRD TIME TO
COMPETE.
COMPETE.
COMPETE. PREVIOUSLY FIRST RUNNER UP AND
SECOND RUNNER UP.
>> THIRD TIME'S A CHARM.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. IT JUST GOES TO SHOW ABOUT
PERSEVERANCE AND NEVER GIVING
UP AND ALWAYS BELIEVE IN
YOURSELF.
YOURSELF.
YOURSELF. YOU CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING.
>> HOW YOU GREW UP AND WHAT IN
YOUR FAMILY TREE IF YOU WILL
MADE YOU WANT TO DO IT.
>> IT WAS JUST SOMETHING I
WATCHED THE PAGEANT ON TV AND
JUST BECAME PASSIONATE ABOUT
IT.
IT.
IT. I
IT. I CAME FROM A VERY SMALL TOWN.
VERY SMALL BEACH TOWN.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WHERE I GREW UP
DIDN'T REALLY ASPIRE TO DO
PAGEANTS OR.
PAGEANTS OR. >> OR TO LEAVE TOWN.
OR TO HIGHER EDUCATION EVEN.
>> IT WAS A BIG RISK.
JUST GOAL I HAD TO DO THAT.
WANTED TO SHOW I COULD.
>> THAT CONFIDENCE IS KEY.
WITH CONFIDENCE YOU CAN DO
ANYTHING.
ANYTHING.
ANYTHING. IF YOU CAN'T REACH THE MOON
YOU'LL LAND IN THE STARS.
DEFINITELY SOMETHING I LEARNED
COMPETING IN MISS HOUSTON.
I'M MORE THAN EXCITED TO GO TO
THIS TEXAS TEAM TEEN.
I DID TRY OUT AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF HOUSTON FOR CHEERLEAD
LEADING.
LEADING.
LEADING. >> NOW THE BEHIND THE SCENES
STUFF.
STUFF.
STUFF. WHEN YOU SHOW UP, YOU WIN YOUR
STATE TITLE OR YOU WIN YOUR
CITY TITLE.
CITY TITLE. YOU GO ON TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
EVERY GIRL THERE HAS GOT SOME
OF WHAT YOU GOT; RIGHT?
ARE Y'ALL GIVING SIDE EYE OR
DOES IT BECOME A SISTERHOOD?
A LOT OF TIMES WHAT I'VE SEEN
BACKSTAGE IS THEY'RE ALL
SUPPORTING EACH OTHER.
IT'S NOT THE STUFF PEOPLE
CLAIM.
CLAIM.
CLAIM. >>
CLAIM. >> I THINK MAYBE PAST MAYBE
WERE SOME RIFFRAFF.
NOW ASOMEDAYS, I HAVE
ACTIVITIES WITH THE GIRLS
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR THE
CONTESTANTS SO THEY CAN GAIN
THAT SISTERHOOD AND GET TO KNOW
EACH OTHER.
EACH OTHER. >> THIS HAS COME FULL CIRCLE
FOR YOU.
FOR YOU.
FOR YOU. YOU HAVE A SCHOOL THAT TEACHES
GIRL HOW TO ACT LIKE A PAGEANT
QUEEN.
QUEEN.
QUEEN. YOU ALSO COACH THOSE WHO ARE
IN.
IN.
IN. TELL
IN. TELL US ABOUT WHAT.
>> MISS ACADEMY STARTED AS A
MODERN DAY FINISHING SCHOOL.
I DO PAGEANT TRAINING, THEY
LEARN COMMUNICATION SKILLS,
THEY VOLUNTEER, THEY DO
PERSONAL BRANDING.
PERSONAL BRANDING. >> HOW TO PRESENT THEMSELVES.
>> MAKEUP, HAIR, WARDROBE.
IT'S IN IT A FUN, TRENDY
ENVIRONMENT.
ENVIRONMENT. I'M STILL TEACHING THEM
TRADITIONAL VALUES.
TRADITIONAL VALUES. >> WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER,
IT'S INTERESTING HOW PEOPLE
WILL SLAM PAGEANTS IN SOME
WAYS.
WAYS.
WAYS. WE
WAYS. WE DON'T SLAM THE YOUNG BOY WHO
WANTS TO PLAY FOOTBALL.
EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT NOT EVER
MAKE IT TO THE NFL.
WE SAY THERE'S VANNINGS TO
PLAYING IN A TEAM SPORT.
>> I KNOW WHAT PAGEANTS DID FOR
ME.
ME.
ME. IT
ME. IT CHAGED MY LIFE.
GOD, MY FAMILY AND PAGEANTS
THAT MADE ME INTO WHO I AM
TODAY.
TODAY.
TODAY. AND THE SUCCESS, IT'S ABOUT
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT. THESE YOUNG LADIES KNOW HOW TO
BE PHYSICALLY FIT, STYLISH AND
COMMAND A BOARD ROOM.
>> THERE YOU ARE.
SO, AND IT DOES TAKE
DISCIPLINE.
DISCIPLINE. WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING YOU
ATE AFTER YOU GOT YOUR CROWN?
>> I HAD ICE CREAM.
>> WHAT'D YOU HAVE?
>> I HAD A LARGE BOWL OF QUESO
AND A HUGE DR. PEPPER.
>> A LITTLE TEXAS MOMENT.
SO YOU WERE GOING ON TO WHAT
NEXT?
NEXT?
NEXT? >>
NEXT? >> MISS TEXAS USA WHICH IS
LABOR DAY WEEKEND.
>> JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
>> ES.
>> ES.
>> ES. >>
>> ES. >> WE WISH YOU BEST OF LUCK.
>> NOT TILL THANKSGIVING AGAIN.
GOT A WHILE.
>> FOR THOSE YOUNG LADIES WHO
AREN'T INTO THE PAGEANT PART
BUT WANT TO DEAL WITH WHAT YOU
SAY FINISHING SCHOOL.
SOMETHING WE USED TO HAVE.
TELL US MORE ABOUT WHAT YOUR
SCHOOL OFFERS.
SCHOOL OFFERS. >> THE AGES FOR THE SCHOOL IS
MISS ACADEMY.
MISS ACADEMY. MISSACADEMY.COM.
MISSACADEMY.COM. AGES ARE 13 TO 27 YEAR OLDS.
>> STEPPING OUT OF COLLEGE YOU
DON'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE AN
INTERVIEW.
INTERVIEW. >> IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT PHYSICAL
BEAUTY.
BEAUTY.
BEAUTY. THE GIRLS DO DIFFERENT
ACTIVITIES.
ACTIVITIES. THEY VOLUNTEER.
THEY VOLUNTEER. >> THERE WERE A LOT OF PRETTY
GIRLS IN THE COMPETITION.
FOR HOW WE DEFINE WHAT PRETTY
IS.
IS.
IS. IT
IS. IT WAS HOW YOU PRESENTED
YOURSELF THAT MADE THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHO WON.
>> THIS IS A BEAUTY PAGEANT.
I CAN MAKE ANY GIRL PRETTY WITH
MAKEUP AND HAIR EXTENSIONS.
BUT WHAT ELSE DO YOU HAVE
THAT'S DIFFERENT?
THAT'S DIFFERENT? WHAT DEPTH?
WHAT DEPTH? WHAT TYPE OF PERSONALITY DO YOU
HAVE?
HAVE?
HAVE? THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
>> I'M GOING TO SEND MY SON.
YOU CAN FINISH HIM OFF.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BEST OF LUCK TO YOU.
GOOD LUCK TO BLAINE WHO
COMPETES FOR THE