Interview with Miss Cambridge

ABOUT SAMANTHA HAWKINS

Current/Previous Titles: Miss Cambridge 2015 (MA); Miss Appalachia 2013 (MD) – Miss MD 1st RU/Miss MD Sweetheart 2013; Miss Free State 2012 (MD)

Platform(s): Alleviating the Effects of Poverty through Volunteering

Education: Harvard University PhD Student in Sociocultural Anthropology; B.A. Cultural Anthropology, B.A. Interdisciplinary Studies – Visual Research Methodology, Minor: Art History, University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Career: Harvard University PhD Researcher and Teaching Fellow

THE INTERVIEW

Q: Have you received negative comments at any point in your pageant career? What were some of those comments?

A: Of course! My grandmother was one of the fiercest opponents of pageantry. After the first year I competed, she said “Now that you’ve had that experience, you should be done. It says in the Bible that vanity is a sin.” It was so frustrating to hear my own grandmother disregard pageantry because she thought it was solely a competition of physical beauty. For me, pageantry was a way to get involved in my community, to make friends, have a reason to perform piano again, and develop my self-confidence. Regardless of what she thought, I kept competing but I kept her reminder of vanity close to me. I made sure to focus any recognition I received as a titleholder towards encouraging volunteerism, and sharing with others the opportunities for scholarship and personal growth within the Miss America Organization. Prior to becoming involved in pageantry, I didn’t engage in any consistent volunteer work. After receiving my first title, I began volunteering weekly at a community center in Baltimore City to help underprivileged children and families. I started the Food Resource Program to provide a monthly free bag of groceries to low-income families. When I shared stories of my volunteer work with my grandmother, she was thrilled. I also told her that my inspiration for volunteering came from pageantry. Her opinion of the program has since changed, especially now that she realizes how multi-dimensional the pageant truly is and what a fantastic impact it has had both on my life and the lives of others.

Q: Do you think there is a negative stereotype associated with pageantry? What do you think causes these stereotypes to exist?

A: Unfortunately there are more negative stereotypes associated with pageantry than there are positive ones. In fact, I can’t think of a positive pageant stereotype. All stereotypes—regardless of their relationship to pageantry—are generalizations that we make about groups of people based on our experiences, the media, and what we hear from other people. One of the most infamous stereotypes about pageant girls: They’re dumb. Why do we think that? Remember the video of Miss South Carolina 2007 Teen USA’s flubbed on stage question? You probably don’t even need to look it up because it went viral—every media outlet showed clips of it and today it has nearly 62 MILLION views on YouTube. Although the gaffe was a mere 30 seconds long, its impact on the world’s perception of pageantry has been interminable. Unfortunately this isn’t the only instance of pageant titleholders making the press for a negative reason. So long as the public’s sole exposure to pageantry is the mistakes made by a handful of young women competing, why should we expect their opinions of pageantry to be higher? There needs to be more media coverage of the numerous positive things done by titleholders and the impact that pageantry can have on young women and their communities.

Q: What benefits do you think pageants offer to contestants? What skills can someone obtain by competing in a pageant?

A: The most easily quantifiable benefit of pageantry (particularly in the Miss America Organization) is scholarship. Miss America is the largest provider of scholarships to young women—that, in itself, is a huge benefit. But the program offers you more than money to fund your education, it gives you the skills to excel in your future. The Miss America Organization provides opportunities for women to get involved in service, to practice public speaking and interview skills, to perform on a stage in front of her peers. For me, it has provided all of these as well as motivation to become physically fit, a sense of worldliness, and a strong group of role models and friends which I found in my fellow contestants and the program’s volunteers.

Q: How have the skills you obtained in pageants helped you outside of pageantry? What type of situations were you able to utilize these skills?

A: When I was 19 years old, I interviewed to work as an intern in the Image Collection of the National Geographic Society. It had been my dream since early high school to intern there. I remember walking into the interview knowing that I had nothing to worry about—after all, I had already had the toughest interview of my life at Miss Maryland that summer. There was nothing that the interviewer could ask that would rattle me and, as a bonus, I knew I wouldn’t be asked about politics or controversial social topics. The interview went smoothly and I was hired on the spot.

Q: What accomplishments have you acquired from pageantry?

A: One of the accomplishments that I am most proud of is the founding of the Food Resource Program at a community center in Baltimore City. After volunteering in a low-income community (located in one of the many food deserts in Baltimore) for two years, I realized that there was a need for residents to have access to healthy food. I partnered with food banks in the surrounding area to provide low-income families with a free monthly bag of groceries. Although I’ve since moved from Baltimore City, the program has continued and I’m looking forward to starting a branch of it in Boston!

Q: I see that you’re currently in school, what are you studying?

A: I’m a first-year PhD student at Harvard University in Sociocultural Anthropology. My dissertation research was actually inspired by the service work that I began as a local titleholder in the Miss America system. When I began volunteering with my platform in Baltimore City, I witnessed the abject poverty which consumed neighborhoods only fifteen minutes away from my home. Working with low-income families and seeing their struggle firsthand empowered me to want to make a change. Now, I’m conducting research on inner-city poverty and violence and looking for ways that anthropological work can be used to influence urban policy.

Q: What are your future career aspirations?

A: Once I’m finished my PhD I see myself working for a non-profit organization or research institute to improve the lives of marginalized populations in the United States. My goal as a researcher is to produce work that gives voice to populations who have historically been silenced, to listen to their needs, and to advocate for systemic change.  

Q: What would you tell someone who was interested in competing in a pageant?

A: Do it! There has never once been a moment where I have regretted being involved in pageants. It’s a great experience and there is so much to be gained by giving it a shot. I know I surprised myself by getting out on stage in a swimsuit, playing piano for the first time in six years, and answering tough interview questions—and once I did it, I was so proud of what I had accomplished. Pageantry can be incredibly rewarding but (as a new friend reminded me) you can’t win if you don’t play. And truly, everyone who participates in pageants wins in some regard, even if you don’t walk away with a crown (it’s cliché, I know!). You can earn scholarships, make friends, get involved in service, grow professionally and personally, or even cross an item off your bucket list. It’s a great experience. If you’re on the fence or have questions, feel free to reach out to me personally through my public Facebook page.

Q: How would you respond to negative comments/stereotypes about the pageant industry?

A: I tell pageant detractors to wait before they judge the girls who participate and to go experience pageantry for themselves. Go to a local pageant, talk to a titleholder, and keep an open mind! Pageants are empowering and beneficial, take the time to realize that for yourself and remember that the media’s portrayal of the negative side of pageantry is only one side of it.

Introducing #PageantryThinks! Join the movement, fight the stigma!

Good Day Friends & Acquaintances!

Have you ever witnessed someone make negative comments about the pageant industry? Perhaps you’ve actually experienced receiving such comments as a contestant. Fact of the matter is, in today’s society there is a misconception about girls who compete in pageants or the pageant industry in general. It’s time for that to change by showing society what pageantry is really all about.

THE HISTORY

My name is Andrea Kimberlin, and I am no stranger to the pageant world; I am both a beauty queen and an IT Professional. I have received several negative comments throughout my professional and pageant career, some of which have been shocking. To summarize the most common remarks: pageant girls aren’t smart and only get by on looks, and pageants parade women around to be judged. Major network series and the select few national pageants that are televised can also contribute to these negative perceptions if not properly explained. The audience only sees what producers decide to televise so they never get to witness the weeks, sometimes months, of preparation and preliminary competitions that contestants endure. These perceptions will never change unless we speak up and publicize the benefits of pageantry.

Recently, an opinion article was published in The Boston Globe titled “Are pageants really for thinking people?” which outlined many of the unpopular views of pageantry. Just taking my own experiences into consideration, I felt obligated to write a rebuttal to defend the dignity of my pageant sisters and myself. Thankfully, my counter argument was well received among the pageant community and many girls thanked me for my passion. The support and gratitude I received from my rebuttal lead me to create the idea for #PageantryThinks.

I am involved with several organizations that use hashtags to publicize their efforts and track their impact, some examples include: #sheplusplus, #GirlsWhoCode, #SoSheDid, and #OneOf15M. My thought process was, if organizations can use hashtags to increase their traffic and impact their trend, why can’t the pageantry industry use hashtags to improve its perception? From this, my idea had turned into a movement with a goal.

THE MOVEMENT

The mission of #PageantryThinks is to break down the stereotypes of pageantry by publicizing the accomplishments of women in the industry. Pageants require an incredible amount of ambition and dedication. Contestants often have the same devotion in all life endeavors with the added benefit of their experiences from competitions. The only way for society to see the benefits of pageants and the accomplishments of contestants, is if we publicize them.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Social media and the internet have become the most popular means of communication especially with the use of hashtags to track trending topics. So to get this movement started, for every accomplishment, achievement, event, anything significant that a pageant contestant or organization completes, include the hashtag #PageantryThinks when you post about it. You can even forward this email to people who would be interested. The misconceptions of pageantry affect all systems so I don’t want this to be restricted to any particular organization. EVERY pageant organization can join this movement so lets collaborate to make a difference, together we will have a greater impact on society.

VISION FOR THE FUTURE

Since this movement is new and in the beginning stages, I’m still thinking of ways to promote it’s goal and gain participants. Any ideas, input, or feedback you’re willing to provide would be greatly appreciated. At this time, the ideas I’ve come up with and am currently working on include:

improve website

customized graphics/branding

past/present/future contestant interviews (think of a showcase)

spotlight on title holder’s accomplishments

contact news outlets for publication

contact organizations and past/present title holders for support

campaigns

As an individual, I can only impact society so much; as a collaborative group, the possibilities are endless.

So please, join the #PageantryThinks movement and help me share the positives of pageantry with the world! Feel free to share this email with friends, family, colleagues, etc. If you have any questions, thoughts, ideas, or feedback I encourage you to contact me at [email protected].

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Best Regards,

Andrea Kimberlin, Founder

Ms. Louisville, KY 2015 - Ms. Corporate America Pageant

Miss Kentucky United States 2012

#PageantryThinks is Born

On February 12th 2015, an idea was made a reality. The idea was to change society about a stereotype. The idea was to raise awareness about the benefits the pageant industry has to offer.

I've had to defend my pageant hobby consistenly especially the past few years to people who are unaware of the good in pageantry. When reading an article titled "Are Pageants Really for Thinking People?" I had had enough. It was time to stand up and defend the dignity of my pageant sisters and myself.

Once I have an idea and the creative juices are flowing, the ADHD can kick in allowing me to hyperfocus and accomplish amazing things in a short period of time. Within 48 hours, www.pageantrythinks.com was live.

The idea is still very new, but essentially I want #PageantryThinks to become a full blown movement. I'd love to see every pageant organization collaborate to promote this platform and show the world what goes on behind the scenes at pageants and the skills they teach women.

We've got a long way to go, but it had to start somewhere!

In the meantime, if you  have any ideas, suggestions, questions, anything, please feel free to send an email and I will get back to you as soon as possible!

Andrea, Founder