Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome employ a special segment of The Quintessential Queen's podcast.
This is your Girl, Ria, Ray Harris, Yard Bro coming
to you from the Intellectual Radio Studios. How is everybody
doing tonight? Amazing? I'll bright Well, for those of you
that don't know, most of you should know by now,
(00:26):
but just in case, we have some new viewers and listeners.
I am not just the co host of this podcast.
I have a few other ventures, one being the national
director of Northern Region of a Beyond Beautiful World pageant.
We just had our fifth annual pageant November first was
the finals. Yay, and the ladies with me are some
(00:51):
of the reigning queens. They literally just got crowned a
few weekends ago.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
How are you doing good?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I'm good?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Everybody telling this?
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Yes, So, starting to my left, tell the audience your name,
your pageant title, where you're from, and a fun fact
about you that a lot of people don't know.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Hi.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
So my name is Seanda're right and I am your
Beyond Beautiful World twenty twenty six. Yes, yes, I am
from Chicago, Illinois. Fun fact about me is I absolutely
positively love Barbie.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Alright, alright, to my immediate right, tell them, your name,
your title, where you're from, and a fun fact about you.
Speaker 5 (01:46):
Hi, good evening, I am your beyond beautiful world, Miss
Sapphire twenty twenty six, Sonya Kennedy. I am from the
south side of actually Inglewood, and let's see a fun
fact about me. I am a huge bachi.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Player child for those of us in the cheap seats,
what is bachi?
Speaker 5 (02:11):
So? I like to think of bachi as a mix
between a pool without a poolstick or queue.
Speaker 6 (02:18):
As well as boland.
Speaker 5 (02:19):
So you have your balls which are located in the
sand and you're basically trying to knock your opponent or
block your opponent from scoring with the white ball.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
We're gonna have to go out and see show me
that one day because we already.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Have some other things we have to do on archery.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
But that's all right, come back to that and to
my further right, tell the audience your name, you're beyond
beautiful world, title, where you're from, and a fun fact
about you.
Speaker 7 (02:57):
So Chicago would be that I am a part of
Broken Arrols Writing Club.
Speaker 8 (03:04):
I have the writing for and you're but I enjoy
it in.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Awesome Now.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
You are naturally soft spoken, so I need you to
speak a little bit higher for us.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Okay, just a little bit.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
So, ladies, when people see you and know that you
are a beyond beautiful world reigning queen, tell me one
thing that you want them to think about when they
think about you as a title holder.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
Okay, So I'd love for you when you think about
me as a title holder, know that I'm hardworking, I'm compassionate.
I am very passionate about this role. This is not
just it wasn't just a pageant.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
It's not just a title. It is a really putting.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
In some work, and I am excited to get with
my fellow queen sisters and let's get it done. I mean,
we want to bring some awareness to the pageant. But
our advocacies are amazing. Each one of us have amazing advocacy,
and I think at some point when we pull them together,
we'll be able to do something really big together, uh,
(04:18):
to support each advocacy.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
So I'm really excited about that.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
All Right, I'm gonna skip around, go to ti Era next.
Speaker 8 (04:28):
Title. I would definitely also.
Speaker 7 (04:34):
Continue to do the community, but also set an example
for the future his dining Chicago.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yes, and Miss Sonia, Miss Sapphire.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Yes, definitely, I would love for UH people to see
and remember that you can be a girl g from Inglewood,
roseland Austin anywhere in the world, and you can still
aspire to go and become a beauty queen or to
(05:11):
compete and do your best and cultivate a sisterhood, cultivate friendships,
be an advocate for women, or whatever the cause may be,
and you don't have to limit yourself to just one thing.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Now, since you were just speaking, tell the audience what
first inspired you to become a Beyond Beautiful World pageant delegate?
Speaker 5 (05:35):
Well, for me, Beyond Beautiful World had a lot of
the components in terms of advocacy. I had always volunteered
or participated in some major causes and this platform, definitely,
advocacy was at the forefront. The philanthropy was there, and
so it naturally aligned with a lot of the work
(05:56):
that I was already doing.
Speaker 6 (05:57):
And so the pageantry was to me and added. But
I think when.
Speaker 5 (06:01):
You're advocating it also a form of pageantry too.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
MS Tierra, Well, for me, I definitely wanted to be
involved in this passion experience because.
Speaker 8 (06:13):
I saw a lot of skills that I.
Speaker 7 (06:15):
Could have strengthened, which I did ultimately, which was you know,
finding my voice, learning how to communicate, and then also
just finding my confidence, which.
Speaker 8 (06:24):
I'll also achieved during this experience. And yeah, I also
just knew that I.
Speaker 7 (06:31):
Would be a great fit to take the experience for
one cause, ign very passionate.
Speaker 8 (06:37):
So I just you know, was excited.
Speaker 7 (06:39):
To you know, experience all of the components of the
passion that we that we did, and I am grateful
that I you got a chance to participate.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Well, you didn't disparticipate. You won a title, so you
get a little bit more. That just showed up that
shit did so now, miss Chondra.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
So if I'm honest, I had seen the pageant multiple years,
I had not yet been in person, and.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
So last year I decided, Hey, you know.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
What, I am going to volunteer. And I was in
the hall, and every now and again.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
I piqued my head. Security kept saying you're supposed to
be at that table.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
I kept picking my head and peeking my head, and
I was just I want to see infatuated with the
idea of adult women finding this space and not being
ashamed to just grab it by the horns and go
for it. I was impressed that womanhood was what I saw.
I saw women authentically showing up for one another, and
(07:43):
it reminded me of a sisterhood that I've had for
over forty years, and I didn't think that that existed really,
you know what I'm saying, Past my sisterhood.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
But beyond beautiful world.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
And when I before I left that night, I told Pam,
I was like, I am doing this and she was
like what.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
I'm like, I'm doing this and She's like, are you serious?
Speaker 6 (08:01):
I was like yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
And shortly after the area came and was like, hey,
I heard you want to compete and I'm like absolutely.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
And after I said it, I thought about it. I
was like, what did I just do?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
What did that?
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Because it put me in a space where I had
to think about me and I'm not always I haven't
always been good at that. I always think about other
people first, but this time it meant I had to
walk this walk and talk this talk myself.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
It mean it meant I had to put myself first.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
And think about everything else kind of secondary to the
pageant because it was a lot of work and I
was up for the challenge. Although it was difficult because
I was still trying to scoot other people in that
space and I really didn't have the ability to put.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Me on the backburne at this time.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
And I was grateful because when people saw that I
was very serious about the pageant, they begin to support
and my family and my friends and you know, everybody
was just like, Okay, you're doing this one, and so yeah,
super excited.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Alright.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Well, one of the things that I think all of
you know about me is that I am pretty authentic
and my presentation and anything I will say. Every pageant
system and don't let people tell you anything otherwise, has
some really really high points, but they also have their challenges.
(09:26):
So what was one challenge that you faced during your
pageants season?
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Anybody feels free to start.
Speaker 8 (09:38):
Well, I can go, because I did find myself.
Speaker 7 (09:40):
Coming to where a few challenges. But one of the biggest.
Speaker 8 (09:44):
Challenges was to tap into my vulnerability.
Speaker 7 (09:48):
And although you know, I I can support other people
through vulnerable.
Speaker 8 (09:52):
Moments, it is quite difficult for me myself to open.
Speaker 9 (09:56):
Up in that way.
Speaker 8 (09:57):
And uh, just specifically.
Speaker 7 (09:59):
Speaking about the being exprising custimony, that was very challenging
to kind of tap into a time where I faced
some very tough and sensitive feelings and I did have
to allow myself to be exposed in front of my family,
friends and strangers. Even so, that was pretty tough, but
(10:21):
I did have to do a lot of work to
prepare for it. But I am very glad I did.
I was able to recognize the healing that I needed,
and I was also able to take that journey and
take the steps necessary to start, you know, repairing from
the inside out. And I did feel very liberated after,
you know, partaking in that category.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Let me take a brief moment here to explain the
mandatory and the optional areas of competition of the Beyond
Beautiful World pageant. So what Ms Diamond is speaking of
is one of our mandatory areas of competition, which is
the Feeling Rising Testimonial. This is a five minute conversation
(11:05):
I like to say about something each delegate has achieved, overcome,
or a combination of the two. And we tell you upfront,
you are going to impact the life of someone that
you may never see, somebody you will never know, because
part of the purpose is to show others how you
(11:27):
made it through, how you made it over and give
them that guiding light so that they can say I
can do it too. So that is one of our
mandatory areas of competition. The other three are the on
stage question and answer, where you pull a question out
of the box and you just answer it in thirty
seconds or less.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
You don't know which question you're going to get into
it pops out the box. Then you of course have.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Fun fashion where you show a nice, cute part of
your personality, something different than people's everyday opinion of you
on stage. And lastly the traditional evening gown which is
the culmination and the runway beauty mark.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
I mean that is it for everyone. Now.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Our optional areas of competition are Talent, which is self explanatory.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
The only restrictions.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Were and are no smoke, no fire, no glitter, no confetti,
and no live animals. Anything else we can negotiate, but
those are like hard nods. Then we have living my
Life Like It's Golden, where each delegate has the opportunity
to model in gold or yellow from head to toe,
(12:45):
and the Black Pearl Pitch competition, which is literally for
business novices business people that are people that women that
want to be in business for profit or not profit.
Or those that have been in for a lot a
little whild time wise to do a ten minute pitch
(13:07):
in front of a panel of judges for a separate
prize of recognition. So, but Tierra was specifically referring to
her Phoenix Rising testimonial, and I think you were not
the only person that felt that, because it takes a
lot of courage to get on stage and expose what
(13:28):
was a.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
In some cases traumatic time in life.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
But the beauty is, like you said at the end,
not only did you feel liberated, you motivated someone to
look at themselves and make a positive change. So that
I appreciate miss saying. And what were a couple of well,
just give me one of your challenges.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
And I think me and you discussed that I'm used
to being support as a clinical therapist. I'm always supporting
the clients that I see. I'm always up in that
role of you know, how do I provide space for
this person?
Speaker 6 (14:05):
I do it in my friendships, and so to have
to come out.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
From the support of space in the background and just
be that girl and operate in that space, I think
that was a little bit of a challenge, and we
kind of went back and forth about that, and I
think once I just said, you know what, I am
that girl, so it's okay, it was just like, yeah, okay.
(14:32):
But initially it was a constant reminder of, you know,
can I stay authentically me in this process and still
be able to step into another space and another role
that will still allow me to, you know, balance the two.
And I think that was my fear of, you know,
how do I balance this part of me and then
(14:54):
still be this part too well.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
When people have the ideology of what a quot unquote
traditional beauty pageant is, I understand that concern. But number one,
for those of you that don't know, they know now,
but this is not a beauty.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Pageant per se. Anyway.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
That's why the title is beyond beautiful, because we're looking
past the exterior beauty that all women have on some
level into the internal beauty and what they have to
offer the world. So, but it is hard when you
think about managing and can I still be me and
hold a title? So that definitely I can see as
(15:37):
being a challenge. Chandra, did you have any challenges any thoughts?
Speaker 4 (15:42):
I did, and one of my biggest challenges was time management. Again,
I am pulled in a bunch of different directions. I
passor a mentor around after school program for youth ages
eight to eighteen. I mean it's a lot and a
lot of times I wasn't able to be in the
(16:02):
spaces that I'm typically in and I absolutely felt awful.
I'm like, wait a minute, what am I gonna do?
But then I understood that this pageants system. I mean,
in my mind, if you're gonna be here, be here,
if you're gonna do it, do it. And I struggled
with At one point, I was like, you know what,
if I can't give this one hundred percent, then I'm
(16:24):
not doing it. And so at moments and I didn't
share this, I was like, well, maybe I just need
to pull out. And then when I realized no, I'm
not pulling out, then I struggle with, okay, this area competition,
maybe I won't do this or maybe I won't do
that because it consumed a lot of my time. I
mean practice, I'm standing in a mirror singing, and I'm
standing in a mirror going well walking like you know,
(16:48):
beat this way, and you know, it was just important
to me that everything I learned in those modules that
I applied it it was important to me if I'm
gonna show up, show up.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
And when she said modules again, for those that are
not familiar with our pageant system, we have self development
modules every first and third Thursday, seven pm Central Standard
Time via zoom because as a national pageant, we're not
all in Chicago, so depending on where people are, they
(17:19):
could still zoom in and participate. And the modules taught
not just walk, smile, pose, you know, I know that's
one of them. There were modules about public speaking, there
were modules about anxiety, there were modules about advocacies. There
were a variety of modules to help culminate in the
(17:40):
self evolution, which is one of the pillars of the
foundational level of the pageant, so that every woman gets
an experience that is more, way, more than the financial investment.
Speaker 6 (17:57):
So then.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
She looked at your challenges and said, I'm going to
still do this.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
Give me that moment when.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
You were like, I'm so glad I stayed the course.
Let's start going reverse.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Okay, So.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
The truth be told, that moment was when we got
to the hotel on Saturday. I mean, we had did
some things, we did at dinner and all of that,
but on Saturday, when my godsister got there. I was
freaking out. I mean I was completely in a frenzy.
I'm like, but this, but that, and I don't know.
And she said, if you don't stop it, if you
(18:38):
do not stop it, you show up for everybody else.
You're showing up for you, and you're gonna leave it
out there on the stage. That was the moment. Even
though I was going through the process, we were already
in it. But at that moment, I realized, you know what,
you're here, this is it, it's happening, and girl, get
yourself together.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
And I did. I honestly, I called my husband and
I was like, Lucy, didn't do what they're gonna do.
I am tripping myself out. I am just like really
freaking out.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
And he was like, girl, you better get somewhere in price.
But my god, sister, she almost slapped me. And yeah,
And but in that moment, I mean, when I came
down the stairs, we were about to go to Lauren
and show her our props for fun Fashion. It was
in that moment that I was like, you know what,
hook a crook, do a die. It's go time and
I'm in it to win it. I'm gonna absolutely do
(19:28):
my best and that has to.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Be good enough.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
That's it, Miss Sonia.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (19:37):
I I joke a lot and I play a lot,
and so people don't know what to do with that.
And and so then when it's when it's when it's
time to perform, and they're like, oh, wait a minute,
Oh you can stuff up, you can do a or
you're gonna do be Oh wait a minute, Sonya came
and did and I'm like, yeah, I'm here. I I'm
(20:00):
very subtle with it.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
And so I think, no, we have had that conversation
and I'm like, listen, do not be ashamed.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
And I know you weren't ashamed, but I.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Was using that word to shine because of other people's issues, insecurities,
you know, haters, whatever you want to call it, because
I know that that was one of the conversations we had.
But when you really felt like you were like, I'm
(20:35):
in it to win it Also, when was that moment
for you?
Speaker 6 (20:40):
I think I was always in that space.
Speaker 5 (20:45):
I just didn't do the bend until I had to
do it. So for me, I think when it's goal time,
I'm always go. But when it's game time, that's when
you see something else. So there's a goal for me
and there's a game for me.
Speaker 6 (21:00):
They're different. Go time, I can be in it. I'm
showing up. I'm showing up. But game time you get another.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Version, an elevated version.
Speaker 6 (21:08):
Yeah, for sure, for sure. So I think it was
when it was game time. It was game time.
Speaker 5 (21:12):
So when we had to do when we had to
show up for practice, when we had to do a
when we had to come and and that weekend was
a lot and then and there were times where you know,
what are we doing here?
Speaker 6 (21:24):
Change fifty two?
Speaker 5 (21:25):
Okay, we gotta you know this time ain't this time
of morning? Now we gotta And it was like, okay,
well what time do we have to be there?
Speaker 6 (21:31):
And so it was just like, okay, I'm in it.
I'm in the game. Let's let's go coach where where.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
I'm supposed to be at That's right, Miss Tierra.
Speaker 7 (21:39):
Well, for me, I I think the moment again, the
moment for me that I was when we arrived to
the hotel. That's when everything got really real. For I'm
just realizing, you know, it's no stepping.
Speaker 8 (21:59):
Back from here year. This is the moment that I've prepped.
Speaker 7 (22:01):
For for months so I really had to do a
lot of PEP talks because my anxiety did you know,
start to increase for certain moments. But I do also
appreciate the support that I received from the other ladies
because it just kind of helped challenge me to you know,
move past those experiences or feelings of anxiety and here
(22:22):
and just show up for myself. And I do think
the real big takeaway was the moment I laid down
after everything was over, I had an emotional release and
I mean I was sibing and I w was something
that I spoke with my therapist about in depth because
you know, although I can be sensitive and I am
(22:44):
pretty emotional, I haven't experienced like.
Speaker 8 (22:47):
An emotional release like that.
Speaker 7 (22:49):
And my only you know, understanding of those emotions was
just the pride that, like, I was very proud.
Speaker 8 (22:56):
Of myself for just staying the course, showing.
Speaker 7 (22:59):
Up when I was scared, and just kind of digging
deep to just you know, prepare for you know, this
big showcase. Ultimately it was it was much different than
anything I've experienced.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
So in saying that again, another one of our foundational
pillars is sisterhood.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
We do not promote quote.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
Unquote competition MM against another delegate. The competition is the
woman in the mirror being better today than you were
yesterday and being better tomorrow or God would if we're
still here than we are today. So the women in
your that share your pageant journey are collaborators. These are
(23:44):
women that you can discuss my concerns, my fears, you
know what's going on, how do you feel about doing this,
and whatever the case may be. And so that is
important because that's the atmosphere that we've set. Anytime we
have felt that anyone, be it a judge, be it
(24:08):
a team member, be it a delegate, is operating in
a space of inappropriate behavior, bullying, disrespect, anything of that nature,
that person is asked out. And I say that with
no hesitation, there will never be allowed that type of mistreatment,
(24:32):
because that's what that is. That's mistreatment, and I don't
expect it in children. I certainly do not accept it
in adults. So I'm glad you had that sisterhood feel
because there's no reason. If you do your best on
that stage, whatever happens, you've done your best. And that
has nothing to do with anyone else out there at all.
(24:56):
But in speaking of preparing for the pageant, did anyone
do anything specific mentally or physically to get ready, because
some people meditate, and I have to tell you, I
can't meditate. My first thought is there's a hole in
my sock, I can feel it or whatever.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Some my mind goes drift off.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
But there are people that meditate to get prepared for
something of this magnitude. Did anyone have any you know,
I got to work out, I got to do anything
to get really physically or emotionally or mentally prepared for
that stage moment, Miss Sonia.
Speaker 5 (25:35):
I think I'm a big proponent of mindfulness and listening
to your body and and tuning in and and just
hearing it. And the only way to do that is
to be still. So, because a pageant is always moving,
you literally have to find your spot to be still
if you're gonna practice that. So, whether that was a
bathroom break, whether that when that was when we went
(25:58):
into our own respective room, I would pull those moments like,
oh okay, I can go and be still here, I
can you know, take this part of it.
Speaker 6 (26:06):
Or I would just focus.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
On the things that were right in front of me,
So I would zone out and just focus what was
right in front of me. Let me stay present in
this moment, and that's what kind of kept me grounded
and centered when we may have had to do something
entirely different or new, or practice some more or stay
late for practice even.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Well in saying that, because Pam Braxton is the national
director of Southern Region and she's also a therapist, and
she had the idea of you all's spy welcome baskets,
and that was for when you went back to the room.
You had the masks, the candles.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
You know, et cetera. So I'm not going to tell
all what was in their baskets, but you.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Had those things as well as a note from us
as pageant directors to take that that moment and decompress
and relax and just like I said, be present in
that space but without that pressure. Yeah, anybody else, do
any workout? Any any Jane find a workout from back
(27:16):
in the seventies and eighties.
Speaker 8 (27:18):
Yes, I actually did. I was working out prior to that.
Speaker 7 (27:23):
But I actually started to be very serious and getting
a routine only because I felt that I needed to
be my best self to feel confident.
Speaker 8 (27:32):
So that was part of my regiment to prepare. I
did go to the gym, and funny enough, I'm.
Speaker 7 (27:38):
I'm also a therapist as well, but I had not
been engaged in therapy. So another step that I had
to take again in preparation for the Phoenix Rising testimony
and being vulnerable. I did get back into therapy and
I attended weekly and it was very beneficial. I was
able to kind of iron out a lot of my
(28:00):
but also process that I had it in the past.
Speaker 8 (28:05):
And yeah, I also engaged in some anxieties and yeah,
I just you know, took some breath, took some time
for myself.
Speaker 7 (28:17):
When I felt like I was getting over So that
was the most im.
Speaker 4 (28:24):
Alright, So I'm not a therapist by definition however, or
degree I should say by degree, cause I I engage
people all the time therapeutically. However, my husband is a therapist.
And so I got the de breath, ditch debreathe and
(28:44):
so I'm going. And then then Sonya Kennedy, her spotlight
was yoga, and though I had tried yoga a number
of times, it's not my favorite. But when I got
in that space with you mm, it opened me to
the idea of taking the time to touch my toes
when I get out of bit fresh out of bed,
(29:06):
and so I've been doing that and I'm still doing that,
and so I took some of those cues.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
I really appreciated that space with you. She was very.
Speaker 4 (29:16):
Knowledgeable about yoga and getting in tune with your body,
and so I guess that's a therapist side of you,
but I really appreciated that, and so I took it.
And then I took the segments of competition and I
started to break them down and I would hone in
on one aspect a couple of weeks at a time
(29:36):
so that I can build my own confidence in that area.
And once I felt like, Okay, I got this. It's
in my head. I know what I'm supposed to do.
I pray religiously, I'm like, okay, God, here I am,
and I think I got this. So then I would
move on to the next phase of competition, just so
that I could feel fresh and renewed in areas and
(29:59):
not feel like I was beaten myself up in that space.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
M now, and I'm glad you all are answering, even
though you're not. This is not cookie cutter information, but
it helps the flow of the conversation because you literally
led right into my next comment, which is when you
saw Sonya. It was in September, which for the Beyond
(30:22):
Beautiful World pageant system is advocacy Month. Now for a
lot of patchet systems, they are called platforms, we call
them advocacies. And these are the causes that our delegates,
who are typically called contestants, stand on, meaning that they
are going to represent them as delegates and if they
(30:42):
become raigning queens, they will represent them during the year
of their reign. So what are your advocacies and why
did you choose them?
Speaker 2 (30:56):
So go ahead.
Speaker 7 (31:00):
To promote increased educational awereness and access to minority communities
to access oral health care.
Speaker 8 (31:11):
And that advocacy was very uh important to me because
of my own experience.
Speaker 7 (31:16):
I was involved in a tragedy, traumatic car accident when
I was a teenager that you know, changed my life,
and I did have a lot of challenges with receiving
care do the you know, just finances and a lot
of other factors, you know, and I am aware of
many more people that have similar struggles and not only
(31:39):
just you know, people that have experienced pricidents, but you know,
the elderly, you know, people that are in low income communities,
you know that just have challenges with you know, received
them proper care, and it just has so many other
health uh uh impacts on your health.
Speaker 8 (31:58):
So I do think it's an important.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Merriam alright, Misthsonia.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
Yeah, Well, my advocacy definitely was uh from my life
experience as a veteran and as a PTSC survivor. So
my advocacy was around supporting African American women with hidden disabilities,
because again PTSD is a hidden disability and it goes
(32:29):
so unrecognized, especially in minority communities, uh, specifically in African
American communities that are trauma field or trauma based, I
should say sometimes based on what we're exposed to.
Speaker 6 (32:41):
And so as a veteran, I really wanted.
Speaker 5 (32:44):
To support that particular population of African American women who
we're still fighting policy wise for better care, better health
care for African American women who served in the military.
So for me, it was near in dear to have
that advocacy and that platform because I've been on both
sides of the fence as a clinical therapist and also
(33:07):
as a person.
Speaker 6 (33:08):
Who had to endure that space as well.
Speaker 4 (33:13):
That's my advocacy is centered around girls ages eight to eighteen.
What I do in my everyday life is Runner after
school program five days a week when we serve kids
from the Greater Grand Crossing community. And the term is underserved.
I despite I hate that term because I feel like
(33:35):
we're not. We're underserved via the government and different support
systems and resources. I feel like that when we rise
up and we are willing to serve one another, we're
not underserved at all because our kids get what they need.
We deal with mental wellness, we deal with food and securities.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
We run a food.
Speaker 4 (33:56):
Pantry that feeds about five hundred families and it's super
important boxing. I personally am a double Dutch coach. I
am very very passionate, and I.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
Don't play about my girls. I get to take.
Speaker 4 (34:10):
Them out of state about five times a year. They
ain't care of, no expense for it, and it's just
been an amazing ride. We're due to be in New
York and at the end of December.
Speaker 3 (34:23):
That's so I'm super excited.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
All right now.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
Another one of the foundational pillars is self evolution and
the Beyond Beautiful World pageants system is so much more
than just the crown. It is about changing and evolving.
So how has the pageant season and system helped you
(34:50):
evolve and go about that journey of self evolution.
Speaker 5 (35:01):
I'm very big on personal development, and I was just
having this conversation today when people said, oh, come healed,
I don't know if you can do that because it's
an ongoing process healing.
Speaker 6 (35:15):
It's an ongoing process.
Speaker 5 (35:16):
So I'm stagnant if I'm good right here in this
moment that I meet you, And so I think doing
beyond beautiful world. There were a lot of things that
I was able to extend. They may have been there,
and I may have been working on them or doing
(35:37):
a little bit of them, but the pageant required that I.
Speaker 6 (35:40):
Do it full on right. It wasn't a half step.
Speaker 5 (35:43):
You couldn't do a percentage of The pageant required all
of those resources to connect, all of those parts of
myself to come together and evolve in that way, to
be a queen, to represent in a way that I
felt comfortable doing, and also so being able to be
out front and and literally be judged right, but knowing
(36:08):
that the judgment was not about what I looked like,
but what I was standing for So for me, that
was a a big evolutionary space.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
And that's excellent cause that's definitely what we wanted you
to experience in that manner, Tierra, I will say.
Speaker 7 (36:27):
I too also look for opportunities to grow whenever I can.
I have like a lot of different.
Speaker 9 (36:32):
Hobbies that I've explored because of that, just to see
what I can actually do.
Speaker 6 (36:38):
But from this.
Speaker 8 (36:39):
Pageant experience, you know, some of the things that I
knew were there and I struggled to find a way
to initiate on my own.
Speaker 7 (36:49):
I do think this experience helped push me forward, especially
with things like communicating talking openly. I am your soft spoken,
as you mentioned prior, but I do believe when I speak,
I have really powerful things to say, and I.
Speaker 8 (37:04):
Do believe this my normal helping me to see that
and see if I can't, you know, speak with conviction,
I can put myself out there and you know, people
will support me.
Speaker 7 (37:16):
So I really appreciated that.
Speaker 8 (37:20):
I would like to continue, especially as I am the
rain and Queen, to strengthen in those areas and just
continue to build my confidence.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
Al right.
Speaker 4 (37:31):
For me, it caused me to be less self conscious
and more self aware and that was real a real
big takeaway from me. I think a lot, and what
about this?
Speaker 3 (37:44):
And what about that?
Speaker 4 (37:45):
And and what if they think this or what if
they felt like that? When none of that really really
matters in the grand scheme of things. Nobody really cares
about what you're doing. And so to have it in
my head consistently was ah a dis event. I recently
found the book my husband and I've been going through it,
and it's thinking versus thoughts. So you can have a thought,
(38:12):
they come in your head and you don't have to
do anything for that to happen. Just depends on the
situation and the circumstance, whatever's happening.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
You're gonna have a thought. Might be good, might be bad,
but you're gonna have a thought.
Speaker 4 (38:24):
Thinking is different because you start to add to whatever
the thought was. Now you can either let the thought
go because it means absolutely nothing, or you can sit
in a space where you think about it and now
you become uncomfortable, or you feel bad, or you're discouraged
or you're depressed, and you're feeling all these different emotions.
(38:45):
And so this process helped me evolve in a space
where I'm choosing choosing to let the thought be what
it is.
Speaker 3 (38:54):
And not think.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
And that's a deep, powerful statement because a lot of
people I've had that conversation with a few of the
delegates live in their heads so much to the point
that you're almost talking yourself out of doing some of
the best things in your life, not experiencing some of
the best opportunities that God has put in front of you.
(39:17):
And it's hard when you're used to being in that
head space to make that adjustment. So it is great
that it helped you to pivot away from that. Now,
we welcome women that have pageant experience, but the Beyond
Beautiful World Pageant system has had the majority of its
(39:39):
delegates be first time pageant women, and saying that, how
do you feel a women can embrace their own beyond
beautiful qualities in their everyday lives because you all are
pageant the winners.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
But you still are.
Speaker 1 (40:05):
Everyday women, as is every other woman. I don't care
what system she's in. So when you see another woman,
how would you tell her to embrace what's beyond beautiful
about her?
Speaker 3 (40:22):
For me and.
Speaker 4 (40:26):
So amazing on this journey, I had the opportunity to
have a conversation with women that I didn't know, Like
on my shopping journey, when I was in a massage space,
when I'm getting my nails done preparing, I had the
opportunity and I boldly shared, Hey, I'm in this paget
and if I this, and if I that, and if
(40:47):
I went and I have women say to me, you know,
there's a space for women like me, And I'm like, yeah.
And it has nothing to do with your job, has
nothing to do with your intellect, It has nothing to
do with you being absolutely and so somebody judging how
beautiful you are externally, but it has everything to do
with who you are internally, and it puts you in
(41:09):
a space. What it causes you to have to get
in touch with who she is. If you've lost sight.
Speaker 3 (41:17):
Of who that girl is. This pageant system puts you
in a space where you have to dig deep and
you have no choice but to get to know her.
Speaker 4 (41:28):
You reunite with that authentic person that's really on the
inside of you in spite of what you look in
the mirror at every single day. And what really encouraged
me is after the pageant, I was actually this morning,
I was bringing a little girl to church and we
were just talking and she was like, well, what are
you doing at the church And I said, oh, I
(41:48):
have an interview on the Beyond Beautiful world Side and
she was like so exciting. My sister said, who is
right now, like sixteen, when when she gets twenty one,
she's doing in this pageant and we're gonna make it
a legacy. So when I get twenty one, I'm doing
this pageant. And I felt like we did what we
(42:08):
were supposed to do on that stage, you know what
I mean. We inspired and encouraged not just little girls,
but women to see because you got to tell that story.
They got to hear some of our challenges and experiences.
And so I would say to any woman, listen, this pageant.
Speaker 3 (42:26):
Is for you. It is, and I encourage you to and.
Speaker 4 (42:30):
I know you're gonna get some information on how to
do it when we leave. Before we leave, but I'm
telling you, if you're listening, take notes, write it down,
and don't be afraid to reach out to me and
be like, you know what, I really want to do
it because I heard the stories and I see regular
women doing this. We're not super special, although we are.
Speaker 1 (42:51):
I was about to say every woman is super special.
It's just a matter what way she's super special. Now,
I'm going to move on a little bit because I
know we don't want to grow over own time, and
there are certain things I really need you all to say.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
So again, what do.
Speaker 1 (43:10):
You hope to inspire in your brain for the next
year and who do you hope to touch most.
Speaker 5 (43:22):
Yeah, the reach could be so big, but I definitely
want to inspire tenacity, resilience and being the underdog. And
I think because I've always seen myself in a different way,
I know what I'm.
Speaker 6 (43:42):
Capable of, but I've also.
Speaker 5 (43:46):
Chosen in some spaces to kind of be that you know,
that background space, just depending on what it was.
Speaker 6 (43:53):
And so to have a platform.
Speaker 5 (43:56):
That would not allow you to do that, you could
not show up that way at all. You was either
coming or you ain't. You know, period, you're gonna be here,
you ain't. And so I definitely want to have those
three areas be a place of inspiration. And then as
I'm thinking about the reach, definitely you for still at
(44:17):
the forefront of what I started out as as a
clinician as a social worker, but for women again who
have had some adversities who've had to overcome some things
and they still show up.
Speaker 6 (44:35):
And so I want that's my underdog.
Speaker 5 (44:37):
That's that's the space that you know, I want to
you know, tap into that population of women to say.
Speaker 6 (44:42):
Oh, yeah you can.
Speaker 5 (44:44):
You know, you can come and be who you are
if you're you know, quirky or if you are an extrovert,
or even if you're an introvert.
Speaker 6 (44:52):
You know you can come.
Speaker 5 (44:54):
I'm a bunch of those, but you know, you can
show up and and and just have this experience.
Speaker 3 (44:59):
And that's what it is, an experience.
Speaker 1 (45:01):
Alright, Ms Tierra, Who do you hope to inspire and
what do you want to spend the majority of your
bigin highlighting doing.
Speaker 7 (45:15):
Yeah, so I hope to inspire you know when younger.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
So it's.
Speaker 3 (45:25):
Affectionately by girl.
Speaker 5 (45:29):
Yeah, just young women like myself who you know are
steel getting established.
Speaker 3 (45:37):
In a lot of different ways, you know, but that just.
Speaker 7 (45:40):
Need that extra gush and that need, you know, the
mentorship of the sisterhood because I did benefit in a
lot of those ways just with the you know, the
pageant sisters that are more experienced, uh, that were able
to just you know, support me in a lot of
different ways. So I do hope to inspire women that
are you know, still also battling insecurities that could benefit
(46:03):
from their sisterhood and that could benefit from you know,
having the proper you know, training or support to you know,
go to the next level. And then for.
Speaker 1 (46:18):
What I do would you like to do when you
let's say next October MM, when your one year reign
is over, what would you like to have said that
you have accomplished?
Speaker 8 (46:31):
Guess why I would hope, Well, I will.
Speaker 7 (46:33):
I'll say that speaking into existence, you know, serving the
communities that I am targeting, both lower.
Speaker 8 (46:39):
Income communities, but communities where there are a lot of
minorities that.
Speaker 7 (46:45):
Need dental care that cannot access it. I would like
to you know, participate and initiate.
Speaker 9 (46:52):
Coordinate more events that allows them to get what they
need because it is increasing as health.
Speaker 8 (47:06):
Care access that I can be a part of.
Speaker 1 (47:15):
Their alright and mis Chondra, what do you want to
see your legacy be at the end of your reign
and who what population do you want to have impacted
the most?
Speaker 4 (47:31):
So it's hugely important to me to impact our girls.
I need them to understand that you can do and
be anything you wanna be Some of them are limited,
and sometimes it's because of.
Speaker 3 (47:45):
A situation in a household.
Speaker 4 (47:47):
Sometimes it's them being bullied, sometimes it's just some of
'em are extremely arrogant for no reason. And I get
to a space where I can have one on one conversations,
hosts different events where I bring hundreds of girls together
in order to cohabitate, co exist in a space where
(48:12):
you're not envious or looking at your sid ad because
more the truth of it, we are more like than
we are different. And I'm hoping that I set an
example such that they can see that, not just me
talking about it. I need them to be to see
me living out what I'm expecting from you. And so
(48:34):
I hope to collaborate with other organizations as I do,
fill my space with community that knows that this space,
this space is for you, that it has nothing to
do with me, although I'm being used to assist you
to get to the next level. I want to impact
on people in a way where they understand that I
(48:58):
can do this.
Speaker 3 (48:59):
You know I don't.
Speaker 4 (49:00):
I don't want you to need me to do it.
I need to empower you in a space where you
know unequivocally I can do it.
Speaker 1 (49:10):
All right now, before we end today's interview, what is
one message you would like to leave everyone with today?
Starting with you, misterior, One message.
Speaker 9 (49:25):
I would like to is to.
Speaker 8 (49:28):
Just do it now. Do it scared, No, do it's hired.
Speaker 7 (49:32):
Just do it again.
Speaker 8 (49:34):
Speaking on the topic of overthinking, I am very.
Speaker 9 (49:38):
Much an overthinker, and I will get to the point where.
Speaker 8 (49:40):
I can psyc myself out of some things.
Speaker 9 (49:43):
But what has continue to help me can move forward
is to do it.
Speaker 2 (49:48):
Just start, Miss Sonia.
Speaker 5 (49:53):
Never let that last story be the only story. Always
know that there's room for other stories, for flourishing, for growth,
To be that butterfly and not just live in the
space of past stories.
Speaker 2 (50:11):
You're not gonna always be a caterpillar. Yeah all right,
and miss Chandra.
Speaker 3 (50:18):
Show up. If you're gonna be there, be there. Show
up not just for you, but when you show up.
Speaker 5 (50:26):
For you, you.
Speaker 3 (50:28):
Inadvertently show up for other people.
Speaker 1 (50:30):
Absolutely so for those of you that are excited about
the sixth annual Beyond Beautiful World pageant, because they, like
I said, they know me a little bit by now,
I'm always mentally a year out minimum. So the sixth
Annual Beyond Beautiful World pageant weekend is October twenty second
(50:55):
through the twenty fifth of twenty twenty six at Georgia's
Banquets eighty eight hundred West one hundred and fifty ninth
Street in Orland Park. And we are currently updating our
website because we have to put all these beautiful ladies
photos on there and make some additional changes because as
(51:16):
we continue to grow and evolve as a system, we
are having the assistance of our reigning queens and our
past queens in our changes for everyone's betterment. So please
go to www dot beyond Beautifulworld dot com and go
(51:37):
to the contact tab if you are interested in being
a delegate. Our age divisions are Diamonds who are twenty
one to twenty nine, Rubies who are thirty to thirty nine,
Emeralds who are forty to forty nine, and Sapphires who
are fifty and beyond. And let us know how we
can contact you If you are a sponsor, meaning if
(52:02):
you are a business owner, manager, etc. Who is interested
in supporting this venture of women's empowerment, women's entrepreneurship, women's evolution,
leave us a note with your business name and your
contact information. We will definitely get in touch with you
and if you are interested in being a vendor. They
(52:25):
did not have a chance to see the vendors because
they were backstage getting ready, but we had some fantastic
vendors this year. We're looking to have twenty vendors minimum
next year. One of the things that we insist upon
in this system, even on this level, is we do
not have duplicate vendors, meaning once we have a vendor
(52:47):
that sells journals, there will not be another vendor selling journals,
because we want the experience to be the best and
most financially profitable for each vendor as possible, so we
do not have again competition on that level. So if
you are interested in being a vendor, go to the
contact tab, let us know your company name and your
(53:09):
contact information, and one of us will be back in
touch with you. So with that block off your calendars.
Next year, one of the first things ever, we are
always looking to do something new. The preliminary round will
(53:31):
be open to the public, so you can purchase tickets
for that Friday night as well as that Saturday night
for the finals. So when we say pageant weekend, we
mean pageant weekend, So I look forward to hearing from
all of you, from delegates to sponsors to vendors. Be
(53:54):
prepared because Beyond Beautiful World's sixth annual pageant is going
to set Orland Park on fire. And if you want
to reach me personally, it's our I A. Rhea at
Beyond Beautifulworld dot com. You can email me and I
(54:14):
will respond with that. This is your girl, Ria Ray
hairs yard bro, National director of Northern Region of the
Beyond Beautiful World Pageant and co host of The Quintessential
Queen's Show and podcast on Intellectual Radio dot com and
iHeartRadio Station. Thank you so much for spending your afternoon
with me, missus Diamond, Miss Soapphire, Miss Beyond Beautiful World.
(54:38):
We will see you soon and update us to all
that they do because they are bringing the heat, because.
Speaker 6 (54:45):
They are coming up substance.
Speaker 2 (54:48):
Addaquette eligence beyond you.
Speaker 6 (54:53):
Good night, North shot down, shut down
Speaker 4 (55:06):
And
Welcome employ a special segment of The Quintessential Queen's podcast.
This is your Girl, Ria, Ray Harris, Yard Bro coming
to you from the Intellectual Radio Studios. How is everybody
doing tonight? Amazing? I'll bright Well, for those of you
that don't know, most of you should know by now,
(00:26):
but just in case, we have some new viewers and listeners.
I am not just the co host of this podcast.
I have a few other ventures, one being the national
director of Northern Region of a Beyond Beautiful World pageant.
We just had our fifth annual pageant November first was
the finals. Yay, and the ladies with me are some
(00:51):
of the reigning queens. They literally just got crowned a
few weekends ago.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
How are you doing good?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I'm good?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Everybody telling this?
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Yes, So, starting to my left, tell the audience your name,
your pageant title, where you're from, and a fun fact
about you that a lot of people don't know.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Hi.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
So my name is Seanda're right and I am your
Beyond Beautiful World twenty twenty six. Yes, yes, I am
from Chicago, Illinois. Fun fact about me is I absolutely
positively love Barbie.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Alright, alright, to my immediate right, tell them, your name,
your title, where you're from, and a fun fact about you.
Speaker 5 (01:46):
Hi, good evening, I am your beyond beautiful world, Miss
Sapphire twenty twenty six, Sonya Kennedy. I am from the
south side of actually Inglewood, and let's see a fun
fact about me. I am a huge bachi.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Player child for those of us in the cheap seats,
what is bachi?
Speaker 5 (02:11):
So? I like to think of bachi as a mix
between a pool without a poolstick or queue.
Speaker 6 (02:18):
As well as boland.
Speaker 5 (02:19):
So you have your balls which are located in the
sand and you're basically trying to knock your opponent or
block your opponent from scoring with the white ball.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
We're gonna have to go out and see show me
that one day because we already.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Have some other things we have to do on archery.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
But that's all right, come back to that and to
my further right, tell the audience your name, you're beyond
beautiful world, title, where you're from, and a fun fact
about you.
Speaker 7 (02:57):
So Chicago would be that I am a part of
Broken Arrols Writing Club.
Speaker 8 (03:04):
I have the writing for and you're but I enjoy
it in.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Awesome Now.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
You are naturally soft spoken, so I need you to
speak a little bit higher for us.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Okay, just a little bit.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
So, ladies, when people see you and know that you
are a beyond beautiful world reigning queen, tell me one
thing that you want them to think about when they
think about you as a title holder.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
Okay, So I'd love for you when you think about
me as a title holder, know that I'm hardworking, I'm compassionate.
I am very passionate about this role. This is not
just it wasn't just a pageant.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
It's not just a title. It is a really putting.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
In some work, and I am excited to get with
my fellow queen sisters and let's get it done. I mean,
we want to bring some awareness to the pageant. But
our advocacies are amazing. Each one of us have amazing advocacy,
and I think at some point when we pull them together,
we'll be able to do something really big together, uh,
(04:18):
to support each advocacy.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
So I'm really excited about that.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
All Right, I'm gonna skip around, go to ti Era next.
Speaker 8 (04:28):
Title. I would definitely also.
Speaker 7 (04:34):
Continue to do the community, but also set an example
for the future his dining Chicago.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yes, and Miss Sonia, Miss Sapphire.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Yes, definitely, I would love for UH people to see
and remember that you can be a girl g from Inglewood,
roseland Austin anywhere in the world, and you can still
aspire to go and become a beauty queen or to
(05:11):
compete and do your best and cultivate a sisterhood, cultivate friendships,
be an advocate for women, or whatever the cause may be,
and you don't have to limit yourself to just one thing.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Now, since you were just speaking, tell the audience what
first inspired you to become a Beyond Beautiful World pageant delegate?
Speaker 5 (05:35):
Well, for me, Beyond Beautiful World had a lot of
the components in terms of advocacy. I had always volunteered
or participated in some major causes and this platform, definitely,
advocacy was at the forefront. The philanthropy was there, and
so it naturally aligned with a lot of the work
(05:56):
that I was already doing.
Speaker 6 (05:57):
And so the pageantry was to me and added. But
I think when.
Speaker 5 (06:01):
You're advocating it also a form of pageantry too.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
MS Tierra, Well, for me, I definitely wanted to be
involved in this passion experience because.
Speaker 8 (06:13):
I saw a lot of skills that I.
Speaker 7 (06:15):
Could have strengthened, which I did ultimately, which was you know,
finding my voice, learning how to communicate, and then also
just finding my confidence, which.
Speaker 8 (06:24):
I'll also achieved during this experience. And yeah, I also
just knew that I.
Speaker 7 (06:31):
Would be a great fit to take the experience for
one cause, ign very passionate.
Speaker 8 (06:37):
So I just you know, was excited.
Speaker 7 (06:39):
To you know, experience all of the components of the
passion that we that we did, and I am grateful
that I you got a chance to participate.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Well, you didn't disparticipate. You won a title, so you
get a little bit more. That just showed up that
shit did so now, miss Chondra.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
So if I'm honest, I had seen the pageant multiple years,
I had not yet been in person, and.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
So last year I decided, Hey, you know.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
What, I am going to volunteer. And I was in
the hall, and every now and again.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
I piqued my head. Security kept saying you're supposed to
be at that table.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
I kept picking my head and peeking my head, and
I was just I want to see infatuated with the
idea of adult women finding this space and not being
ashamed to just grab it by the horns and go
for it. I was impressed that womanhood was what I saw.
I saw women authentically showing up for one another, and
(07:43):
it reminded me of a sisterhood that I've had for
over forty years, and I didn't think that that existed really,
you know what I'm saying, Past my sisterhood.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
But beyond beautiful world.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
And when I before I left that night, I told Pam,
I was like, I am doing this and she was
like what.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
I'm like, I'm doing this and She's like, are you serious?
Speaker 6 (08:01):
I was like yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
And shortly after the area came and was like, hey,
I heard you want to compete and I'm like absolutely.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
And after I said it, I thought about it. I
was like, what did I just do?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
What did that?
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Because it put me in a space where I had
to think about me and I'm not always I haven't
always been good at that. I always think about other
people first, but this time it meant I had to
walk this walk and talk this talk myself.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
It mean it meant I had to put myself first.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
And think about everything else kind of secondary to the
pageant because it was a lot of work and I
was up for the challenge. Although it was difficult because
I was still trying to scoot other people in that
space and I really didn't have the ability to put.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Me on the backburne at this time.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
And I was grateful because when people saw that I
was very serious about the pageant, they begin to support
and my family and my friends and you know, everybody
was just like, Okay, you're doing this one, and so yeah,
super excited.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Alright.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Well, one of the things that I think all of
you know about me is that I am pretty authentic
and my presentation and anything I will say. Every pageant
system and don't let people tell you anything otherwise, has
some really really high points, but they also have their challenges.
(09:26):
So what was one challenge that you faced during your
pageants season?
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Anybody feels free to start.
Speaker 8 (09:38):
Well, I can go, because I did find myself.
Speaker 7 (09:40):
Coming to where a few challenges. But one of the biggest.
Speaker 8 (09:44):
Challenges was to tap into my vulnerability.
Speaker 7 (09:48):
And although you know, I I can support other people
through vulnerable.
Speaker 8 (09:52):
Moments, it is quite difficult for me myself to open.
Speaker 9 (09:56):
Up in that way.
Speaker 8 (09:57):
And uh, just specifically.
Speaker 7 (09:59):
Speaking about the being exprising custimony, that was very challenging
to kind of tap into a time where I faced
some very tough and sensitive feelings and I did have
to allow myself to be exposed in front of my family,
friends and strangers. Even so, that was pretty tough, but
(10:21):
I did have to do a lot of work to
prepare for it. But I am very glad I did.
I was able to recognize the healing that I needed,
and I was also able to take that journey and
take the steps necessary to start, you know, repairing from
the inside out. And I did feel very liberated after,
you know, partaking in that category.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Let me take a brief moment here to explain the
mandatory and the optional areas of competition of the Beyond
Beautiful World pageant. So what Ms Diamond is speaking of
is one of our mandatory areas of competition, which is
the Feeling Rising Testimonial. This is a five minute conversation
(11:05):
I like to say about something each delegate has achieved, overcome,
or a combination of the two. And we tell you upfront,
you are going to impact the life of someone that
you may never see, somebody you will never know, because
part of the purpose is to show others how you
(11:27):
made it through, how you made it over and give
them that guiding light so that they can say I
can do it too. So that is one of our
mandatory areas of competition. The other three are the on
stage question and answer, where you pull a question out
of the box and you just answer it in thirty
seconds or less.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
You don't know which question you're going to get into
it pops out the box. Then you of course have.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Fun fashion where you show a nice, cute part of
your personality, something different than people's everyday opinion of you
on stage. And lastly the traditional evening gown which is
the culmination and the runway beauty mark.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
I mean that is it for everyone. Now.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Our optional areas of competition are Talent, which is self explanatory.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
The only restrictions.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Were and are no smoke, no fire, no glitter, no confetti,
and no live animals. Anything else we can negotiate, but
those are like hard nods. Then we have living my
Life Like It's Golden, where each delegate has the opportunity
to model in gold or yellow from head to toe,
(12:45):
and the Black Pearl Pitch competition, which is literally for
business novices business people that are people that women that
want to be in business for profit or not profit.
Or those that have been in for a lot a
little whild time wise to do a ten minute pitch
(13:07):
in front of a panel of judges for a separate
prize of recognition. So, but Tierra was specifically referring to
her Phoenix Rising testimonial, and I think you were not
the only person that felt that, because it takes a
lot of courage to get on stage and expose what
(13:28):
was a.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
In some cases traumatic time in life.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
But the beauty is, like you said at the end,
not only did you feel liberated, you motivated someone to
look at themselves and make a positive change. So that
I appreciate miss saying. And what were a couple of well,
just give me one of your challenges.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
And I think me and you discussed that I'm used
to being support as a clinical therapist. I'm always supporting
the clients that I see. I'm always up in that
role of you know, how do I provide space for
this person?
Speaker 6 (14:05):
I do it in my friendships, and so to have
to come out.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
From the support of space in the background and just
be that girl and operate in that space, I think
that was a little bit of a challenge, and we
kind of went back and forth about that, and I
think once I just said, you know what, I am
that girl, so it's okay, it was just like, yeah, okay.
(14:32):
But initially it was a constant reminder of, you know,
can I stay authentically me in this process and still
be able to step into another space and another role
that will still allow me to, you know, balance the two.
And I think that was my fear of, you know,
how do I balance this part of me and then
(14:54):
still be this part too well.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
When people have the ideology of what a quot unquote
traditional beauty pageant is, I understand that concern. But number one,
for those of you that don't know, they know now,
but this is not a beauty.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Pageant per se. Anyway.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
That's why the title is beyond beautiful, because we're looking
past the exterior beauty that all women have on some
level into the internal beauty and what they have to
offer the world. So, but it is hard when you
think about managing and can I still be me and
hold a title? So that definitely I can see as
(15:37):
being a challenge. Chandra, did you have any challenges any thoughts?
Speaker 4 (15:42):
I did, and one of my biggest challenges was time management. Again,
I am pulled in a bunch of different directions. I
passor a mentor around after school program for youth ages
eight to eighteen. I mean it's a lot and a
lot of times I wasn't able to be in the
(16:02):
spaces that I'm typically in and I absolutely felt awful.
I'm like, wait a minute, what am I gonna do?
But then I understood that this pageants system. I mean,
in my mind, if you're gonna be here, be here,
if you're gonna do it, do it. And I struggled
with At one point, I was like, you know what,
if I can't give this one hundred percent, then I'm
(16:24):
not doing it. And so at moments and I didn't
share this, I was like, well, maybe I just need
to pull out. And then when I realized no, I'm
not pulling out, then I struggle with, okay, this area competition,
maybe I won't do this or maybe I won't do
that because it consumed a lot of my time. I
mean practice, I'm standing in a mirror singing, and I'm
standing in a mirror going well walking like you know,
(16:48):
beat this way, and you know, it was just important
to me that everything I learned in those modules that
I applied it it was important to me if I'm
gonna show up, show up.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
And when she said modules again, for those that are
not familiar with our pageant system, we have self development
modules every first and third Thursday, seven pm Central Standard
Time via zoom because as a national pageant, we're not
all in Chicago, so depending on where people are, they
(17:19):
could still zoom in and participate. And the modules taught
not just walk, smile, pose, you know, I know that's
one of them. There were modules about public speaking, there
were modules about anxiety, there were modules about advocacies. There
were a variety of modules to help culminate in the
(17:40):
self evolution, which is one of the pillars of the
foundational level of the pageant, so that every woman gets
an experience that is more, way, more than the financial investment.
Speaker 6 (17:57):
So then.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
She looked at your challenges and said, I'm going to
still do this.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
Give me that moment when.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
You were like, I'm so glad I stayed the course.
Let's start going reverse.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Okay, So.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
The truth be told, that moment was when we got
to the hotel on Saturday. I mean, we had did
some things, we did at dinner and all of that,
but on Saturday, when my godsister got there. I was
freaking out. I mean I was completely in a frenzy.
I'm like, but this, but that, and I don't know.
And she said, if you don't stop it, if you
(18:38):
do not stop it, you show up for everybody else.
You're showing up for you, and you're gonna leave it
out there on the stage. That was the moment. Even
though I was going through the process, we were already
in it. But at that moment, I realized, you know what,
you're here, this is it, it's happening, and girl, get
yourself together.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
And I did. I honestly, I called my husband and
I was like, Lucy, didn't do what they're gonna do.
I am tripping myself out. I am just like really
freaking out.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
And he was like, girl, you better get somewhere in price.
But my god, sister, she almost slapped me. And yeah,
And but in that moment, I mean, when I came
down the stairs, we were about to go to Lauren
and show her our props for fun Fashion. It was
in that moment that I was like, you know what,
hook a crook, do a die. It's go time and
I'm in it to win it. I'm gonna absolutely do
(19:28):
my best and that has to.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Be good enough.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
That's it, Miss Sonia.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (19:37):
I I joke a lot and I play a lot,
and so people don't know what to do with that.
And and so then when it's when it's when it's
time to perform, and they're like, oh, wait a minute,
Oh you can stuff up, you can do a or
you're gonna do be Oh wait a minute, Sonya came
and did and I'm like, yeah, I'm here. I I'm
(20:00):
very subtle with it.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
And so I think, no, we have had that conversation
and I'm like, listen, do not be ashamed.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
And I know you weren't ashamed, but I.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Was using that word to shine because of other people's issues, insecurities,
you know, haters, whatever you want to call it, because
I know that that was one of the conversations we had.
But when you really felt like you were like, I'm
(20:35):
in it to win it Also, when was that moment
for you?
Speaker 6 (20:40):
I think I was always in that space.
Speaker 5 (20:45):
I just didn't do the bend until I had to
do it. So for me, I think when it's goal time,
I'm always go. But when it's game time, that's when
you see something else. So there's a goal for me
and there's a game for me.
Speaker 6 (21:00):
They're different. Go time, I can be in it. I'm
showing up. I'm showing up. But game time you get another.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Version, an elevated version.
Speaker 6 (21:08):
Yeah, for sure, for sure. So I think it was
when it was game time. It was game time.
Speaker 5 (21:12):
So when we had to do when we had to
show up for practice, when we had to do a
when we had to come and and that weekend was
a lot and then and there were times where you know,
what are we doing here?
Speaker 6 (21:24):
Change fifty two?
Speaker 5 (21:25):
Okay, we gotta you know this time ain't this time
of morning? Now we gotta And it was like, okay,
well what time do we have to be there?
Speaker 6 (21:31):
And so it was just like, okay, I'm in it.
I'm in the game. Let's let's go coach where where.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
I'm supposed to be at That's right, Miss Tierra.
Speaker 7 (21:39):
Well, for me, I I think the moment again, the
moment for me that I was when we arrived to
the hotel. That's when everything got really real. For I'm
just realizing, you know, it's no stepping.
Speaker 8 (21:59):
Back from here year. This is the moment that I've prepped.
Speaker 7 (22:01):
For for months so I really had to do a
lot of PEP talks because my anxiety did you know,
start to increase for certain moments. But I do also
appreciate the support that I received from the other ladies
because it just kind of helped challenge me to you know,
move past those experiences or feelings of anxiety and here
(22:22):
and just show up for myself. And I do think
the real big takeaway was the moment I laid down
after everything was over, I had an emotional release and
I mean I was sibing and I w was something
that I spoke with my therapist about in depth because
you know, although I can be sensitive and I am
(22:44):
pretty emotional, I haven't experienced like.
Speaker 8 (22:47):
An emotional release like that.
Speaker 7 (22:49):
And my only you know, understanding of those emotions was
just the pride that, like, I was very proud.
Speaker 8 (22:56):
Of myself for just staying the course, showing.
Speaker 7 (22:59):
Up when I was scared, and just kind of digging
deep to just you know, prepare for you know, this
big showcase. Ultimately it was it was much different than
anything I've experienced.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
So in saying that again, another one of our foundational
pillars is sisterhood.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
We do not promote quote.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
Unquote competition MM against another delegate. The competition is the
woman in the mirror being better today than you were
yesterday and being better tomorrow or God would if we're
still here than we are today. So the women in
your that share your pageant journey are collaborators. These are
(23:44):
women that you can discuss my concerns, my fears, you
know what's going on, how do you feel about doing this,
and whatever the case may be. And so that is
important because that's the atmosphere that we've set. Anytime we
have felt that anyone, be it a judge, be it
(24:08):
a team member, be it a delegate, is operating in
a space of inappropriate behavior, bullying, disrespect, anything of that nature,
that person is asked out. And I say that with
no hesitation, there will never be allowed that type of mistreatment,
(24:32):
because that's what that is. That's mistreatment, and I don't
expect it in children. I certainly do not accept it
in adults. So I'm glad you had that sisterhood feel
because there's no reason. If you do your best on
that stage, whatever happens, you've done your best. And that
has nothing to do with anyone else out there at all.
(24:56):
But in speaking of preparing for the pageant, did anyone
do anything specific mentally or physically to get ready, because
some people meditate, and I have to tell you, I
can't meditate. My first thought is there's a hole in
my sock, I can feel it or whatever.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Some my mind goes drift off.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
But there are people that meditate to get prepared for
something of this magnitude. Did anyone have any you know,
I got to work out, I got to do anything
to get really physically or emotionally or mentally prepared for
that stage moment, Miss Sonia.
Speaker 5 (25:35):
I think I'm a big proponent of mindfulness and listening
to your body and and tuning in and and just
hearing it. And the only way to do that is
to be still. So, because a pageant is always moving,
you literally have to find your spot to be still
if you're gonna practice that. So, whether that was a
bathroom break, whether that when that was when we went
(25:58):
into our own respective room, I would pull those moments like,
oh okay, I can go and be still here, I
can you know, take this part of it.
Speaker 6 (26:06):
Or I would just focus.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
On the things that were right in front of me,
So I would zone out and just focus what was
right in front of me. Let me stay present in
this moment, and that's what kind of kept me grounded
and centered when we may have had to do something
entirely different or new, or practice some more or stay
late for practice even.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Well in saying that, because Pam Braxton is the national
director of Southern Region and she's also a therapist, and
she had the idea of you all's spy welcome baskets,
and that was for when you went back to the room.
You had the masks, the candles.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
You know, et cetera. So I'm not going to tell
all what was in their baskets, but you.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Had those things as well as a note from us
as pageant directors to take that that moment and decompress
and relax and just like I said, be present in
that space but without that pressure. Yeah, anybody else, do
any workout? Any any Jane find a workout from back
(27:16):
in the seventies and eighties.
Speaker 8 (27:18):
Yes, I actually did. I was working out prior to that.
Speaker 7 (27:23):
But I actually started to be very serious and getting
a routine only because I felt that I needed to
be my best self to feel confident.
Speaker 8 (27:32):
So that was part of my regiment to prepare. I
did go to the gym, and funny enough, I'm.
Speaker 7 (27:38):
I'm also a therapist as well, but I had not
been engaged in therapy. So another step that I had
to take again in preparation for the Phoenix Rising testimony
and being vulnerable. I did get back into therapy and
I attended weekly and it was very beneficial. I was
able to kind of iron out a lot of my
(28:00):
but also process that I had it in the past.
Speaker 8 (28:05):
And yeah, I also engaged in some anxieties and yeah,
I just you know, took some breath, took some time
for myself.
Speaker 7 (28:17):
When I felt like I was getting over So that
was the most im.
Speaker 4 (28:24):
Alright, So I'm not a therapist by definition however, or
degree I should say by degree, cause I I engage
people all the time therapeutically. However, my husband is a therapist.
And so I got the de breath, ditch debreathe and
(28:44):
so I'm going. And then then Sonya Kennedy, her spotlight
was yoga, and though I had tried yoga a number
of times, it's not my favorite. But when I got
in that space with you mm, it opened me to
the idea of taking the time to touch my toes
when I get out of bit fresh out of bed,
(29:06):
and so I've been doing that and I'm still doing that,
and so I took some of those cues.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
I really appreciated that space with you. She was very.
Speaker 4 (29:16):
Knowledgeable about yoga and getting in tune with your body,
and so I guess that's a therapist side of you,
but I really appreciated that, and so I took it.
And then I took the segments of competition and I
started to break them down and I would hone in
on one aspect a couple of weeks at a time
(29:36):
so that I can build my own confidence in that area.
And once I felt like, Okay, I got this. It's
in my head. I know what I'm supposed to do.
I pray religiously, I'm like, okay, God, here I am,
and I think I got this. So then I would
move on to the next phase of competition, just so
that I could feel fresh and renewed in areas and
(29:59):
not feel like I was beaten myself up in that space.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
M now, and I'm glad you all are answering, even
though you're not. This is not cookie cutter information, but
it helps the flow of the conversation because you literally
led right into my next comment, which is when you
saw Sonya. It was in September, which for the Beyond
(30:22):
Beautiful World pageant system is advocacy Month. Now for a
lot of patchet systems, they are called platforms, we call
them advocacies. And these are the causes that our delegates,
who are typically called contestants, stand on, meaning that they
are going to represent them as delegates and if they
(30:42):
become raigning queens, they will represent them during the year
of their reign. So what are your advocacies and why
did you choose them?
Speaker 2 (30:56):
So go ahead.
Speaker 7 (31:00):
To promote increased educational awereness and access to minority communities
to access oral health care.
Speaker 8 (31:11):
And that advocacy was very uh important to me because
of my own experience.
Speaker 7 (31:16):
I was involved in a tragedy, traumatic car accident when
I was a teenager that you know, changed my life,
and I did have a lot of challenges with receiving
care do the you know, just finances and a lot
of other factors, you know, and I am aware of
many more people that have similar struggles and not only
(31:39):
just you know, people that have experienced pricidents, but you know,
the elderly, you know, people that are in low income communities,
you know that just have challenges with you know, received
them proper care, and it just has so many other
health uh uh impacts on your health.
Speaker 8 (31:58):
So I do think it's an important.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Merriam alright, Misthsonia.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
Yeah, Well, my advocacy definitely was uh from my life
experience as a veteran and as a PTSC survivor. So
my advocacy was around supporting African American women with hidden disabilities,
because again PTSD is a hidden disability and it goes
(32:29):
so unrecognized, especially in minority communities, uh, specifically in African
American communities that are trauma field or trauma based, I
should say sometimes based on what we're exposed to.
Speaker 6 (32:41):
And so as a veteran, I really wanted.
Speaker 5 (32:44):
To support that particular population of African American women who
we're still fighting policy wise for better care, better health
care for African American women who served in the military.
So for me, it was near in dear to have
that advocacy and that platform because I've been on both
sides of the fence as a clinical therapist and also
(33:07):
as a person.
Speaker 6 (33:08):
Who had to endure that space as well.
Speaker 4 (33:13):
That's my advocacy is centered around girls ages eight to eighteen.
What I do in my everyday life is Runner after
school program five days a week when we serve kids
from the Greater Grand Crossing community. And the term is underserved.
I despite I hate that term because I feel like
(33:35):
we're not. We're underserved via the government and different support
systems and resources. I feel like that when we rise
up and we are willing to serve one another, we're
not underserved at all because our kids get what they need.
We deal with mental wellness, we deal with food and securities.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
We run a food.
Speaker 4 (33:56):
Pantry that feeds about five hundred families and it's super
important boxing. I personally am a double Dutch coach. I
am very very passionate, and I.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
Don't play about my girls. I get to take.
Speaker 4 (34:10):
Them out of state about five times a year. They
ain't care of, no expense for it, and it's just
been an amazing ride. We're due to be in New
York and at the end of December.
Speaker 3 (34:23):
That's so I'm super excited.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
All right now.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
Another one of the foundational pillars is self evolution and
the Beyond Beautiful World pageants system is so much more
than just the crown. It is about changing and evolving.
So how has the pageant season and system helped you
(34:50):
evolve and go about that journey of self evolution.
Speaker 5 (35:01):
I'm very big on personal development, and I was just
having this conversation today when people said, oh, come healed,
I don't know if you can do that because it's
an ongoing process healing.
Speaker 6 (35:15):
It's an ongoing process.
Speaker 5 (35:16):
So I'm stagnant if I'm good right here in this
moment that I meet you, And so I think doing
beyond beautiful world. There were a lot of things that
I was able to extend. They may have been there,
and I may have been working on them or doing
(35:37):
a little bit of them, but the pageant required that I.
Speaker 6 (35:40):
Do it full on right. It wasn't a half step.
Speaker 5 (35:43):
You couldn't do a percentage of The pageant required all
of those resources to connect, all of those parts of
myself to come together and evolve in that way, to
be a queen, to represent in a way that I
felt comfortable doing, and also so being able to be
out front and and literally be judged right, but knowing
(36:08):
that the judgment was not about what I looked like,
but what I was standing for So for me, that
was a a big evolutionary space.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
And that's excellent cause that's definitely what we wanted you
to experience in that manner, Tierra, I will say.
Speaker 7 (36:27):
I too also look for opportunities to grow whenever I can.
I have like a lot of different.
Speaker 9 (36:32):
Hobbies that I've explored because of that, just to see
what I can actually do.
Speaker 6 (36:38):
But from this.
Speaker 8 (36:39):
Pageant experience, you know, some of the things that I
knew were there and I struggled to find a way
to initiate on my own.
Speaker 7 (36:49):
I do think this experience helped push me forward, especially
with things like communicating talking openly. I am your soft spoken,
as you mentioned prior, but I do believe when I speak,
I have really powerful things to say, and I.
Speaker 8 (37:04):
Do believe this my normal helping me to see that
and see if I can't, you know, speak with conviction,
I can put myself out there and you know, people
will support me.
Speaker 7 (37:16):
So I really appreciated that.
Speaker 8 (37:20):
I would like to continue, especially as I am the
rain and Queen, to strengthen in those areas and just
continue to build my confidence.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
Al right.
Speaker 4 (37:31):
For me, it caused me to be less self conscious
and more self aware and that was real a real
big takeaway from me. I think a lot, and what
about this?
Speaker 3 (37:44):
And what about that?
Speaker 4 (37:45):
And and what if they think this or what if
they felt like that? When none of that really really
matters in the grand scheme of things. Nobody really cares
about what you're doing. And so to have it in
my head consistently was ah a dis event. I recently
found the book my husband and I've been going through it,
and it's thinking versus thoughts. So you can have a thought,
(38:12):
they come in your head and you don't have to
do anything for that to happen. Just depends on the
situation and the circumstance, whatever's happening.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
You're gonna have a thought. Might be good, might be bad,
but you're gonna have a thought.
Speaker 4 (38:24):
Thinking is different because you start to add to whatever
the thought was. Now you can either let the thought
go because it means absolutely nothing, or you can sit
in a space where you think about it and now
you become uncomfortable, or you feel bad, or you're discouraged
or you're depressed, and you're feeling all these different emotions.
(38:45):
And so this process helped me evolve in a space
where I'm choosing choosing to let the thought be what
it is.
Speaker 3 (38:54):
And not think.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
And that's a deep, powerful statement because a lot of
people I've had that conversation with a few of the
delegates live in their heads so much to the point
that you're almost talking yourself out of doing some of
the best things in your life, not experiencing some of
the best opportunities that God has put in front of you.
(39:17):
And it's hard when you're used to being in that
head space to make that adjustment. So it is great
that it helped you to pivot away from that. Now,
we welcome women that have pageant experience, but the Beyond
Beautiful World Pageant system has had the majority of its
(39:39):
delegates be first time pageant women, and saying that, how
do you feel a women can embrace their own beyond
beautiful qualities in their everyday lives because you all are
pageant the winners.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
But you still are.
Speaker 1 (40:05):
Everyday women, as is every other woman. I don't care
what system she's in. So when you see another woman,
how would you tell her to embrace what's beyond beautiful
about her?
Speaker 3 (40:22):
For me and.
Speaker 4 (40:26):
So amazing on this journey, I had the opportunity to
have a conversation with women that I didn't know, Like
on my shopping journey, when I was in a massage space,
when I'm getting my nails done preparing, I had the
opportunity and I boldly shared, Hey, I'm in this paget
and if I this, and if I that, and if
(40:47):
I went and I have women say to me, you know,
there's a space for women like me, And I'm like, yeah.
And it has nothing to do with your job, has
nothing to do with your intellect, It has nothing to
do with you being absolutely and so somebody judging how
beautiful you are externally, but it has everything to do
with who you are internally, and it puts you in
(41:09):
a space. What it causes you to have to get
in touch with who she is. If you've lost sight.
Speaker 3 (41:17):
Of who that girl is. This pageant system puts you
in a space where you have to dig deep and
you have no choice but to get to know her.
Speaker 4 (41:28):
You reunite with that authentic person that's really on the
inside of you in spite of what you look in
the mirror at every single day. And what really encouraged
me is after the pageant, I was actually this morning,
I was bringing a little girl to church and we
were just talking and she was like, well, what are
you doing at the church And I said, oh, I
(41:48):
have an interview on the Beyond Beautiful world Side and
she was like so exciting. My sister said, who is
right now, like sixteen, when when she gets twenty one,
she's doing in this pageant and we're gonna make it
a legacy. So when I get twenty one, I'm doing
this pageant. And I felt like we did what we
(42:08):
were supposed to do on that stage, you know what
I mean. We inspired and encouraged not just little girls,
but women to see because you got to tell that story.
They got to hear some of our challenges and experiences.
And so I would say to any woman, listen, this pageant.
Speaker 3 (42:26):
Is for you. It is, and I encourage you to and.
Speaker 4 (42:30):
I know you're gonna get some information on how to
do it when we leave. Before we leave, but I'm
telling you, if you're listening, take notes, write it down,
and don't be afraid to reach out to me and
be like, you know what, I really want to do
it because I heard the stories and I see regular
women doing this. We're not super special, although we are.
Speaker 1 (42:51):
I was about to say every woman is super special.
It's just a matter what way she's super special. Now,
I'm going to move on a little bit because I
know we don't want to grow over own time, and
there are certain things I really need you all to say.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
So again, what do.
Speaker 1 (43:10):
You hope to inspire in your brain for the next
year and who do you hope to touch most.
Speaker 5 (43:22):
Yeah, the reach could be so big, but I definitely
want to inspire tenacity, resilience and being the underdog. And
I think because I've always seen myself in a different way,
I know what I'm.
Speaker 6 (43:42):
Capable of, but I've also.
Speaker 5 (43:46):
Chosen in some spaces to kind of be that you know,
that background space, just depending on what it was.
Speaker 6 (43:53):
And so to have a platform.
Speaker 5 (43:56):
That would not allow you to do that, you could
not show up that way at all. You was either
coming or you ain't. You know, period, you're gonna be here,
you ain't. And so I definitely want to have those
three areas be a place of inspiration. And then as
I'm thinking about the reach, definitely you for still at
(44:17):
the forefront of what I started out as as a
clinician as a social worker, but for women again who
have had some adversities who've had to overcome some things
and they still show up.
Speaker 6 (44:35):
And so I want that's my underdog.
Speaker 5 (44:37):
That's that's the space that you know, I want to
you know, tap into that population of women to say.
Speaker 6 (44:42):
Oh, yeah you can.
Speaker 5 (44:44):
You know, you can come and be who you are
if you're you know, quirky or if you are an extrovert,
or even if you're an introvert.
Speaker 6 (44:52):
You know you can come.
Speaker 5 (44:54):
I'm a bunch of those, but you know, you can
show up and and and just have this experience.
Speaker 3 (44:59):
And that's what it is, an experience.
Speaker 1 (45:01):
Alright, Ms Tierra, Who do you hope to inspire and
what do you want to spend the majority of your
bigin highlighting doing.
Speaker 7 (45:15):
Yeah, so I hope to inspire you know when younger.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
So it's.
Speaker 3 (45:25):
Affectionately by girl.
Speaker 5 (45:29):
Yeah, just young women like myself who you know are
steel getting established.
Speaker 3 (45:37):
In a lot of different ways, you know, but that just.
Speaker 7 (45:40):
Need that extra gush and that need, you know, the
mentorship of the sisterhood because I did benefit in a
lot of those ways just with the you know, the
pageant sisters that are more experienced, uh, that were able
to just you know, support me in a lot of
different ways. So I do hope to inspire women that
are you know, still also battling insecurities that could benefit
(46:03):
from their sisterhood and that could benefit from you know,
having the proper you know, training or support to you know,
go to the next level. And then for.
Speaker 1 (46:18):
What I do would you like to do when you
let's say next October MM, when your one year reign
is over, what would you like to have said that
you have accomplished?
Speaker 8 (46:31):
Guess why I would hope, Well, I will.
Speaker 7 (46:33):
I'll say that speaking into existence, you know, serving the
communities that I am targeting, both lower.
Speaker 8 (46:39):
Income communities, but communities where there are a lot of
minorities that.
Speaker 7 (46:45):
Need dental care that cannot access it. I would like
to you know, participate and initiate.
Speaker 9 (46:52):
Coordinate more events that allows them to get what they
need because it is increasing as health.
Speaker 8 (47:06):
Care access that I can be a part of.
Speaker 1 (47:15):
Their alright and mis Chondra, what do you want to
see your legacy be at the end of your reign
and who what population do you want to have impacted
the most?
Speaker 4 (47:31):
So it's hugely important to me to impact our girls.
I need them to understand that you can do and
be anything you wanna be Some of them are limited,
and sometimes it's because of.
Speaker 3 (47:45):
A situation in a household.
Speaker 4 (47:47):
Sometimes it's them being bullied, sometimes it's just some of
'em are extremely arrogant for no reason. And I get
to a space where I can have one on one conversations,
hosts different events where I bring hundreds of girls together
in order to cohabitate, co exist in a space where
(48:12):
you're not envious or looking at your sid ad because
more the truth of it, we are more like than
we are different. And I'm hoping that I set an
example such that they can see that, not just me
talking about it. I need them to be to see
me living out what I'm expecting from you. And so
(48:34):
I hope to collaborate with other organizations as I do,
fill my space with community that knows that this space,
this space is for you, that it has nothing to
do with me, although I'm being used to assist you
to get to the next level. I want to impact
on people in a way where they understand that I
(48:58):
can do this.
Speaker 3 (48:59):
You know I don't.
Speaker 4 (49:00):
I don't want you to need me to do it.
I need to empower you in a space where you
know unequivocally I can do it.
Speaker 1 (49:10):
All right now, before we end today's interview, what is
one message you would like to leave everyone with today?
Starting with you, misterior, One message.
Speaker 9 (49:25):
I would like to is to.
Speaker 8 (49:28):
Just do it now. Do it scared, No, do it's hired.
Speaker 7 (49:32):
Just do it again.
Speaker 8 (49:34):
Speaking on the topic of overthinking, I am very.
Speaker 9 (49:38):
Much an overthinker, and I will get to the point where.
Speaker 8 (49:40):
I can psyc myself out of some things.
Speaker 9 (49:43):
But what has continue to help me can move forward
is to do it.
Speaker 2 (49:48):
Just start, Miss Sonia.
Speaker 5 (49:53):
Never let that last story be the only story. Always
know that there's room for other stories, for flourishing, for growth,
To be that butterfly and not just live in the
space of past stories.
Speaker 2 (50:11):
You're not gonna always be a caterpillar. Yeah all right,
and miss Chandra.
Speaker 3 (50:18):
Show up. If you're gonna be there, be there. Show
up not just for you, but when you show up.
Speaker 5 (50:26):
For you, you.
Speaker 3 (50:28):
Inadvertently show up for other people.
Speaker 1 (50:30):
Absolutely so for those of you that are excited about
the sixth annual Beyond Beautiful World pageant, because they, like
I said, they know me a little bit by now,
I'm always mentally a year out minimum. So the sixth
Annual Beyond Beautiful World pageant weekend is October twenty second
(50:55):
through the twenty fifth of twenty twenty six at Georgia's
Banquets eighty eight hundred West one hundred and fifty ninth
Street in Orland Park. And we are currently updating our
website because we have to put all these beautiful ladies
photos on there and make some additional changes because as
(51:16):
we continue to grow and evolve as a system, we
are having the assistance of our reigning queens and our
past queens in our changes for everyone's betterment. So please
go to www dot beyond Beautifulworld dot com and go
(51:37):
to the contact tab if you are interested in being
a delegate. Our age divisions are Diamonds who are twenty
one to twenty nine, Rubies who are thirty to thirty nine,
Emeralds who are forty to forty nine, and Sapphires who
are fifty and beyond. And let us know how we
can contact you If you are a sponsor, meaning if
(52:02):
you are a business owner, manager, etc. Who is interested
in supporting this venture of women's empowerment, women's entrepreneurship, women's evolution,
leave us a note with your business name and your
contact information. We will definitely get in touch with you
and if you are interested in being a vendor. They
(52:25):
did not have a chance to see the vendors because
they were backstage getting ready, but we had some fantastic
vendors this year. We're looking to have twenty vendors minimum
next year. One of the things that we insist upon
in this system, even on this level, is we do
not have duplicate vendors, meaning once we have a vendor
(52:47):
that sells journals, there will not be another vendor selling journals,
because we want the experience to be the best and
most financially profitable for each vendor as possible, so we
do not have again competition on that level. So if
you are interested in being a vendor, go to the
contact tab, let us know your company name and your
(53:09):
contact information, and one of us will be back in
touch with you. So with that block off your calendars.
Next year, one of the first things ever, we are
always looking to do something new. The preliminary round will
(53:31):
be open to the public, so you can purchase tickets
for that Friday night as well as that Saturday night
for the finals. So when we say pageant weekend, we
mean pageant weekend, So I look forward to hearing from
all of you, from delegates to sponsors to vendors. Be
(53:54):
prepared because Beyond Beautiful World's sixth annual pageant is going
to set Orland Park on fire. And if you want
to reach me personally, it's our I A. Rhea at
Beyond Beautifulworld dot com. You can email me and I
(54:14):
will respond with that. This is your girl, Ria Ray
hairs yard bro, National director of Northern Region of the
Beyond Beautiful World Pageant and co host of The Quintessential
Queen's Show and podcast on Intellectual Radio dot com and
iHeartRadio Station. Thank you so much for spending your afternoon
with me, missus Diamond, Miss Soapphire, Miss Beyond Beautiful World.
(54:38):
We will see you soon and update us to all
that they do because they are bringing the heat, because.
Speaker 6 (54:45):
They are coming up substance.
Speaker 2 (54:48):
Addaquette eligence beyond you.
Speaker 6 (54:53):
Good night, North shot down, shut down
Speaker 4 (55:06):
And
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