May 29, 2025 • 57 mins
What does it truly mean to wear the crown for 365 days? Behind the polished Instagram posts and stage performances lies a journey filled with grit, growth, and occasional tears. In this revealing conversation, Miss North Carolina 2024, Carrie Everett, brings us into the heart of her unlikely path to the title and the profound lessons she discovered along the way.
As a child of Liberian immigrants who moved across the country to attend an HBCU, Keri's story defies conventional pageant narratives. With astonishing candor, she reveals how she won her state title on her first attempt with just $40 to register for her local competition and a $275 evening gown from Poshmark. "God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called," she reflects, challenging the notion that financial resources determine pageant success.
The conversation takes us through the emotional rollercoaster of balancing full-time university studies with state responsibilities, navigating the political complexities of promoting diversity and inclusion in pageantry, and the heartbreaking experience of competing at Miss America while battling severe illness. Through it all, Carrie's message of self-grace emerges as her most powerful legacy.
Most revealing are the transformations that occurred beneath the crown – from learning that "being busy doesn't mean being productive" to discovering identity beyond achievement. As she prepares to pass on her title, Carrie offers wisdom that transcends pageantry: silence the external noise, resist the comparison trap of social media, and remember that if something is truly meant for you, it will fall into place regardless of your resources or circumstances. Her journey reminds us that sometimes the most beautiful crowning moments aren't the ones captured on stage, but the quiet victories of personal growth that follow.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Raeanna Johnson (00:01):
Welcome back to Sash and Soul everyone.
It is yet another lovelyepisode within the Crown and
Candid series.
This series is all about realconversations with current title
holders who are getting readyto give up their title after
almost an entire year of beingin the job, and the whole
purpose is to bring you anunfiltered look at what it truly
(00:21):
means to wear the crown.
So we're not just talking aboutwhat you see on Instagram or in
TikTok or all the highlightreels that we're so used to, or
what you saw in the Miss Americastage.
We are talking about the downand dirty, nitty gritty work of
it all behind the scenes and theemotional roller coaster and
the growth and everything thatcomes with being a title holder,
as a state title holder,throughout an entire 365 days.
(00:46):
So today I'm really thrilled tointroduce our Miss North
Carolina 2024, keri Everett, andwe were just chatting a little
bit before we hit record and sheI'm so excited about this
particular message.
Her overall message is sosimple Just give yourself grace
is what she said.
(01:06):
So we'll be talking all thingsself-care, self-love and grace
for yourself in all aspects ofpageantry and life today.
And with that, welcome Keri.
Thanks for joining me.
Carrie Everett (01:20):
Thank you so much for having me.
Should I introduce myself now?
Raeanna Johnson (01:24):
Yes, please, please, tell us a little bit
about yourself, okay, helloeveryone.
Carrie Everett (01:29):
My name is Keri Everett.
I am a junior now at NorthCarolina Central University
studying vocal performance.
I'm a child of Liberianimmigrants, so that's a huge
part of my story and why I dowhat I do.
My CSI or my community serviceinitiative was Seize the
Opportunity.
We Need, Equity to BuildCommunities, and that's all
about making pageants moreinclusive.
Why I do what I do.
My CSI or my community serviceinitiative was seize the
opportunity.
We need, equity to buildcommunities, and that's all
about making pageants moreinclusive and accessible to all
(01:51):
young women from all backgrounds.
So that's a little bit about me.
Raeanna Johnson (01:54):
Yeah, I love your CSI and I want to do an
entire episode just about that,so stay tuned for that.
What got you into pageants inthe first place?
So stay tuned for that.
What got you into pageants inthe first place?
Carrie Everett (02:05):
So it's very interesting.
But my school counselor at myhigh school, her daughter was,
you know, because we had theLittle Sisters program, but her
daughter was at the time called,you know, just Sparkles,
because I competed at MissWashington before I competed in
North Carolina.
But I was competing for thetitle of Miss Auburn because,
(02:25):
excuse me, miss Auburn'soutstanding team at the time,
Because she wanted her daughterto have an older sister.
I didn't really know what itentailed at the time, I just
thought that I was just a mentorin this program.
What I didn't understand was Iwas actually joining the Miss
America organization, so herdaughter was actually adopted
from Ethiopia and she felt likeher daughter was kind of out of
(02:47):
place.
Sometimes she didn't have likefull representation.
So she wanted her daughter tohave that you know bond with
somebody that kind of lookedlike her and represented her.
And you know I was a greatexample for her.
I got first runner up on myfirst try against 13 girls and I
was encouraged to keep going.
So I competed for Miss Auburnthe next year and the rest is
history.
Raeanna Johnson (03:08):
So how did you end up from Washington to North
Carolina?
Carrie Everett (03:13):
So I graduated from high school in 2022.
I was Miss Auburn in 2022 and Icompeted at Miss Washington
that summer.
But I knew that I wanted to goto school out of state because I
specifically wanted to attendan HBCU and there are no HBCUs
on the West Coast.
So I made up my mind that I wasgoing to move across the
(03:33):
country.
I just didn't know where andwhen yet.
So I took a gap year off fromschool because you know, being a
title holder and being in highschool and doing all the things
like I was senior classpresident, I was BSU president,
I was all these things toeverybody.
So I wanted that gap year toreally discover who I was and
what I wanted to do.
I took that time and I choseNorth Carolina Central
(03:54):
University because the musicdepartment fit exactly what I
was looking for, and I packed upmy life and I moved to North
Carolina to go to school andthen I decided to compete
because that was always withinthe plan.
Raeanna Johnson (04:07):
So you went through your first year of
college in North Carolina andthen competed for Miss North
Carolina.
This was your first timecompeting in North Carolina.
Carrie Everett (04:16):
Yes, it was.
Raeanna Johnson (04:17):
What was going through your head the night that
you were crowned?
Carrie Everett (04:21):
So I'm going to talk about the before crowning,
because I think that reallyimpacted what I thought after
crowning.
But throughout the process alot of people encouraged me to
just aim to be top 10 or aim toplace or do well or maybe win a
talent award.
But in my head I was like Icame here to win.
(04:42):
I came here with anunderstanding that my purpose is
greater than just showing up.
I have to show up and then takeup space.
And a lot of people really werelike you know, girl, it's okay
no matter what happens.
And I was like, no, I'm notgonna be fine no matter what
happens, and I always okay withlosing.
I think it's always a greatexperience, no matter what.
(05:04):
But I knew what I came there todo.
I felt like it was God'sordained time and purpose for me
to win at that particular time.
So I really gave it my all.
And when we get to the top 10, Iwas like, oh my god, I made it
to the top 10.
You know, like that feeling ofokay, I made it past the first,
the first step, you know, aslong as I make the top 10, I
(05:27):
feel like I'm fine and competedin all the phases.
And then we get to the top fiveand you know how sometimes they
kind of call in order of a lineand you know I can see I was
like third I was third, yes, Iwas third, and they kind of
called you know everybody, I wasthird, yes, I was third, and
(05:47):
they kind of called you knoweverybody already.
That was kind of in line.
And then they get to the verylast name and they say Johnson
County, that's the county Irepresented.
They said Carrie Everett.
Raeanna Johnson (05:52):
I was like, okay, I just made the top five.
Carrie Everett (05:55):
And I said to myself, god, whatever it is, I'm
grateful because I already, youknow, showed up and showed out.
I proved myself.
It's my first year competing,but that's not what I came here
to do.
So we get to the crowningmoment where they're calling out
names and when they get to thetop two the first runner up she
(06:16):
whispers to me and she saysyou're going to be a fantastic
Miss North Carolina, and hername is Keely Keely Jones.
And I was like girl, what areyou talking about?
It's two of us up here, right?
But she whispered that to meand at that moment I felt a sort
of peace and calm come over mebecause I was like, oh my God, I
think I really just won this onmy first try, against all odds.
(06:39):
Like, if you understood theprocess of how I got there, at
the time I went to NorthCarolina, I didn't have any
money.
It's actually, you know, I had$40 when I registered to compete
for my local competition.
I was a broke college student.
My evening gown cost $275 fromPoshmark.
I barely had the money to paymy state contestant fee.
(06:59):
My local director had to helpme out.
So there were all these thingsthat were telling me that maybe
this isn't for you, maybe thisis meant for somebody who has
the resources, that has themeans to compete, that can be a
representative, because theyhave it all.
But at that moment it just noneof it mattered, because it was
the grace and the favor of Godthat truly granted me that
(07:20):
opportunity.
I, statistically maybe I don'tknow what statistics are but
against all odds I was probablynot supposed to win, but against
all odds I did.
Raeanna Johnson (07:31):
I saw your post about your evening gown on
National Dress Day, that youfound it for $275 and you called
your mom, who was in Liberia at2 am and got the money to buy
it right away.
So can you.
This is a beautifulconversation piece to have,
because this is one of thebiggest limiting beliefs for
(07:53):
women competing in pageantry isthat you need to have some wild
amount of money or financialsupport from your family all of
these things like ducks in a rowin order to be successful.
So tell me about how you kindof overcame some of those
limiting beliefs if you ever hadthem that for some reason this
(08:15):
couldn't happen for you becauseyou didn't have those resources.
Carrie Everett (08:19):
So you know, as the saying goes, God does not
call the qualified, he qualifiesthe called.
As the saying goes, God doesnot call the qualified, he
qualifies the called.
And if you really feel like youneed those things and you're
fighting with yourself andsaying I need to have this, I
need to have that, the Lord willprovide for you.
And I don't know whateverybody's beliefs are, but if
you want to save the universe orwhatever, if it's meant to be,
it will happen.
(08:39):
It doesn't matter how muchmoney you have, it doesn't
matter what gown you wear.
You could wear a couture, youcould wear something that's off
the rack but if something ismeant for you, it will fall into
place.
Like when I first startedcompeting, I don't think I've
ever worn anything.
Yeah, I don't think I've everworn anything that cost over
$1,000 prior to Miss America.
(09:00):
So in my head it was like howwill I save money and put my
best foot forward?
It was never about let me wearthe most expensive gown or the
most expensive shoes and thatwill be the way I win, Because
it's not about that in reality.
If you put your best footforward, if you present yourself
the way you're, the way you arefully and authentically, if
(09:22):
they can see your heart and yourheart for service, first and
foremost.
If you're able to compete andget on that stage, why would
they deny you?
Raeanna Johnson (09:29):
because you don't have the funds or the
resources for it, and I wouldhope this organization doesn't
operate that way, as well as anypageant, because that compete
in a highly competitive or inwhat the rest of us, like over
here in the Midwest, see as acompetitive pageant state in
(09:49):
North Carolina, right, Like mostof the Southern states seem
like really competitive, and soI think that you know anyone
that is competing in a reallycompetitive pageant state.
I think that's kind of the ideais that you need the couture
gowns and you need, you know,the custom interview outfits and
all of this stuff, and it'strue, you just don't.
One of the things you said thatI want to talk more about those
(10:10):
.
You said you really felt likethis was ordained for you this
year, but you didn't say so.
That gave me all the comfortand I felt really good about it
going in.
You said so I worked my butt offfor it.
So can you tell me thatmentality?
Because I think sometimes wesometimes fall into this like if
it's meant to be, it'll happen,and we kind of like take a
(10:31):
backseat a little bit ratherthan if it's meant to be, it'll
happen and I'm going to puteverything I have into it.
So can you tell me a little bitmore about your mentality in
that?
Carrie Everett (10:39):
So part of my mentality was that with that is
I was hungry.
When I say I was hungry, Ineeded to win this North
Carolina, not because it wasgoing to make me the most
amazing, outstanding person andgive me all this attention or
fix my life or fix all myproblems.
It was because I knew that thatwas what God was calling me to
(11:00):
do at that particular moment.
And sometimes we feel like,okay, this is something that was
prophesied over me.
Somebody said this was going tohappen for me, or I'm good at
this, so naturally it will fallinto place.
You have to get up off of yourbutt and go for something.
You have to get up off of yourbutt and go for it.
I was practicing my walk at 2am.
I was singing every chance Ihad.
(11:21):
I was very particular aboutevery piece of wardrobe that I
put on that stage.
I was calculated in mymarketing at work.
Weekend I was listening, excuseme, and taking notes on every
little thing.
I watched every Miss Americacompetition and every Miss North
Carolina competition that Icould, because I knew that I was
(11:43):
not up against.
You know something easy andeven though we feel like, yeah,
it's for me, it should happen,it'll fall into place.
You do have to work for thingsto fall into place.
As you're moving and you'refeeling like things aren't
falling apart, they're fallinginto place.
I don't think I've ever justexpected things to come to me.
(12:04):
I guess it's just never beenthat way in my life.
I've always had to work, youknow, twice as hard in some
cases.
But I wanted to make sure thatI was ready to go to Miss
America.
When I won Miss North Carolinaand I knew that wouldn't show up
if I just, you know, let it be.
(12:25):
Even if I had one that night,that was not all I wanted.
I wanted to show up and show upat Miss America and be ready to
go.
I wanted the judges to see notonly is she ready to win this
title and carry this crown here,she could possibly go to Miss
America and do well there as youwere working so hard out of
this hunger, this thirst, thisdrive, how did you maintain your
(12:47):
sense?
of self and groundedness in thatprocess.
So I call it the pageant crazy,but I get a little bit
obsessive when I really wantsomething and it tends to take a
toll on my mental health.
In preparation for Miss JohnsonCounty, miss North Carolina,
miss America, I was in aheadspace of I need this, I need
this, I need this.
(13:07):
But sometimes that gets a bitdangerous, especially when you
start prioritizing that overyour mental health or over your
self-worth, or you get into thatheadspace of comparison, even
questioning your capabilitiesand who you are as a person,
based off of a crown.
But the way I always groundmyself is I am so grounded in
fasting and prayer and I makesure that I take the time to
(13:31):
operate in the headspace of am Iputting this on a pedestal and
idolizing this title for reasonsthat are outside of giving
glory to God or being arepresentative, or being a good
person and showing up for mycommunity, grounding yourself in
the reason why you're hererather than the goal.
You know, like I want the crown, yes, but why?
(13:53):
And when you know your why, youask yourself a why constantly.
Then I think you get back intothe headspace of hey, I am not
doing this because of a piece ofmetal and some gemstones.
I'm not doing this for a sashwith words that get the sash
(14:14):
gets dirty anyway.
You'll be fine.
But grounding yourself alwaysand for me it's fasting and
prayer, for other people itmight be meditation or working
out or yoga, just findingwhatever works for you to calm
yourself down and to sit down,like sit yourself down.
Raeanna Johnson (14:29):
Yeah, I think focusing on that big picture,
your purpose, your why,everything that you just said is
like one of the bestfoundations, like the foundation
of making sure that you arecentering yourself and grounding
, like making sure that you arefocusing on that grace for
yourself and why you're doing it, rather than getting all caught
(14:50):
up in the weeds of all thethings that just really don't
matter, like you were saying,like the comparison or the
self-doubt, like those thingsare just they're going to cause
you to stay stuck and we got tokeep moving forward towards that
goal.
Carrie Everett (15:01):
Right Cause you can't look back.
Forward is not backwards.
So you keep looking back andsaying, okay, but I had, I
haven't done this this year, Ihaven't accomplished this goal
this year.
If I go to miss North Carolinaor if I go to miss America and
the judges see that I haven'tdone this, but then why don't
you just go forward and dosomething else?
You know like it's.
It's just, it's a matter ofalways looking forward, always
(15:22):
having hope, always findingstrength in the why.
Raeanna Johnson (15:28):
Yeah, exactly, and sometimes moving forward is
like taking a beat and sittingin that prayer, sitting in that
meditation, like having gracefor yourself, taking care of
yourself, so that you canregroup to move forward.
Carrie Everett (15:43):
And I also feel like a lot of title holders get
lost in the busy.
We all feel the need to makeourselves busy this whole time
and make sure everybody knowsthat we're doing something
always.
We're constantly doingsomething.
You have to see me post thatI'm here, that I'm there, that
I'm there, that I'm there, butyou're a human being at the end
of the day.
Like I said, give yourself thegrace, you're not a machine and
(16:11):
people seeing you being busydoes not add or subtract to the
fact that you're still astate-type older Yep.
Raeanna Johnson (16:14):
Exactly, exactly it is.
You said it before.
It's the way you show up andshow out, and it's so true, all
right.
So what did you think this jobwas going to look like, versus
like what it actually lookedlike?
Was it any different than whatyou had imagined?
Carrie Everett (16:32):
I will say I came in with the expectation
that I might be able to take ayear off from school but because
I found my eligibility in thefact that I am a North Carolina
student, I have been doing thisas a full-time student and for
me that looks like, you know, inpreparation for Miss America.
The first six months wassomething Like I would wake up
(16:55):
very early, work out, go to myclasses, come from my classes,
take a beat, do some work, maybego to an appearance If I have
an appearance that night work onsome homework, have a little
bit of time to myself, rinse andrepeat every day.
And it got to a place where Iwas like I wish I could have
chosen one of the other, but italso made my journey so unique
(17:19):
for people to see thepossibility and being able to
balance both and do both and doall the things.
While I would advise against inthe future for others maybe not
a full schedule, even thoughit's required if you are an
out-of-state student.
But you know I didn't expect tobe so drowned in school during
(17:43):
the year and I will be honestabout it, I feel like I was
drowning at some point, likearound November, and that's
where, you know, everybodystarted getting like but, you
know, getting to America,starting to feel like I can do
this right now.
But I didn't have thatexpectation going in.
But, looking back, I made itthrough.
(18:04):
There was no way to go aroundit, there was no way to go over
it or under it.
I just had to go through it andI'm glad that I did.
Raeanna Johnson (18:13):
Did you ever experience like this, Like what
did I get myself into?
Or any kind of like impostersyndrome, especially early on?
Carrie Everett (18:23):
I mean, especially being that it was my
first year and I didn't reallyknow anybody here and I, you
know, feeling out of place comessyndrome a lot of the time and
being like, oh my God, like didI deserve to win this?
Was I the right choice for this?
But then you think to yourself,if not me, then who?
(19:18):
I won this for a reason and Iput my everything into it and
sometimes I go back and I readmy things worked in my favor.
So why should I not feel like Ideserve this?
Or why should I not, you know,carry this with pride and joy
and know that?
Raeanna Johnson (19:36):
this is something that I deserved.
Yeah, it's not like you took itfrom someone.
The judges entrusted you withthis position for the year and
they saw your capability in you,and there's a part of that that
you also have to trust.
Carrie Everett (19:50):
You know different judges different day.
You know I might not have won,it was a different set of judges
.
But then I think to myself no,I would have won.
Raeanna Johnson (20:00):
I love that.
Well, you had like, you hadyour sights on it and this, this
was it for you.
Yeah, I remember, like my, mylast year going into Miss
Wisconsin.
It was my very last year ofeligibility.
I had already done the job forsix months the craziest of
circumstances at least what itfelt like to me and I didn't
(20:20):
have a backup plan that year.
That was my first year of fourtimes competing for Miss
Wisconsin that I didn't have abackup plan.
I didn't have a.
If I don't win this, then Ihave something else to look
forward to.
Carrie Everett (20:34):
My mom had asked me.
She's like what are you goingto do if you don't win?
And I said I don't know.
This is my only plan.
My friend Jamie at Miss NorthCarolina.
She was like what are you goingto do when you get back?
What are you going to do whenyou get home?
I said I'm not going to become,I'm not going back to being a
local title holder.
She was like are you going tocompete?
Raeanna Johnson (20:46):
again I said no , did you have moments of
worrying that you would bedisappointed?
Carrie Everett (20:52):
I you know, like the night before finals I was
so worried I couldn't even sleep.
But, um, I was like you knowwhat will happen if I don't win
this?
I'm just gonna go home and beso hurt and broken and
disappointed.
But then I was like you knowwhat will happen if I don't win
this?
I'm just gonna go home and beso hurt and broken and
(21:13):
disappointed.
But then I was like, wait aminute, I was a double prelim
winner on my first try.
Not just the prelims, I just Ihad a different aura about
myself that I don't think I'veever competed with before.
Like I just felt like it wasright and there was a doubt,
(21:33):
there was fear, but I keptseeing things that reassured me
and I kept praying and I kepttrusting and a lot of the time I
think a lot of people wherethey struggle with you know the
belief is the trust.
Like you have to just trust and.
But I was just so calm andrelaxed and you know I felt
(21:54):
doubtful the night before.
But I woke up the next morninglike girl, carry over North
Carolina.
Raeanna Johnson (22:02):
Okay, so into the year we're crowned, we're
diving in.
What was the business side ofit like for you?
Carrie Everett (22:09):
So it was interesting because the Miss
North Carolina board is, youknow, like I said, I competed in
Washington but it shows updifferent every every state.
Like the board in Washington isa lot smaller, it's a bit of a
chill vibe, but North Carolinaboard it's a system and I'm
working with all thesecompletely new people and it's
interesting because I came inknowing that there were, like
(22:32):
you know, I knew about likethree or four members of the
board, but really it is a wholeunit of people and they're a big
state committee along with it.
So working with this new unitof people has been so
interesting and I'm blessed toknow each and every one of them.
They're truly my family at thispoint.
But I, everybody has adifferent role, everybody has a
different task and they havehelped me so much in fulfilling
(22:56):
my role and making sure that Istay on top of my stuff and on
top of my task.
A lot of my appearances arebooked in advance thanks to,
thanks to them.
A lot of the things that we didthroughout the year, the
opportunities I had, were basedoff connections that they built
and in terms of, likesponsorship, we have a sponsor
team that reaches out tosponsors and builds an entire
(23:17):
sponsorship package, and thesponsors fulfill their end, we
fulfill ours and they make surethat they keep us on track and
you know doing what we'resupposed to do.
Social media wise, we've hadhelp with, like you know, the
social media team and the peoplewho are in charge of PR.
We had a PR firm.
We also had a legal counsel onthe board, so it's a whole
(23:37):
system that I was kind of like,oh, but here we are and we just
had to make it work At somepoint.
You know, it gets a little bitlike, like I say, it's going to
get daunting because there areso many people that you have to
go through, but it's necessaryand it makes the process a lot
smoother on everybody's end ifcommunication goes all the way.
Raeanna Johnson (23:59):
What were some of the biggest lessons that you
learned from this experience ofworking with the Miss North
Carolina board?
Carrie Everett (24:07):
experience of working with the Miss North
Carolina board, interdependenceis better than being dependent
or independent.
So I think I've always knownthat.
But I really learned this yearthat it truly does take a team
and I don't have to do it bymyself, I don't have to
completely rely on myself.
You know, like, especially withpageants, I've always felt the
need to be my own coach, be myown director, be my own this, be
my own.
That Even in preparation forMiss North Carolina I didn't
(24:29):
have any coaches.
I didn't have, you know,besides, interview, my board
didn't really, you know, coachme that much in preparation
because I was like I got it, Igot it, I got it, I got it.
But you know it's okay to askfor help, it's okay to rely on
others, it's okay to lead onyour team and the system of
people.
You have the system of peoplethat you have because they're
(24:50):
there for a reason they're thereto help you.
And you know you can't just sayno, I'm good for everything.
Raeanna Johnson (24:58):
How did you navigate your appearances that
were pre-booked for you throughthe organization and your CSI
work that you wanted to dothrough?
Carrie Everett (25:06):
the organization and your CSI work that you
wanted to do.
So the appearances that arepre-booked are things that every
Miss North Carolina does and Ithink when I was informed of
that it kind of gave me adifferent sense of
responsibility that, hey, I haveto maintain this relationship
because it's super important tonot only the organization but
the next girl.
And you know, there weremoments where I was like, oh, I
(25:27):
wish I could have gone there todo this for my CSI or to help
here or do this or that.
But also like building thoseconnections and maintaining
those connections are soimportant and also contributed
to my CSI.
There were a lot of you knowthings that or things
connections I built based off ofappearances that were booked
(25:48):
and I ended up being able to dothings or connect with you know
different people based off ofthat.
So you know it got.
It got a bit tricky, like Isaid, around like November,
november, december, becausethat's right before Miss America
.
But you know, the appearancesthat they booked were so helpful
and they helped me build myportfolio I don't want to say
(26:09):
portfolio, but they helped me,you know, get in the community
and get to know North Carolinamore as well.
Raeanna Johnson (26:16):
That is amazing , and I've heard great things
about the North Carolinaorganization, so that's really
fun to hear from yourperspective.
Especially coming new and notreally knowing anyone to begin
with is like that's that'sreally powerful, like that's
inspiring, that the organizationis just so passionate about
their girls and building up theorganization.
(26:37):
So kudos to you, miss NorthCarolina organization.
I do want to ask a little bitabout your CSI before we dive
into like your journey to MissAmerica and what that experience
was like, just because I wouldimagine, just with the political
climate, it's been aninteresting experience for you
this year.
Carrie Everett (26:58):
So with diversity, equity, inclusion
being such buzzwords kind of butmisunderstood buzzwords, I will
say it was interestingnavigating that, especially
moving from a very blue state toa swing state that's, you know,
now leaning red and having toexplain diversity and equity and
inclusion to people.
(27:18):
Often it's been interesting,but especially in context of
pageantry, because when peoplehear that we need equity in the
Miss America opportunity,they're like are you saying that
Miss America isn't fair?
And I'm not saying that MissAmerica isn't fair from a
judging perspective.
I'm saying that there are othercontestants in this
organization that sometimes donot have the resources to
(27:40):
compete or to make it to thestate level or to compete at the
national level.
Because, like you know, we wantto be completely honest.
Resources are everything,connections are everything.
People from certainsocioeconomic backgrounds are
not going to be able to alwaysafford the fees.
They're not going to always beable to, you know, pay for the
(28:01):
athletic wear or to buy all thegowns or the production dresses,
et cetera, et cetera.
It's going to be a littleharder for some people.
So we can't ignore that in thisspace, because it's almost
dangerous to say we are ascholarship organization that's
supposed to build up young women, but only certain young women
have access to that.
Raeanna Johnson (28:20):
What was some of the kickback that you
received and how did you handleit?
Carrie Everett (28:26):
I think it was just a lack of understanding of
what I was trying to promote andhow I was trying to go about it
.
Because, especially with my CSIhaving to do with recruitment
and trying to get young womenfrom other backgrounds involved,
a lot of people were like whyonly you know, why are you only
trying to recruit HBCU students?
(28:46):
I was like I'm not only tryingto recruit HBCU students, I'm
just starting there, becausethey're often the ones that get
left out.
I'm not just starting withpeople from lower socioeconomic
backgrounds, I'm just, you know,I'm beginning there but I'm not
going to finish there.
I want everyone to be involvedin this organization, but you
know the last will be the firstand the first will be the last.
(29:08):
You know it's that big.
I just want to see new faces.
I want to see change in theorganization.
I want to see changes in ourboards.
Even if we can have that happen, you know, at every level.
Raeanna Johnson (29:21):
Yeah, more representation so that there's a
better understanding of alldifferent perspectives of the
human experience.
Yeah, for sure, All right.
So tell me about November it'scome up a couple of times what
was November like for you?
Carrie Everett (29:37):
I'm telling you the month before, miss America
feels like your head is beingsqueezed constantly and like I
don't think I could processthings the way I could process
them in October or December, Idon't know what it was about.
November I just felt like Ithink I cried every day, every
(30:01):
day.
I don't even know why I wascrying.
I was just like this is sostressful between you know
sometimes the wardrobe wasn'tworking, sometimes the interview
prep wasn't working, sometimesthe school wasn't working, and
you know that's right, that'sright when we're having finals
at school.
I was just like, oh my God,what is happening to me?
(30:22):
And I would have to go on walksat night and just be like, yeah
, I gotta breathe, I gottabreathe, I gotta breathe.
November just felt like I wasliterally like this yeah and
this, this arm was Miss Americaand this arm was school, and
they were just like yeah, rockin a hard place.
Raeanna Johnson (30:43):
Yeah, how, how did you?
How did you get through it?
I would imagine grace is afocal point here.
But, like, what was thatprocess like for you?
And and what would you say tosomebody else going through a
similar circumstance?
Carrie Everett (30:59):
Um, excuse me, I'm a little sick, but the way I
got through it was constantlycommunicating with the people I
love and, you know, confiding inmy business manager, miss
Adrienne Sulkey, just talking topeople around you, because,
even though you feel like peopledon't understand what you're
going through, someoneunderstands, and a lot of the
former Miss North Carolinas,especially, were my people
(31:22):
during that time because theywere like you know, I get it
Right before Miss America, missNorth Carolina 2022 and 2023,
carolyn and Taylor.
They were like always there.
I would ask a million questionsand they would always respond.
So I hope to be that Miss NorthCarolina to the next queen and
the one after that.
But, you know, confiding inpeople, speaking to people
(31:44):
around you and recognizing thatyou are not alone makes a major
difference, even though you feellike it.
And plus, you have 50 otherWell, yeah, 50, because Puerto
Rico, you have 50 othercontestants that are competing
with you and they get whatyou're going through right now.
So, just talking to everybodytalking to everybody.
Raeanna Johnson (32:09):
Yeah, I think that's like a common
misconception, that like whenyou're going through that, you
look around at all these otherwomen that are also competing
for Miss America and they looklike they have it together, and
the thing is is you also looklike you have it together from
the outside, looking in, but youdon't feel that way, and so
it's kind of hard to rememberthat every single one of those
girls has their own stuff goingon at the same time.
And I remember feeling likethat.
I remember feeling like if Ilet it show that I feel like I'm
(32:30):
falling apart, then they'regoing to see right through me
and see that I'm not preparedfor this, that I'm not doing a
good job, and that is thebiggest lie I could have told
myself.
Carrie Everett (32:37):
Right and you know, a lot of the girls were
like I'm confused too.
We're all confused, so puttingsolidarity in our confusion
definitely eased my mind alittle bit.
But um, you know the lonelyfeeling as a title holder.
It does take over everybody.
You know, everybody has thatmoment where they're like nobody
(32:58):
understands me.
But you really do have so manypeople across the country, not
even just state title holders,but you know former national
title holders even.
Raeanna Johnson (33:08):
How did you well, first, where did you feel
like that loneliness came from,Like when did it hit you and
where did it come from?
Carrie Everett (33:16):
Well, I don't have family in North Carolina,
so I was basically starting fromscratch in building my
community and something I thinkthat a lot of people right now
don't recognize because we'rekind of in an era of
individualism.
But you need community, youneed people, you need to have
folks that you can rely on andspeak to.
(33:37):
But I really missed my parents,I missed my siblings.
Like I felt like I was missingout on a lot and you know, and
then being a title holder thatdidn't make a lot of friends my
first year because I was, youknow, I did make friends, but I
was so like in the zone that Iwasn't really friends with my
entire class.
(33:57):
And then at school, it was hardto make friends at school
because I was always doingsomething outside of school,
like I didn't go to anybasketball games, I barely went
to events.
I only was able to go to ourhomecoming football games.
So being busy all the time kindof took away from my social
(34:17):
building that I really needed,especially as a college student
and as a sophomore.
There are times that I'm like,you know, maybe I should have.
Just even though I was tiredthat day, I should have just
forced myself to get up and goto that school event.
But you know some people in theorganization, like my local
(34:52):
director from the SeanstonCounty or my business manager,
the person in charge of styling,from North Carolina.
They were really people that Ican lean on, and the few friends
that I did have were myprofessors.
You know they were a communitythat I was slowly building and
getting used to and gettingcloser to, and I'm grateful that
I had them, because, woo, itdoes get to a point where you're
(35:14):
like, oh my God, I am tired ofthis.
Raeanna Johnson (35:18):
Yeah, did you ever feel any guilt about that?
Because I mean you going backto your crowning night and all
the preparation that you putinto it, like earning this
position, and then, when youhave those moments of loneliness
or exhaustion, did guilt evercreep in?
Carrie Everett (35:37):
I mean in moments where I was like, you
know, maybe I should have justwaited a year or waited until I
graduated and slowed down.
I should have just waited ayear or waited until I graduated
and slowed down.
But then again I, like I said Iknew that what happened for me
(35:57):
this year could not bereplicated.
And, you know, I just felt liketiming is so important, like I
haven't seen my family sincelike May of 2023.
Well, I went home forThanksgiving for two days, but
you know, when I say my family,mean like my all my friends, my
community, I really have notseen anybody like that for a
year.
Actually, I said may 2022,excuse me, may 2024, yeah, but
(36:23):
um you, I feel more so guiltyabout missing out on everybody's
lives for this rather than likefeeling guilty about winning,
because you know there aremoments where you're going to be
like, oh, maybe this personwould have done this better,
(36:46):
missing out on everybody else'slives.
And I feel a littleself-centered at times.
And why am I crying about, youknow, my dress not fitting me
when there's like worse thingshappening out there to other
people, you know?
Raeanna Johnson (36:55):
How did your preparation for Miss America
differ from your preparation forMiss North Carolina?
Carrie Everett (37:00):
So in preparation excuse me, in
preparation for Miss NorthCarolina, like I said, I kind of
did most of the prep on my ownand that was a personal choice
of mine.
My board did offer but I knewthat I was just going to have to
do most of the work by myself.
Like the talent preparation, Ispoke to my vocal professor and
we did some work on that andmaybe like one or two times and
(37:23):
that was about it.
In terms of like walkingpractice, I've always just done
my own walking practice andstuff like that, but I was
really by myself for the mostpart in preparation.
But for Miss America I wasworking with an entire team.
You know we have walk interviewpanels but we also have like
the board working with the boardmembers.
I kind of felt like sometimesthat my opinions didn't really
(37:45):
get through to them and theyreally really weren't
understanding my vision.
And I always tell peoplethere's like a method to my
madness.
Like you might feel like, okay,she's a bit cuckoo in the
preparation process, because Ido get a bit like you know, you
know who's practicing walking atlike 1am or you know who's
exercising at like 4am, but Iget a bit.
(38:07):
But you know, I just wantpeople to understand.
There is a method to my madnessand I think sometimes there was
just a lack of understanding,but that's also on my end,
because I struggled tocommunicate with them, because I
really didn't understand themsometimes.
I don't know.
I just it was different workingby myself versus working with
(38:28):
all these people.
You know, and even with stylingthere were a lot of opinions
and before you know, I justpicked out my own wardrobe and I
said to my board this is whatI'm wearing, this is what I'm
doing with my hair, here's thishair, here's this.
(38:49):
But with Miss America it waslike we went shopping as a group
.
We did all these thingstogether, which I kind of
appreciated and I liked and Ithought it was fun.
But there were some times whereI was like I wish you guys
weren't here so I could pickbased off of what I think is
right and know that it's what Ireally want.
Raeanna Johnson (39:03):
Yeah, because that's a lot of voices and a lot
of opinions, it's hard tonavigate what you really want
for yourself.
What were the most unexpectedchallenges that you faced at
Miss America?
Carrie Everett (39:18):
So at Miss America.
Oh, this haunts me to this day.
I got so sick.
Raeanna Johnson (39:23):
All of you guys got sick.
Carrie Everett (39:25):
The worst.
I don't know what happened.
I don't know how it got in.
I was so sick the day we hadour photo shoot with Carlos
Carlos Velez.
That was the first day.
It that was also the day we hadour welcome ceremony or you
know the signing.
I woke up and I was like I don'tknow if I can, I don't feel
(39:49):
right, like I don't know if Ican stand up.
I started to feel like nauseousand stuff like that.
Then it got like way worse andthen when I did my photo shoot,
I walk out of the like I take myphotos with Carlos Velez, walk
out to go change my gown.
I'm in the room.
(40:09):
There's other contestants inthere.
I think it was.
Was it Miss DC or Miss Lou?
Somebody was in there, somebodywas in there.
One of the contestants was inthere and I just start throwing
up in the trash.
And I was just so hurt by that.
I did not want to get sick.
I was like God, just don't letme get sick.
(40:31):
And I got so sick and I was sickthe whole week, came back, had
the flu, um, I was sick thewhole week and for that reason I
think I also struggled to talkto people because I was like,
and I wanted to make friends sobad, but I was just so like the
whole time, right and shout outto my girls, shout out to my
(40:52):
girls, love them, my girls, missOhio, miss, puerto Rico.
Shout out to everybody, yeah,whole class.
And I was like, oh my God, youguys aren't even seeing my real
personality right now becauseI'm so sick Like I couldn't even
.
And I'm still surprised eventhat I won talent because I
could barely speak.
Yeah, I'm still surprised eventhat I won talent because I
(41:12):
could barely speak.
Yeah, that's wild, it was theworst.
And like in the interview room,the interview was before that.
So I'm glad because I probablywould have fell over, but when
we got to like the prelims, itfelt like I got hit in the face
every single day.
I don't know where thatsickness came from, but if I
could change anything, it wouldbe my health.
Raeanna Johnson (41:33):
It would be my health, yeah, and that's one of
those things that's completelyout of your control.
So, like, what are you going todo?
Carrie Everett (41:41):
Yeah, I had no control over that and you know
there was a lot going on.
There was something to do everyday, every hour.
There was always something.
So you know, go from photoshoot, then go to welcome
ceremony, then go to luau.
There isn't a moment to gethealthy again, there is not a
moment to replenish yourself.
We don't get much sleep.
(42:01):
So how was I going to regain myhealth?
I tried to take all thesupplements, tried all the
medicine, drank all the hotchicken noodle soup and it just
wasn't.
It wasn't, it wasn't budging.
Raeanna Johnson (42:13):
Wow, okay, all this buildup, the stress during
November, sick at Miss America.
What was it like coming home inthe aftermath of all that?
Carrie Everett (42:23):
I will not lie.
I was so disappointed about notplacing top 10, especially
because I won talent and Ithought I did so good.
Maybe the judges didn't wontalent and I thought I did so
good.
Maybe the judges didn't thinkso, but I thought I did so well
in all the other prelims asidefrom talent.
So I was a bit disappointed andI was really down on myself
because, you know, I was likeyou know, maybe if I'd done this
(42:43):
or done that or I'd beenhealthy, things would have been
different.
But also just take intoconsideration that if I was
supposed to win, I would havewon.
And you know, abby is afantastic Miss America and she
is what America needs right now.
So I'm clearly not what Americaneeds right now.
(43:05):
That's okay, I'm fine with that.
So I was just, you know, I hadto make peace with the fact that
it's not meant for me andthat's okay.
And if there's something better, sure.
If there isn't something better, sure I really I just finding
peace and, like I said, givingmyself grace with knowing, like
you know, I can't change it.
(43:26):
The judges didn't see a MissAmerica in me and that is a-okay
, because I'm not Miss Americalike I'm.
That's fine and, honestly, Idon't know if I would have been
able to, um, be Miss America,knowing that I wanted to, you
know, stay in school after allthat, like I wanted to finish my
(43:47):
degree on time, I wanted to be,you know, I wanted to.
I wanted to be, you know, Iwanted to come back and be
normal again.
So I don't think it would havebeen any way.
Raeanna Johnson (43:56):
So it sounds kind of like and correct me if
I'm wrong like it kind of soundslike you didn't have the same
drive of becoming Miss Americaas you did Miss North Carolina.
Carrie Everett (44:05):
It's interesting because it's like I wanted to
have the drive to become MissAmerica.
Like I was like hungry-ish,yeah, but I wanted to be Miss
America, but not as much as Ineeded to be Miss North Carolina
.
Like I didn't feel the samepush, Like it was almost like a
desperation to be Miss NorthCarolina.
(44:26):
When it was for Miss America.
I was just like this will besuper cool, it would be life
changing.
It definitely broke my heart tolose, but you know, I was also
like I don't even know if Icould have been Miss America.
That's a lot.
Raeanna Johnson (44:41):
How has this whole experience of being Miss
North Carolina going to MissAmerica coming back like just
deep, diving back into the joband going to school, how has
this changed you emotionally,mentally and even spiritually?
Carrie Everett (44:58):
I genuinely feel like, even though I joke a lot
I'm very hee-haw-haw, mypersonality is very jokey but I
believe that I've become themost mature version of myself
that I've ever been and I lookat life completely different
than I did prior to winning thistitle.
And I've always said, like,even from the beginning, like in
(45:19):
this order it is Carrie Everett, miss North Carolina, and not
Miss North Carolina, carrieEverett.
But I really feel like thisyear has cemented into me that I
am more than a crown and I ammore than a title, even though I
have it and I represent it.
But the person behind the crownin the sash is way more
important and I have to takecare of myself first.
(45:40):
And you know, prior to winning,I was like I'm prepared to do
anything and everything.
When I get into this role, I'mgoing to say yes to everything,
no matter what.
Then I got in the role and Iwas like you know, I actually
think it would be healthier forme to sometimes say no.
I think it would be healthierfor me to sometimes rest and to
sit down.
Being busy doesn't mean beingproductive.
So prior to winning, carrieEverett was like I always have
(46:04):
to be busy.
I always have to be doingsomething.
I, you know I always have to bevalidated by people outside who
are saying you are doing enough.
And you are, and you will makeit.
But now I'm just like you know,I'm good.
I'm good with whatever, and Iwill continue to work hard in
(46:26):
every aspect of my life and I'llcontinue to represent
everything I believe and standfor what I believe and advocate,
for all the things that areclose to my heart.
But I'm not going to, you know,continue to pour from an empty
cup or force myself into rolesand positions that aren't for me
, in the name of success.
You know, and I'm only 21, so Istill have a lot of growing to
(46:49):
do.
I still have a lot of life todo and things to learn, but
truly, I feel like after thisyear, I cannot say that I'm the
same person that I was.
It's that last June, like 11months ago, I don't feel like.
I don't feel like the sameperson, but I also don't even
look like the same person.
Raeanna Johnson (47:08):
So it's just it's wild how much change
happens in a year when you, whenthere's so much that happens to
you, it forces that much change.
Just so crazy.
Carrie Everett (47:22):
And I, I I don't think I would have thought that
I'd become more mature from it.
You know I thought, hey, maybeI'll just, you know, represent
the title and be done with myyear.
But I feel like I've beenforced to grow up in a way.
You know I'm more timely now.
(47:43):
That's something that you know.
It's funny, but I'm more timely, I'm more organized, I am more
considerate of other people, Iam more community oriented, I
would like to think I'm moreprofessional, more respectful.
I have different goals as welland I think I've become closer
(48:07):
to God in this journey which is,you know, interesting.
No-transcript.
Raeanna Johnson (48:26):
Do you feel like?
Carrie Everett (48:27):
your definition of success has changed at all
through this experience I thinkI've always had the same
definition of success in justsetting a goal, or setting goals
and meeting at least one ofthem.
You know people always ask ininterviews like what's your
definition of success?
I'm just always like you know Iset a goal and I meet a goal,
but really I don't think that'schanged.
(48:47):
You know, and for me, successhas always been impacting people
and being an advocate forpeople, having a heart for
people and letting people knowthat I'm there for them, and I
don't think that that goal haschanged.
And even if it was just oneperson that was impacted by me
being Miss North Carolina thisyear, I think I have had a
(49:10):
successful year.
Raeanna Johnson (49:12):
So we are reaching the end of your year
and I want to know like how areyou going to approach life as a
former Miss North Carolina?
Carrie Everett (49:22):
You know, a lot of people keep asking me what
are your next steps?
What are your next steps?
I am going to continue to pourlife into all the young women
that are competing in the future, or those who represent this
title, like the next Miss NorthCarolina.
Whoever you may be, you're infor a wild ride, but I'm going
to help you along the way asmuch as I can and I'm going to
(49:46):
just keep pouring into theorganization and getting back
when I get enough money.
I'll give this, I'll give thescholarship to McNeil Chestnut,
I promise but I'm just going tokeep pouring.
Raeanna Johnson (49:56):
He will hold you to that.
Carrie Everett (49:57):
Yeah, he will absolutely hold you to that yes,
I will give the money when I,when I have it, I promise I'm
just going to keep pouring intothis organization and continuing
my advocacy.
I am, you know, hoping totravel and to go to West Africa
this year and years after thatand maybe introduce, you know,
(50:18):
pageants to people in thisformat and possibly impact young
women's lives.
So, you know, making itequitable to the world and
showing people that they do havethe chance to make it in any,
you know, any space or anysystem or whatever they want to
achieve.
But you know, and I'm 21, whosays I won't compete again?
We'll see.
Raeanna Johnson (50:41):
I know I was kind of thinking about that as I
was, as I was scoping out allthe things that you'd been doing
.
So that's exciting to hear.
We'll have to stay tuned forthat.
Maybe, maybe, maybe, Maybe.
What advice would you give tothe next Miss North Carolina?
Carrie Everett (50:55):
I'm going to say to the next Miss North Carolina
be encouraged.
It's just always going to be.
Be encouraged, because thereare going to be days that it's
hard.
There are going to be days thatit's easy too, but through it
all, just be encouraged.
Take heart, be strong and knowthat you have people that are
here for you, even if you don'tfeel like it sometimes.
(51:18):
You know it's going to be timeswhere you're like but we're
actually there and don't feelthe need to impress everyone.
You know, don't listen to allthe voices.
Silence the noise in your mindand on the outside.
Raeanna Johnson (51:36):
Absolutely All right.
If she or anyone that'slistening ever doubt themselves,
what would you want them tohear?
Carrie Everett (51:44):
from you.
If God be for you, who can beagainst you?
Raeanna Johnson (51:48):
period.
Cool, all right, let me giveyou the last word here if
there's anything else that is onyour heart that you want to
make sure that you express todayto this really amazing
community of listeners, many ofwhom are preparing for their
upcoming state competition, evenlike going into an early local
(52:09):
season.
They may be in a completelydifferent pageant system and
considering Miss America.
What's on your heart?
Carrie Everett (52:17):
I feel like this is important to say to
everybody.
But take time and get off yourphone, like get off your phone
or get off the internet.
Stop looking at everything.
You don't always have to takeeverything in from what you're
seeing.
Like when we get into pageantmode during pageant week, I turn
my phone off and I don't textanybody back.
(52:39):
I don't respond to any messages.
I don't scroll, I don't go toany like anonymous pages or
forums.
I don't look at any pageantcontent because your focus
should be on Ken.
So not just during pageantseason, but just in your regular
life.
I think everybody is kind ofgetting in the headspace of you
(53:00):
know, I got to be on my phoneall the time.
I always have to scroll and seewhat's next.
I always have to refresh andknow what's next.
I got to know what's happeningall the time.
Put your phone down, please,like.
Put your phone down and go reada book.
Go read a book, go read, listento people around you and go
learn.
Listen to the pageant elders.
(53:20):
I know it's hard.
Sometimes they got differentopinions.
Go talk to somebody.
Raeanna Johnson (53:26):
I consider myself a pageant elder at this
point.
Carrie Everett (53:28):
No girl, you are not a pageant elder, You're
like a pageant auntie.
Raeanna Johnson (53:31):
I turned 35 this week.
I feel like I am officially apageant elder.
Carrie Everett (53:36):
I don't know about Happy birthday, by the way
.
I don't know about elders.
An elder, you're a pageantauntie, you know?
Okay, I'll take that, yeah, apageant auntie.
But I just need to, like, putthe phones down and just relax.
The pageant world is just solike digital now and everybody
feels like they got to be doingwhatever else is doing and
(53:56):
taking it all in the comparisondoes come from social media.
So put your phone down that isjust good.
Raeanna Johnson (54:03):
Good lessons to live by awesome.
All right, carrie, thank you somuch for joining me today and
just for pouring your heart andpouring life into this episode.
I'm going to use your verbiagethat you said because I loved
brings, and that's that's.
The power of this is that everysingle one of you and you are
(54:37):
my seventh interview of the 2025Miss America class Every single
one of you is beautifullyunique in your own way, and you
all bring life lessons learned,perspective, way, and you all
bring life lessons learned,perspective, love and passion to
this title, to your job, tothis podcast, like to the
(55:00):
conversations that you're having.
It's just like a really, reallycool thing.
Every single time I've sat downwith one of you, I'm just like
I don't know what to expect, butthen by the end of it, I was
like, ah, just so good, so good,and I want everyone to listen.
So, thank you.
Carrie Everett (55:14):
You're welcome and thank you for having me.
I really appreciate it.
Raeanna Johnson (55:20):
Yeah, glad to have you.
Thank you so much.
Good luck with the rest of youryear, good luck with your
endeavors after this.
I'm excited to watch, to seewhat you get yourself into next
and if I ever see you back on astage going for another title.
All right, everyone, thanks fortuning in.
We'll be back again very soonwith another episode of Sash and
Soul in our Crowned and Candidseries.
I will talk with you then.
Until then, stay well, giveyourself grace, bye.
Welcome back to Sash and Soul everyone.
It is yet another lovelyepisode within the Crown and
Candid series.
This series is all about realconversations with current title
holders who are getting readyto give up their title after
almost an entire year of beingin the job, and the whole
purpose is to bring you anunfiltered look at what it truly
(00:21):
means to wear the crown.
So we're not just talking aboutwhat you see on Instagram or in
TikTok or all the highlightreels that we're so used to, or
what you saw in the Miss Americastage.
We are talking about the downand dirty, nitty gritty work of
it all behind the scenes and theemotional roller coaster and
the growth and everything thatcomes with being a title holder,
as a state title holder,throughout an entire 365 days.
(00:46):
So today I'm really thrilled tointroduce our Miss North
Carolina 2024, keri Everett, andwe were just chatting a little
bit before we hit record and sheI'm so excited about this
particular message.
Her overall message is sosimple Just give yourself grace
is what she said.
(01:06):
So we'll be talking all thingsself-care, self-love and grace
for yourself in all aspects ofpageantry and life today.
And with that, welcome Keri.
Thanks for joining me.
Carrie Everett (01:20):
Thank you so much for having me.
Should I introduce myself now?
Raeanna Johnson (01:24):
Yes, please, please, tell us a little bit
about yourself, okay, helloeveryone.
Carrie Everett (01:29):
My name is Keri Everett.
I am a junior now at NorthCarolina Central University
studying vocal performance.
I'm a child of Liberianimmigrants, so that's a huge
part of my story and why I dowhat I do.
My CSI or my community serviceinitiative was Seize the
Opportunity.
We Need, Equity to BuildCommunities, and that's all
about making pageants moreinclusive.
Why I do what I do.
My CSI or my community serviceinitiative was seize the
opportunity.
We need, equity to buildcommunities, and that's all
about making pageants moreinclusive and accessible to all
(01:51):
young women from all backgrounds.
So that's a little bit about me.
Raeanna Johnson (01:54):
Yeah, I love your CSI and I want to do an
entire episode just about that,so stay tuned for that.
What got you into pageants inthe first place?
So stay tuned for that.
What got you into pageants inthe first place?
Carrie Everett (02:05):
So it's very interesting.
But my school counselor at myhigh school, her daughter was,
you know, because we had theLittle Sisters program, but her
daughter was at the time called,you know, just Sparkles,
because I competed at MissWashington before I competed in
North Carolina.
But I was competing for thetitle of Miss Auburn because,
(02:25):
excuse me, miss Auburn'soutstanding team at the time,
Because she wanted her daughterto have an older sister.
I didn't really know what itentailed at the time, I just
thought that I was just a mentorin this program.
What I didn't understand was Iwas actually joining the Miss
America organization, so herdaughter was actually adopted
from Ethiopia and she felt likeher daughter was kind of out of
(02:47):
place.
Sometimes she didn't have likefull representation.
So she wanted her daughter tohave that you know bond with
somebody that kind of lookedlike her and represented her.
And you know I was a greatexample for her.
I got first runner up on myfirst try against 13 girls and I
was encouraged to keep going.
So I competed for Miss Auburnthe next year and the rest is
history.
Raeanna Johnson (03:08):
So how did you end up from Washington to North
Carolina?
Carrie Everett (03:13):
So I graduated from high school in 2022.
I was Miss Auburn in 2022 and Icompeted at Miss Washington
that summer.
But I knew that I wanted to goto school out of state because I
specifically wanted to attendan HBCU and there are no HBCUs
on the West Coast.
So I made up my mind that I wasgoing to move across the
(03:33):
country.
I just didn't know where andwhen yet.
So I took a gap year off fromschool because you know, being a
title holder and being in highschool and doing all the things
like I was senior classpresident, I was BSU president,
I was all these things toeverybody.
So I wanted that gap year toreally discover who I was and
what I wanted to do.
I took that time and I choseNorth Carolina Central
(03:54):
University because the musicdepartment fit exactly what I
was looking for, and I packed upmy life and I moved to North
Carolina to go to school andthen I decided to compete
because that was always withinthe plan.
Raeanna Johnson (04:07):
So you went through your first year of
college in North Carolina andthen competed for Miss North
Carolina.
This was your first timecompeting in North Carolina.
Carrie Everett (04:16):
Yes, it was.
Raeanna Johnson (04:17):
What was going through your head the night that
you were crowned?
Carrie Everett (04:21):
So I'm going to talk about the before crowning,
because I think that reallyimpacted what I thought after
crowning.
But throughout the process alot of people encouraged me to
just aim to be top 10 or aim toplace or do well or maybe win a
talent award.
But in my head I was like Icame here to win.
(04:42):
I came here with anunderstanding that my purpose is
greater than just showing up.
I have to show up and then takeup space.
And a lot of people really werelike you know, girl, it's okay
no matter what happens.
And I was like, no, I'm notgonna be fine no matter what
happens, and I always okay withlosing.
I think it's always a greatexperience, no matter what.
(05:04):
But I knew what I came there todo.
I felt like it was God'sordained time and purpose for me
to win at that particular time.
So I really gave it my all.
And when we get to the top 10, Iwas like, oh my god, I made it
to the top 10.
You know, like that feeling ofokay, I made it past the first,
the first step, you know, aslong as I make the top 10, I
(05:27):
feel like I'm fine and competedin all the phases.
And then we get to the top fiveand you know how sometimes they
kind of call in order of a lineand you know I can see I was
like third I was third, yes, Iwas third, and they kind of
called you know everybody, I wasthird, yes, I was third, and
(05:47):
they kind of called you knoweverybody already.
That was kind of in line.
And then they get to the verylast name and they say Johnson
County, that's the county Irepresented.
They said Carrie Everett.
Raeanna Johnson (05:52):
I was like, okay, I just made the top five.
Carrie Everett (05:55):
And I said to myself, god, whatever it is, I'm
grateful because I already, youknow, showed up and showed out.
I proved myself.
It's my first year competing,but that's not what I came here
to do.
So we get to the crowningmoment where they're calling out
names and when they get to thetop two the first runner up she
(06:16):
whispers to me and she saysyou're going to be a fantastic
Miss North Carolina, and hername is Keely Keely Jones.
And I was like girl, what areyou talking about?
It's two of us up here, right?
But she whispered that to meand at that moment I felt a sort
of peace and calm come over mebecause I was like, oh my God, I
think I really just won this onmy first try, against all odds.
(06:39):
Like, if you understood theprocess of how I got there, at
the time I went to NorthCarolina, I didn't have any
money.
It's actually, you know, I had$40 when I registered to compete
for my local competition.
I was a broke college student.
My evening gown cost $275 fromPoshmark.
I barely had the money to paymy state contestant fee.
(06:59):
My local director had to helpme out.
So there were all these thingsthat were telling me that maybe
this isn't for you, maybe thisis meant for somebody who has
the resources, that has themeans to compete, that can be a
representative, because theyhave it all.
But at that moment it just noneof it mattered, because it was
the grace and the favor of Godthat truly granted me that
(07:20):
opportunity.
I, statistically maybe I don'tknow what statistics are but
against all odds I was probablynot supposed to win, but against
all odds I did.
Raeanna Johnson (07:31):
I saw your post about your evening gown on
National Dress Day, that youfound it for $275 and you called
your mom, who was in Liberia at2 am and got the money to buy
it right away.
So can you.
This is a beautifulconversation piece to have,
because this is one of thebiggest limiting beliefs for
(07:53):
women competing in pageantry isthat you need to have some wild
amount of money or financialsupport from your family all of
these things like ducks in a rowin order to be successful.
So tell me about how you kindof overcame some of those
limiting beliefs if you ever hadthem that for some reason this
(08:15):
couldn't happen for you becauseyou didn't have those resources.
Carrie Everett (08:19):
So you know, as the saying goes, God does not
call the qualified, he qualifiesthe called.
As the saying goes, God doesnot call the qualified, he
qualifies the called.
And if you really feel like youneed those things and you're
fighting with yourself andsaying I need to have this, I
need to have that, the Lord willprovide for you.
And I don't know whateverybody's beliefs are, but if
you want to save the universe orwhatever, if it's meant to be,
it will happen.
(08:39):
It doesn't matter how muchmoney you have, it doesn't
matter what gown you wear.
You could wear a couture, youcould wear something that's off
the rack but if something ismeant for you, it will fall into
place.
Like when I first startedcompeting, I don't think I've
ever worn anything.
Yeah, I don't think I've everworn anything that cost over
$1,000 prior to Miss America.
(09:00):
So in my head it was like howwill I save money and put my
best foot forward?
It was never about let me wearthe most expensive gown or the
most expensive shoes and thatwill be the way I win, Because
it's not about that in reality.
If you put your best footforward, if you present yourself
the way you're, the way you arefully and authentically, if
(09:22):
they can see your heart and yourheart for service, first and
foremost.
If you're able to compete andget on that stage, why would
they deny you?
Raeanna Johnson (09:29):
because you don't have the funds or the
resources for it, and I wouldhope this organization doesn't
operate that way, as well as anypageant, because that compete
in a highly competitive or inwhat the rest of us, like over
here in the Midwest, see as acompetitive pageant state in
(09:49):
North Carolina, right, Like mostof the Southern states seem
like really competitive, and soI think that you know anyone
that is competing in a reallycompetitive pageant state.
I think that's kind of the ideais that you need the couture
gowns and you need, you know,the custom interview outfits and
all of this stuff, and it'strue, you just don't.
One of the things you said thatI want to talk more about those
(10:10):
.
You said you really felt likethis was ordained for you this
year, but you didn't say so.
That gave me all the comfortand I felt really good about it
going in.
You said so I worked my butt offfor it.
So can you tell me thatmentality?
Because I think sometimes wesometimes fall into this like if
it's meant to be, it'll happen,and we kind of like take a
(10:31):
backseat a little bit ratherthan if it's meant to be, it'll
happen and I'm going to puteverything I have into it.
So can you tell me a little bitmore about your mentality in
that?
Carrie Everett (10:39):
So part of my mentality was that with that is
I was hungry.
When I say I was hungry, Ineeded to win this North
Carolina, not because it wasgoing to make me the most
amazing, outstanding person andgive me all this attention or
fix my life or fix all myproblems.
It was because I knew that thatwas what God was calling me to
(11:00):
do at that particular moment.
And sometimes we feel like,okay, this is something that was
prophesied over me.
Somebody said this was going tohappen for me, or I'm good at
this, so naturally it will fallinto place.
You have to get up off of yourbutt and go for something.
You have to get up off of yourbutt and go for it.
I was practicing my walk at 2am.
I was singing every chance Ihad.
(11:21):
I was very particular aboutevery piece of wardrobe that I
put on that stage.
I was calculated in mymarketing at work.
Weekend I was listening, excuseme, and taking notes on every
little thing.
I watched every Miss Americacompetition and every Miss North
Carolina competition that Icould, because I knew that I was
(11:43):
not up against.
You know something easy andeven though we feel like, yeah,
it's for me, it should happen,it'll fall into place.
You do have to work for thingsto fall into place.
As you're moving and you'refeeling like things aren't
falling apart, they're fallinginto place.
I don't think I've ever justexpected things to come to me.
(12:04):
I guess it's just never beenthat way in my life.
I've always had to work, youknow, twice as hard in some
cases.
But I wanted to make sure thatI was ready to go to Miss
America.
When I won Miss North Carolinaand I knew that wouldn't show up
if I just, you know, let it be.
(12:25):
Even if I had one that night,that was not all I wanted.
I wanted to show up and show upat Miss America and be ready to
go.
I wanted the judges to see notonly is she ready to win this
title and carry this crown here,she could possibly go to Miss
America and do well there as youwere working so hard out of
this hunger, this thirst, thisdrive, how did you maintain your
(12:47):
sense?
of self and groundedness in thatprocess.
So I call it the pageant crazy,but I get a little bit
obsessive when I really wantsomething and it tends to take a
toll on my mental health.
In preparation for Miss JohnsonCounty, miss North Carolina,
miss America, I was in aheadspace of I need this, I need
this, I need this.
(13:07):
But sometimes that gets a bitdangerous, especially when you
start prioritizing that overyour mental health or over your
self-worth, or you get into thatheadspace of comparison, even
questioning your capabilitiesand who you are as a person,
based off of a crown.
But the way I always groundmyself is I am so grounded in
fasting and prayer and I makesure that I take the time to
(13:31):
operate in the headspace of am Iputting this on a pedestal and
idolizing this title for reasonsthat are outside of giving
glory to God or being arepresentative, or being a good
person and showing up for mycommunity, grounding yourself in
the reason why you're hererather than the goal.
You know, like I want the crown, yes, but why?
(13:53):
And when you know your why, youask yourself a why constantly.
Then I think you get back intothe headspace of hey, I am not
doing this because of a piece ofmetal and some gemstones.
I'm not doing this for a sashwith words that get the sash
(14:14):
gets dirty anyway.
You'll be fine.
But grounding yourself alwaysand for me it's fasting and
prayer, for other people itmight be meditation or working
out or yoga, just findingwhatever works for you to calm
yourself down and to sit down,like sit yourself down.
Raeanna Johnson (14:29):
Yeah, I think focusing on that big picture,
your purpose, your why,everything that you just said is
like one of the bestfoundations, like the foundation
of making sure that you arecentering yourself and grounding
, like making sure that you arefocusing on that grace for
yourself and why you're doing it, rather than getting all caught
(14:50):
up in the weeds of all thethings that just really don't
matter, like you were saying,like the comparison or the
self-doubt, like those thingsare just they're going to cause
you to stay stuck and we got tokeep moving forward towards that
goal.
Carrie Everett (15:01):
Right Cause you can't look back.
Forward is not backwards.
So you keep looking back andsaying, okay, but I had, I
haven't done this this year, Ihaven't accomplished this goal
this year.
If I go to miss North Carolinaor if I go to miss America and
the judges see that I haven'tdone this, but then why don't
you just go forward and dosomething else?
You know like it's.
It's just, it's a matter ofalways looking forward, always
(15:22):
having hope, always findingstrength in the why.
Raeanna Johnson (15:28):
Yeah, exactly, and sometimes moving forward is
like taking a beat and sittingin that prayer, sitting in that
meditation, like having gracefor yourself, taking care of
yourself, so that you canregroup to move forward.
Carrie Everett (15:43):
And I also feel like a lot of title holders get
lost in the busy.
We all feel the need to makeourselves busy this whole time
and make sure everybody knowsthat we're doing something
always.
We're constantly doingsomething.
You have to see me post thatI'm here, that I'm there, that
I'm there, that I'm there, butyou're a human being at the end
of the day.
Like I said, give yourself thegrace, you're not a machine and
(16:11):
people seeing you being busydoes not add or subtract to the
fact that you're still astate-type older Yep.
Raeanna Johnson (16:14):
Exactly, exactly it is.
You said it before.
It's the way you show up andshow out, and it's so true, all
right.
So what did you think this jobwas going to look like, versus
like what it actually lookedlike?
Was it any different than whatyou had imagined?
Carrie Everett (16:32):
I will say I came in with the expectation
that I might be able to take ayear off from school but because
I found my eligibility in thefact that I am a North Carolina
student, I have been doing thisas a full-time student and for
me that looks like, you know, inpreparation for Miss America.
The first six months wassomething Like I would wake up
(16:55):
very early, work out, go to myclasses, come from my classes,
take a beat, do some work, maybego to an appearance If I have
an appearance that night work onsome homework, have a little
bit of time to myself, rinse andrepeat every day.
And it got to a place where Iwas like I wish I could have
chosen one of the other, but italso made my journey so unique
(17:19):
for people to see thepossibility and being able to
balance both and do both and doall the things.
While I would advise against inthe future for others maybe not
a full schedule, even thoughit's required if you are an
out-of-state student.
But you know I didn't expect tobe so drowned in school during
(17:43):
the year and I will be honestabout it, I feel like I was
drowning at some point, likearound November, and that's
where, you know, everybodystarted getting like but, you
know, getting to America,starting to feel like I can do
this right now.
But I didn't have thatexpectation going in.
But, looking back, I made itthrough.
(18:04):
There was no way to go aroundit, there was no way to go over
it or under it.
I just had to go through it andI'm glad that I did.
Raeanna Johnson (18:13):
Did you ever experience like this, Like what
did I get myself into?
Or any kind of like impostersyndrome, especially early on?
Carrie Everett (18:23):
I mean, especially being that it was my
first year and I didn't reallyknow anybody here and I, you
know, feeling out of place comessyndrome a lot of the time and
being like, oh my God, like didI deserve to win this?
Was I the right choice for this?
But then you think to yourself,if not me, then who?
(19:18):
I won this for a reason and Iput my everything into it and
sometimes I go back and I readmy things worked in my favor.
So why should I not feel like Ideserve this?
Or why should I not, you know,carry this with pride and joy
and know that?
Raeanna Johnson (19:36):
this is something that I deserved.
Yeah, it's not like you took itfrom someone.
The judges entrusted you withthis position for the year and
they saw your capability in you,and there's a part of that that
you also have to trust.
Carrie Everett (19:50):
You know different judges different day.
You know I might not have won,it was a different set of judges
.
But then I think to myself no,I would have won.
Raeanna Johnson (20:00):
I love that.
Well, you had like, you hadyour sights on it and this, this
was it for you.
Yeah, I remember, like my, mylast year going into Miss
Wisconsin.
It was my very last year ofeligibility.
I had already done the job forsix months the craziest of
circumstances at least what itfelt like to me and I didn't
(20:20):
have a backup plan that year.
That was my first year of fourtimes competing for Miss
Wisconsin that I didn't have abackup plan.
I didn't have a.
If I don't win this, then Ihave something else to look
forward to.
Carrie Everett (20:34):
My mom had asked me.
She's like what are you goingto do if you don't win?
And I said I don't know.
This is my only plan.
My friend Jamie at Miss NorthCarolina.
She was like what are you goingto do when you get back?
What are you going to do whenyou get home?
I said I'm not going to become,I'm not going back to being a
local title holder.
She was like are you going tocompete?
Raeanna Johnson (20:46):
again I said no , did you have moments of
worrying that you would bedisappointed?
Carrie Everett (20:52):
I you know, like the night before finals I was
so worried I couldn't even sleep.
But, um, I was like you knowwhat will happen if I don't win
this?
I'm just gonna go home and beso hurt and broken and
disappointed.
But then I was like you knowwhat will happen if I don't win
this?
I'm just gonna go home and beso hurt and broken and
(21:13):
disappointed.
But then I was like, wait aminute, I was a double prelim
winner on my first try.
Not just the prelims, I just Ihad a different aura about
myself that I don't think I'veever competed with before.
Like I just felt like it wasright and there was a doubt,
(21:33):
there was fear, but I keptseeing things that reassured me
and I kept praying and I kepttrusting and a lot of the time I
think a lot of people wherethey struggle with you know the
belief is the trust.
Like you have to just trust and.
But I was just so calm andrelaxed and you know I felt
(21:54):
doubtful the night before.
But I woke up the next morninglike girl, carry over North
Carolina.
Raeanna Johnson (22:02):
Okay, so into the year we're crowned, we're
diving in.
What was the business side ofit like for you?
Carrie Everett (22:09):
So it was interesting because the Miss
North Carolina board is, youknow, like I said, I competed in
Washington but it shows updifferent every every state.
Like the board in Washington isa lot smaller, it's a bit of a
chill vibe, but North Carolinaboard it's a system and I'm
working with all thesecompletely new people and it's
interesting because I came inknowing that there were, like
(22:32):
you know, I knew about likethree or four members of the
board, but really it is a wholeunit of people and they're a big
state committee along with it.
So working with this new unitof people has been so
interesting and I'm blessed toknow each and every one of them.
They're truly my family at thispoint.
But I, everybody has adifferent role, everybody has a
different task and they havehelped me so much in fulfilling
(22:56):
my role and making sure that Istay on top of my stuff and on
top of my task.
A lot of my appearances arebooked in advance thanks to,
thanks to them.
A lot of the things that we didthroughout the year, the
opportunities I had, were basedoff connections that they built
and in terms of, likesponsorship, we have a sponsor
team that reaches out tosponsors and builds an entire
(23:17):
sponsorship package, and thesponsors fulfill their end, we
fulfill ours and they make surethat they keep us on track and
you know doing what we'resupposed to do.
Social media wise, we've hadhelp with, like you know, the
social media team and the peoplewho are in charge of PR.
We had a PR firm.
We also had a legal counsel onthe board, so it's a whole
(23:37):
system that I was kind of like,oh, but here we are and we just
had to make it work At somepoint.
You know, it gets a little bitlike, like I say, it's going to
get daunting because there areso many people that you have to
go through, but it's necessaryand it makes the process a lot
smoother on everybody's end ifcommunication goes all the way.
Raeanna Johnson (23:59):
What were some of the biggest lessons that you
learned from this experience ofworking with the Miss North
Carolina board?
Carrie Everett (24:07):
experience of working with the Miss North
Carolina board, interdependenceis better than being dependent
or independent.
So I think I've always knownthat.
But I really learned this yearthat it truly does take a team
and I don't have to do it bymyself, I don't have to
completely rely on myself.
You know, like, especially withpageants, I've always felt the
need to be my own coach, be myown director, be my own this, be
my own.
That Even in preparation forMiss North Carolina I didn't
(24:29):
have any coaches.
I didn't have, you know,besides, interview, my board
didn't really, you know, coachme that much in preparation
because I was like I got it, Igot it, I got it, I got it.
But you know it's okay to askfor help, it's okay to rely on
others, it's okay to lead onyour team and the system of
people.
You have the system of peoplethat you have because they're
(24:50):
there for a reason they're thereto help you.
And you know you can't just sayno, I'm good for everything.
Raeanna Johnson (24:58):
How did you navigate your appearances that
were pre-booked for you throughthe organization and your CSI
work that you wanted to dothrough?
Carrie Everett (25:06):
the organization and your CSI work that you
wanted to do.
So the appearances that arepre-booked are things that every
Miss North Carolina does and Ithink when I was informed of
that it kind of gave me adifferent sense of
responsibility that, hey, I haveto maintain this relationship
because it's super important tonot only the organization but
the next girl.
And you know, there weremoments where I was like, oh, I
(25:27):
wish I could have gone there todo this for my CSI or to help
here or do this or that.
But also like building thoseconnections and maintaining
those connections are soimportant and also contributed
to my CSI.
There were a lot of you knowthings that or things
connections I built based off ofappearances that were booked
(25:48):
and I ended up being able to dothings or connect with you know
different people based off ofthat.
So you know it got.
It got a bit tricky, like Isaid, around like November,
november, december, becausethat's right before Miss America
.
But you know, the appearancesthat they booked were so helpful
and they helped me build myportfolio I don't want to say
(26:09):
portfolio, but they helped me,you know, get in the community
and get to know North Carolinamore as well.
Raeanna Johnson (26:16):
That is amazing , and I've heard great things
about the North Carolinaorganization, so that's really
fun to hear from yourperspective.
Especially coming new and notreally knowing anyone to begin
with is like that's that'sreally powerful, like that's
inspiring, that the organizationis just so passionate about
their girls and building up theorganization.
(26:37):
So kudos to you, miss NorthCarolina organization.
I do want to ask a little bitabout your CSI before we dive
into like your journey to MissAmerica and what that experience
was like, just because I wouldimagine, just with the political
climate, it's been aninteresting experience for you
this year.
Carrie Everett (26:58):
So with diversity, equity, inclusion
being such buzzwords kind of butmisunderstood buzzwords, I will
say it was interestingnavigating that, especially
moving from a very blue state toa swing state that's, you know,
now leaning red and having toexplain diversity and equity and
inclusion to people.
(27:18):
Often it's been interesting,but especially in context of
pageantry, because when peoplehear that we need equity in the
Miss America opportunity,they're like are you saying that
Miss America isn't fair?
And I'm not saying that MissAmerica isn't fair from a
judging perspective.
I'm saying that there are othercontestants in this
organization that sometimes donot have the resources to
(27:40):
compete or to make it to thestate level or to compete at the
national level.
Because, like you know, we wantto be completely honest.
Resources are everything,connections are everything.
People from certainsocioeconomic backgrounds are
not going to be able to alwaysafford the fees.
They're not going to always beable to, you know, pay for the
(28:01):
athletic wear or to buy all thegowns or the production dresses,
et cetera, et cetera.
It's going to be a littleharder for some people.
So we can't ignore that in thisspace, because it's almost
dangerous to say we are ascholarship organization that's
supposed to build up young women, but only certain young women
have access to that.
Raeanna Johnson (28:20):
What was some of the kickback that you
received and how did you handleit?
Carrie Everett (28:26):
I think it was just a lack of understanding of
what I was trying to promote andhow I was trying to go about it
.
Because, especially with my CSIhaving to do with recruitment
and trying to get young womenfrom other backgrounds involved,
a lot of people were like whyonly you know, why are you only
trying to recruit HBCU students?
(28:46):
I was like I'm not only tryingto recruit HBCU students, I'm
just starting there, becausethey're often the ones that get
left out.
I'm not just starting withpeople from lower socioeconomic
backgrounds, I'm just, you know,I'm beginning there but I'm not
going to finish there.
I want everyone to be involvedin this organization, but you
know the last will be the firstand the first will be the last.
(29:08):
You know it's that big.
I just want to see new faces.
I want to see change in theorganization.
I want to see changes in ourboards.
Even if we can have that happen, you know, at every level.
Raeanna Johnson (29:21):
Yeah, more representation so that there's a
better understanding of alldifferent perspectives of the
human experience.
Yeah, for sure, All right.
So tell me about November it'scome up a couple of times what
was November like for you?
Carrie Everett (29:37):
I'm telling you the month before, miss America
feels like your head is beingsqueezed constantly and like I
don't think I could processthings the way I could process
them in October or December, Idon't know what it was about.
November I just felt like Ithink I cried every day, every
(30:01):
day.
I don't even know why I wascrying.
I was just like this is sostressful between you know
sometimes the wardrobe wasn'tworking, sometimes the interview
prep wasn't working, sometimesthe school wasn't working, and
you know that's right, that'sright when we're having finals
at school.
I was just like, oh my God,what is happening to me?
(30:22):
And I would have to go on walksat night and just be like, yeah
, I gotta breathe, I gottabreathe, I gotta breathe.
November just felt like I wasliterally like this yeah and
this, this arm was Miss Americaand this arm was school, and
they were just like yeah, rockin a hard place.
Raeanna Johnson (30:43):
Yeah, how, how did you?
How did you get through it?
I would imagine grace is afocal point here.
But, like, what was thatprocess like for you?
And and what would you say tosomebody else going through a
similar circumstance?
Carrie Everett (30:59):
Um, excuse me, I'm a little sick, but the way I
got through it was constantlycommunicating with the people I
love and, you know, confiding inmy business manager, miss
Adrienne Sulkey, just talking topeople around you, because,
even though you feel like peopledon't understand what you're
going through, someoneunderstands, and a lot of the
former Miss North Carolinas,especially, were my people
(31:22):
during that time because theywere like you know, I get it
Right before Miss America, missNorth Carolina 2022 and 2023,
carolyn and Taylor.
They were like always there.
I would ask a million questionsand they would always respond.
So I hope to be that Miss NorthCarolina to the next queen and
the one after that.
But, you know, confiding inpeople, speaking to people
(31:44):
around you and recognizing thatyou are not alone makes a major
difference, even though you feellike it.
And plus, you have 50 otherWell, yeah, 50, because Puerto
Rico, you have 50 othercontestants that are competing
with you and they get whatyou're going through right now.
So, just talking to everybodytalking to everybody.
Raeanna Johnson (32:09):
Yeah, I think that's like a common
misconception, that like whenyou're going through that, you
look around at all these otherwomen that are also competing
for Miss America and they looklike they have it together, and
the thing is is you also looklike you have it together from
the outside, looking in, but youdon't feel that way, and so
it's kind of hard to rememberthat every single one of those
girls has their own stuff goingon at the same time.
And I remember feeling likethat.
I remember feeling like if Ilet it show that I feel like I'm
(32:30):
falling apart, then they'regoing to see right through me
and see that I'm not preparedfor this, that I'm not doing a
good job, and that is thebiggest lie I could have told
myself.
Carrie Everett (32:37):
Right and you know, a lot of the girls were
like I'm confused too.
We're all confused, so puttingsolidarity in our confusion
definitely eased my mind alittle bit.
But um, you know the lonelyfeeling as a title holder.
It does take over everybody.
You know, everybody has thatmoment where they're like nobody
(32:58):
understands me.
But you really do have so manypeople across the country, not
even just state title holders,but you know former national
title holders even.
Raeanna Johnson (33:08):
How did you well, first, where did you feel
like that loneliness came from,Like when did it hit you and
where did it come from?
Carrie Everett (33:16):
Well, I don't have family in North Carolina,
so I was basically starting fromscratch in building my
community and something I thinkthat a lot of people right now
don't recognize because we'rekind of in an era of
individualism.
But you need community, youneed people, you need to have
folks that you can rely on andspeak to.
(33:37):
But I really missed my parents,I missed my siblings.
Like I felt like I was missingout on a lot and you know, and
then being a title holder thatdidn't make a lot of friends my
first year because I was, youknow, I did make friends, but I
was so like in the zone that Iwasn't really friends with my
entire class.
(33:57):
And then at school, it was hardto make friends at school
because I was always doingsomething outside of school,
like I didn't go to anybasketball games, I barely went
to events.
I only was able to go to ourhomecoming football games.
So being busy all the time kindof took away from my social
(34:17):
building that I really needed,especially as a college student
and as a sophomore.
There are times that I'm like,you know, maybe I should have.
Just even though I was tiredthat day, I should have just
forced myself to get up and goto that school event.
But you know some people in theorganization, like my local
(34:52):
director from the SeanstonCounty or my business manager,
the person in charge of styling,from North Carolina.
They were really people that Ican lean on, and the few friends
that I did have were myprofessors.
You know they were a communitythat I was slowly building and
getting used to and gettingcloser to, and I'm grateful that
I had them, because, woo, itdoes get to a point where you're
(35:14):
like, oh my God, I am tired ofthis.
Raeanna Johnson (35:18):
Yeah, did you ever feel any guilt about that?
Because I mean you going backto your crowning night and all
the preparation that you putinto it, like earning this
position, and then, when youhave those moments of loneliness
or exhaustion, did guilt evercreep in?
Carrie Everett (35:37):
I mean in moments where I was like, you
know, maybe I should have justwaited a year or waited until I
graduated and slowed down.
I should have just waited ayear or waited until I graduated
and slowed down.
But then again I, like I said Iknew that what happened for me
(35:57):
this year could not bereplicated.
And, you know, I just felt liketiming is so important, like I
haven't seen my family sincelike May of 2023.
Well, I went home forThanksgiving for two days, but
you know, when I say my family,mean like my all my friends, my
community, I really have notseen anybody like that for a
year.
Actually, I said may 2022,excuse me, may 2024, yeah, but
(36:23):
um you, I feel more so guiltyabout missing out on everybody's
lives for this rather than likefeeling guilty about winning,
because you know there aremoments where you're going to be
like, oh, maybe this personwould have done this better,
(36:46):
missing out on everybody else'slives.
And I feel a littleself-centered at times.
And why am I crying about, youknow, my dress not fitting me
when there's like worse thingshappening out there to other
people, you know?
Raeanna Johnson (36:55):
How did your preparation for Miss America
differ from your preparation forMiss North Carolina?
Carrie Everett (37:00):
So in preparation excuse me, in
preparation for Miss NorthCarolina, like I said, I kind of
did most of the prep on my ownand that was a personal choice
of mine.
My board did offer but I knewthat I was just going to have to
do most of the work by myself.
Like the talent preparation, Ispoke to my vocal professor and
we did some work on that andmaybe like one or two times and
(37:23):
that was about it.
In terms of like walkingpractice, I've always just done
my own walking practice andstuff like that, but I was
really by myself for the mostpart in preparation.
But for Miss America I wasworking with an entire team.
You know we have walk interviewpanels but we also have like
the board working with the boardmembers.
I kind of felt like sometimesthat my opinions didn't really
(37:45):
get through to them and theyreally really weren't
understanding my vision.
And I always tell peoplethere's like a method to my
madness.
Like you might feel like, okay,she's a bit cuckoo in the
preparation process, because Ido get a bit like you know, you
know who's practicing walking atlike 1am or you know who's
exercising at like 4am, but Iget a bit.
(38:07):
But you know, I just wantpeople to understand.
There is a method to my madnessand I think sometimes there was
just a lack of understanding,but that's also on my end,
because I struggled tocommunicate with them, because I
really didn't understand themsometimes.
I don't know.
I just it was different workingby myself versus working with
(38:28):
all these people.
You know, and even with stylingthere were a lot of opinions
and before you know, I justpicked out my own wardrobe and I
said to my board this is whatI'm wearing, this is what I'm
doing with my hair, here's thishair, here's this.
(38:49):
But with Miss America it waslike we went shopping as a group
.
We did all these thingstogether, which I kind of
appreciated and I liked and Ithought it was fun.
But there were some times whereI was like I wish you guys
weren't here so I could pickbased off of what I think is
right and know that it's what Ireally want.
Raeanna Johnson (39:03):
Yeah, because that's a lot of voices and a lot
of opinions, it's hard tonavigate what you really want
for yourself.
What were the most unexpectedchallenges that you faced at
Miss America?
Carrie Everett (39:18):
So at Miss America.
Oh, this haunts me to this day.
I got so sick.
Raeanna Johnson (39:23):
All of you guys got sick.
Carrie Everett (39:25):
The worst.
I don't know what happened.
I don't know how it got in.
I was so sick the day we hadour photo shoot with Carlos
Carlos Velez.
That was the first day.
It that was also the day we hadour welcome ceremony or you
know the signing.
I woke up and I was like I don'tknow if I can, I don't feel
(39:49):
right, like I don't know if Ican stand up.
I started to feel like nauseousand stuff like that.
Then it got like way worse andthen when I did my photo shoot,
I walk out of the like I take myphotos with Carlos Velez, walk
out to go change my gown.
I'm in the room.
(40:09):
There's other contestants inthere.
I think it was.
Was it Miss DC or Miss Lou?
Somebody was in there, somebodywas in there.
One of the contestants was inthere and I just start throwing
up in the trash.
And I was just so hurt by that.
I did not want to get sick.
I was like God, just don't letme get sick.
(40:31):
And I got so sick and I was sickthe whole week, came back, had
the flu, um, I was sick thewhole week and for that reason I
think I also struggled to talkto people because I was like,
and I wanted to make friends sobad, but I was just so like the
whole time, right and shout outto my girls, shout out to my
(40:52):
girls, love them, my girls, missOhio, miss, puerto Rico.
Shout out to everybody, yeah,whole class.
And I was like, oh my God, youguys aren't even seeing my real
personality right now becauseI'm so sick Like I couldn't even
.
And I'm still surprised eventhat I won talent because I
could barely speak.
Yeah, I'm still surprised eventhat I won talent because I
(41:12):
could barely speak.
Yeah, that's wild, it was theworst.
And like in the interview room,the interview was before that.
So I'm glad because I probablywould have fell over, but when
we got to like the prelims, itfelt like I got hit in the face
every single day.
I don't know where thatsickness came from, but if I
could change anything, it wouldbe my health.
Raeanna Johnson (41:33):
It would be my health, yeah, and that's one of
those things that's completelyout of your control.
So, like, what are you going todo?
Carrie Everett (41:41):
Yeah, I had no control over that and you know
there was a lot going on.
There was something to do everyday, every hour.
There was always something.
So you know, go from photoshoot, then go to welcome
ceremony, then go to luau.
There isn't a moment to gethealthy again, there is not a
moment to replenish yourself.
We don't get much sleep.
(42:01):
So how was I going to regain myhealth?
I tried to take all thesupplements, tried all the
medicine, drank all the hotchicken noodle soup and it just
wasn't.
It wasn't, it wasn't budging.
Raeanna Johnson (42:13):
Wow, okay, all this buildup, the stress during
November, sick at Miss America.
What was it like coming home inthe aftermath of all that?
Carrie Everett (42:23):
I will not lie.
I was so disappointed about notplacing top 10, especially
because I won talent and Ithought I did so good.
Maybe the judges didn't wontalent and I thought I did so
good.
Maybe the judges didn't thinkso, but I thought I did so well
in all the other prelims asidefrom talent.
So I was a bit disappointed andI was really down on myself
because, you know, I was likeyou know, maybe if I'd done this
(42:43):
or done that or I'd beenhealthy, things would have been
different.
But also just take intoconsideration that if I was
supposed to win, I would havewon.
And you know, abby is afantastic Miss America and she
is what America needs right now.
So I'm clearly not what Americaneeds right now.
(43:05):
That's okay, I'm fine with that.
So I was just, you know, I hadto make peace with the fact that
it's not meant for me andthat's okay.
And if there's something better, sure.
If there isn't something better, sure I really I just finding
peace and, like I said, givingmyself grace with knowing, like
you know, I can't change it.
(43:26):
The judges didn't see a MissAmerica in me and that is a-okay
, because I'm not Miss Americalike I'm.
That's fine and, honestly, Idon't know if I would have been
able to, um, be Miss America,knowing that I wanted to, you
know, stay in school after allthat, like I wanted to finish my
(43:47):
degree on time, I wanted to be,you know, I wanted to.
I wanted to be, you know, Iwanted to come back and be
normal again.
So I don't think it would havebeen any way.
Raeanna Johnson (43:56):
So it sounds kind of like and correct me if
I'm wrong like it kind of soundslike you didn't have the same
drive of becoming Miss Americaas you did Miss North Carolina.
Carrie Everett (44:05):
It's interesting because it's like I wanted to
have the drive to become MissAmerica.
Like I was like hungry-ish,yeah, but I wanted to be Miss
America, but not as much as Ineeded to be Miss North Carolina
.
Like I didn't feel the samepush, Like it was almost like a
desperation to be Miss NorthCarolina.
(44:26):
When it was for Miss America.
I was just like this will besuper cool, it would be life
changing.
It definitely broke my heart tolose, but you know, I was also
like I don't even know if Icould have been Miss America.
That's a lot.
Raeanna Johnson (44:41):
How has this whole experience of being Miss
North Carolina going to MissAmerica coming back like just
deep, diving back into the joband going to school, how has
this changed you emotionally,mentally and even spiritually?
Carrie Everett (44:58):
I genuinely feel like, even though I joke a lot
I'm very hee-haw-haw, mypersonality is very jokey but I
believe that I've become themost mature version of myself
that I've ever been and I lookat life completely different
than I did prior to winning thistitle.
And I've always said, like,even from the beginning, like in
(45:19):
this order it is Carrie Everett, miss North Carolina, and not
Miss North Carolina, carrieEverett.
But I really feel like thisyear has cemented into me that I
am more than a crown and I ammore than a title, even though I
have it and I represent it.
But the person behind the crownin the sash is way more
important and I have to takecare of myself first.
(45:40):
And you know, prior to winning,I was like I'm prepared to do
anything and everything.
When I get into this role, I'mgoing to say yes to everything,
no matter what.
Then I got in the role and Iwas like you know, I actually
think it would be healthier forme to sometimes say no.
I think it would be healthierfor me to sometimes rest and to
sit down.
Being busy doesn't mean beingproductive.
So prior to winning, carrieEverett was like I always have
(46:04):
to be busy.
I always have to be doingsomething.
I, you know I always have to bevalidated by people outside who
are saying you are doing enough.
And you are, and you will makeit.
But now I'm just like you know,I'm good.
I'm good with whatever, and Iwill continue to work hard in
(46:26):
every aspect of my life and I'llcontinue to represent
everything I believe and standfor what I believe and advocate,
for all the things that areclose to my heart.
But I'm not going to, you know,continue to pour from an empty
cup or force myself into rolesand positions that aren't for me
, in the name of success.
You know, and I'm only 21, so Istill have a lot of growing to
(46:49):
do.
I still have a lot of life todo and things to learn, but
truly, I feel like after thisyear, I cannot say that I'm the
same person that I was.
It's that last June, like 11months ago, I don't feel like.
I don't feel like the sameperson, but I also don't even
look like the same person.
Raeanna Johnson (47:08):
So it's just it's wild how much change
happens in a year when you, whenthere's so much that happens to
you, it forces that much change.
Just so crazy.
Carrie Everett (47:22):
And I, I I don't think I would have thought that
I'd become more mature from it.
You know I thought, hey, maybeI'll just, you know, represent
the title and be done with myyear.
But I feel like I've beenforced to grow up in a way.
You know I'm more timely now.
(47:43):
That's something that you know.
It's funny, but I'm more timely, I'm more organized, I am more
considerate of other people, Iam more community oriented, I
would like to think I'm moreprofessional, more respectful.
I have different goals as welland I think I've become closer
(48:07):
to God in this journey which is,you know, interesting.
No-transcript.
Raeanna Johnson (48:26):
Do you feel like?
Carrie Everett (48:27):
your definition of success has changed at all
through this experience I thinkI've always had the same
definition of success in justsetting a goal, or setting goals
and meeting at least one ofthem.
You know people always ask ininterviews like what's your
definition of success?
I'm just always like you know Iset a goal and I meet a goal,
but really I don't think that'schanged.
(48:47):
You know, and for me, successhas always been impacting people
and being an advocate forpeople, having a heart for
people and letting people knowthat I'm there for them, and I
don't think that that goal haschanged.
And even if it was just oneperson that was impacted by me
being Miss North Carolina thisyear, I think I have had a
(49:10):
successful year.
Raeanna Johnson (49:12):
So we are reaching the end of your year
and I want to know like how areyou going to approach life as a
former Miss North Carolina?
Carrie Everett (49:22):
You know, a lot of people keep asking me what
are your next steps?
What are your next steps?
I am going to continue to pourlife into all the young women
that are competing in the future, or those who represent this
title, like the next Miss NorthCarolina.
Whoever you may be, you're infor a wild ride, but I'm going
to help you along the way asmuch as I can and I'm going to
(49:46):
just keep pouring into theorganization and getting back
when I get enough money.
I'll give this, I'll give thescholarship to McNeil Chestnut,
I promise but I'm just going tokeep pouring.
Raeanna Johnson (49:56):
He will hold you to that.
Carrie Everett (49:57):
Yeah, he will absolutely hold you to that yes,
I will give the money when I,when I have it, I promise I'm
just going to keep pouring intothis organization and continuing
my advocacy.
I am, you know, hoping totravel and to go to West Africa
this year and years after thatand maybe introduce, you know,
(50:18):
pageants to people in thisformat and possibly impact young
women's lives.
So, you know, making itequitable to the world and
showing people that they do havethe chance to make it in any,
you know, any space or anysystem or whatever they want to
achieve.
But you know, and I'm 21, whosays I won't compete again?
We'll see.
Raeanna Johnson (50:41):
I know I was kind of thinking about that as I
was, as I was scoping out allthe things that you'd been doing
.
So that's exciting to hear.
We'll have to stay tuned forthat.
Maybe, maybe, maybe, Maybe.
What advice would you give tothe next Miss North Carolina?
Carrie Everett (50:55):
I'm going to say to the next Miss North Carolina
be encouraged.
It's just always going to be.
Be encouraged, because thereare going to be days that it's
hard.
There are going to be days thatit's easy too, but through it
all, just be encouraged.
Take heart, be strong and knowthat you have people that are
here for you, even if you don'tfeel like it sometimes.
(51:18):
You know it's going to be timeswhere you're like but we're
actually there and don't feelthe need to impress everyone.
You know, don't listen to allthe voices.
Silence the noise in your mindand on the outside.
Raeanna Johnson (51:36):
Absolutely All right.
If she or anyone that'slistening ever doubt themselves,
what would you want them tohear?
Carrie Everett (51:44):
from you.
If God be for you, who can beagainst you?
Raeanna Johnson (51:48):
period.
Cool, all right, let me giveyou the last word here if
there's anything else that is onyour heart that you want to
make sure that you express todayto this really amazing
community of listeners, many ofwhom are preparing for their
upcoming state competition, evenlike going into an early local
(52:09):
season.
They may be in a completelydifferent pageant system and
considering Miss America.
What's on your heart?
Carrie Everett (52:17):
I feel like this is important to say to
everybody.
But take time and get off yourphone, like get off your phone
or get off the internet.
Stop looking at everything.
You don't always have to takeeverything in from what you're
seeing.
Like when we get into pageantmode during pageant week, I turn
my phone off and I don't textanybody back.
(52:39):
I don't respond to any messages.
I don't scroll, I don't go toany like anonymous pages or
forums.
I don't look at any pageantcontent because your focus
should be on Ken.
So not just during pageantseason, but just in your regular
life.
I think everybody is kind ofgetting in the headspace of you
(53:00):
know, I got to be on my phoneall the time.
I always have to scroll and seewhat's next.
I always have to refresh andknow what's next.
I got to know what's happeningall the time.
Put your phone down, please,like.
Put your phone down and go reada book.
Go read a book, go read, listento people around you and go
learn.
Listen to the pageant elders.
(53:20):
I know it's hard.
Sometimes they got differentopinions.
Go talk to somebody.
Raeanna Johnson (53:26):
I consider myself a pageant elder at this
point.
Carrie Everett (53:28):
No girl, you are not a pageant elder, You're
like a pageant auntie.
Raeanna Johnson (53:31):
I turned 35 this week.
I feel like I am officially apageant elder.
Carrie Everett (53:36):
I don't know about Happy birthday, by the way
.
I don't know about elders.
An elder, you're a pageantauntie, you know?
Okay, I'll take that, yeah, apageant auntie.
But I just need to, like, putthe phones down and just relax.
The pageant world is just solike digital now and everybody
feels like they got to be doingwhatever else is doing and
(53:56):
taking it all in the comparisondoes come from social media.
So put your phone down that isjust good.
Raeanna Johnson (54:03):
Good lessons to live by awesome.
All right, carrie, thank you somuch for joining me today and
just for pouring your heart andpouring life into this episode.
I'm going to use your verbiagethat you said because I loved
brings, and that's that's.
The power of this is that everysingle one of you and you are
(54:37):
my seventh interview of the 2025Miss America class Every single
one of you is beautifullyunique in your own way, and you
all bring life lessons learned,perspective, way, and you all
bring life lessons learned,perspective, love and passion to
this title, to your job, tothis podcast, like to the
(55:00):
conversations that you're having.
It's just like a really, reallycool thing.
Every single time I've sat downwith one of you, I'm just like
I don't know what to expect, butthen by the end of it, I was
like, ah, just so good, so good,and I want everyone to listen.
So, thank you.
Carrie Everett (55:14):
You're welcome and thank you for having me.
I really appreciate it.
Raeanna Johnson (55:20):
Yeah, glad to have you.
Thank you so much.
Good luck with the rest of youryear, good luck with your
endeavors after this.
I'm excited to watch, to seewhat you get yourself into next
and if I ever see you back on astage going for another title.
All right, everyone, thanks fortuning in.
We'll be back again very soonwith another episode of Sash and
Soul in our Crowned and Candidseries.
I will talk with you then.
Until then, stay well, giveyourself grace, bye.
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