#CultivateConfidence - the story of my Miss America platform

A major part of the Miss America Organization is the opportunity for titleholders to have a personal platform (a service organization, cause, or movement that they are especially passionate about) and to publicize this platform throughout their reign. Over the years, I have met remarkable women with incredible platforms. What I love so much about this part of the organization is that it allows each woman to express their individuality through serving the community in a cause that sets their soul on fire.

The journey to my platform has been a long one. When I was much younger, I watched my mom attend her weekly Junior League meetings and often joined her on different service projects. I vividly remember going to the Contra Costa Times office each summer to stuff backpacks for children heading back to school, handing out Christmas presents at Foster a Dream's annual party, and even holding a live snake around my neck (a la Britney Spears - just kidding) at a "Science is Cool!" event at Horace Mann Elementary School in Oakland. It's fair to say that I was bitten by the "service bug" pretty early in life. In middle school I joined National Charity League and over the next seven years I completed over 6,000 hours of service. These hours changed my life - time after time I ventured out of my comfort zone, met new people with unbelievable stories, and fell in love with public service. 

When I had the opportunity to serve as Miss California Teen in 2013, I took on "LEAP into Literacy" as my platform, collecting over 3,000 books and working closely with Super Stars Literacy, an independent non-profit in Oakland focused on improving literacy in local schools. I loved this platform because it was tangible - I could host drives and deliver boxes of books to the Boys and Girls Club, local schools, and after-school programs. During my first year at Miss California, I continued my work with this platform and had the opportunity to bring it to Ventura County.

After my year as Miss Ventura County, I decided to take a year off from competition and head to Washington, DC for a summer. By a humbling course of events, I was able to serve for eight months in the White House. The White House Internship Program under President Obama was titled "A Public Service Leadership Program," and in addition to our full time work we were asked to complete service projects in the surrounding DC community. One of my duties was to plan these events and work with the organizations to arrange our visits. It was through this service program that I was first introduced to Girls on the Run.

I had always dreamed of an organization that had everything I valued - empowering girls to be strong in their gifts and aspirations, celebrating the importance of a healthy lifestyle, sharing positive ways to build emotional, spiritual, and mental health, and cultivating confidence. What had once seemed like a perfect dream became reality when I encountered Girls on the Run. Upon returning from the event, I knew that I had found a platform I wanted to share.

I contacted the Girls on the Run of the Bay Area, and was lucky enough to connect with Desiree who welcomed me onto the Spring 5K committee. As I prepared for the February Miss Bay Area/North Bay competition, I honed in on exactly how I wanted to share this platform even if I wasn't selected as a titleholder. I am still deeply passionate about promoting literacy, and I love Girls on the Run because it encourages academic excellence as part of their program. Being a part of this team has been incredible and nothing makes me more excited than getting to share in this mission.

Serving as a Miss America Titleholder has enabled me to promote my platform throughout the Bay Area in various ways:

1. Serving on the Girls on the Run of the Bay Area Spring 5K. Our event is taking place on May 14, 2017 (so soon!) and I've had the privilege of serving on the Spring 5K committee as a volunteer coordinator. From our biweekly meetings in San Francisco to promoting the event and finding volunteers as a committee member, I have been so grateful for this chance to further a cause that I adore. Additionally, I was able to attend the Cambridge Elementary School Girls on the Run practice and run 5K with some AMAZING students!
2. #30daysof5K. Through this movement, I committed to moving 5K every day leading up to the 5K event - whether I was walking, running, jogging, biking, or hiking. Let me be real here - this has been a serious challenge. Between events, work, and everything else, this movement has often meant tying on my running shoes and getting outside after many long days. I'm proud to have made it so far, truly encouraged by the hard work of the 1,500 young girls preparing for the Spring 5K!
3. Class Visits. To further celebrate the work of cultivating confidence in our youth, I have been visiting classrooms all over the Bay Area to discuss the importance of building healthy confidence. During these visits, I lead a discussion about confidence, where I tell my story and emphasize the importance of getting back up even when you fall and always working hard. After this, I encourage the students to write down three things they love about themselves on "Confidence Cards," and then invite them to share with the class. Once these cards are completed, students keep them on their desks, in their backpacks, or in their rooms to read aloud anytime they feel discouraged. I use my own confidence card often, and I love the effect that positive thinking can have in any situation! I'm proud to offer this resource to the students I meet, and I hope it bring them joy like it does for me.
4. Walk the Walk. I firmly believe the most important aspect of any platform is walking the walk. It would be impossible for me to visit these classrooms and preach self-care, confidence, and positivity if I didn't personally practice these values. I practice self-care by feeding my body with whole foods and avoiding unhealthy weight loss measures. I get active in ways that I love - barre classes and running for example - to stay engaged and excited about exercise. Finally, I strive to build confidence in the people that I meet and maintain my own confidence through prayer, goal-setting, and doing things that bring me joy!

Having the opportunity to serve as Miss California would enable me to bring this message statewide (and international!). There are so many wonderful things that can be done through this work, and I'm excited to bring the message of #cultivateconfidence to the stage in Fresno!

I hope that this post has given you insight into my platform, why it matters to me, and how I live it out every day. Thank you for reading, and I hope that you continue to cultivate your own confidence every day!

Xo,

Jane