“If you’re active in your community, you love what you do, you have a voice and have a story. They want to hear from you. They want real, down-to-earth people, people with kids, people who are messy, people who are 25 and still going to college. They love real life,” said Breandrea Hampton, who has been named Miss Missouri for the Miss America Strong pageant.
The America Strong Pageant is unlike other pageant platforms, as it is specifically geared toward single, divorced or widowed women. The goal of the pageant is to help participants discover their influence in the community, according to organizers.
“It’s a very small window for women with children who still want to compete in pageantry,” said Hampton.
This pageant is different in that there is no age limit, other than that women must be 18 years old.
It is a pageant about “strong American women who are single, divorced and single with children,” according to Rachel Fenters, the current crown holder for Miss America Strong.
Hampton was born and raised in Poplar Bluff. She received her associate’s degree from Three Rivers College and is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in education through Southeast Missouri State University. She is raising two children.
Hampton said that she will soon head to Las Vegas for 10 days of rehearsals and the national Miss America Strong pageant. She’s currently looking for sponsors to help fundraise for expenses. The trip costs about $15,000.
This was Hampton’s third year competing, but the first year placing at the state level.
“It took me three years to win. It took two years of people saying no straight to my face and that can be hard,” said Hampton.
While she encourages women to compete and follow their dreams she also said, “Anyone interested in competing should be sure that they’re in a good state mentally, I would let them know that it’s not you. It’s just the judges preferred something different that day, it is like changing up your order at the ice cream shop.”
Hampton has had support from her sponsors throughout her journey.
“My sponsors in the past have been great, they say pursue your dreams, go for it,” said Hampton, but with the way that the economy is today, rather than asking for large donations she has opted to ask for smaller donations and gift certificates to raffle to the community. “So not only does that drive business back into the community, but unless that person exchanges out that gift certificate, then the business is out nothing.”
Hampton is working on getting local businesses to donate items for a mommy makeover basket that will include items like gift certificates for boutiques, a hair appointment and other mommy-oriented items.
A website and Facebook page promoting the pageant and its participants can be found at www.facebook.com/misskcmo2021/?ref=page_internal.
More information can be found on Hamptons personal Instagram page at instagram.com/missmoamerica22 or to contact Missmissouriamerica@gmail.com.