#alexis wineman

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoqnPZXLGVA)

These are the people who inspire my fashion everyday:

1. Audrey Hepburn

2. Emma Watson

3. Jennifer Lawrence

4. Jamie Grace

5. Britt Nicole

6. Lindsey Stirling

7. Alexis Wineman

8. Grace Kelly

This year, 2014 state titleholders from Idaho and New Jersey have both overcame personal disabilities in the pursuit of the Miss America crown.

Cierra Kaler-Jones, Miss New Jersey 2014, was born with hip dysplasia. This normally means the thighbone does not fit correctly into the socket in her hipbone. It could be caused may many things, and generally does not severely effect the person. However, for Cierra, hip dysplasia had the potential to prevent her from reaching her dreams of being a dancer. In fact, as a result of her hips being unaligned, she is unable to do a split. However, this did not standing in the way of her pursuit of the Miss America dream. After winning local titles and competing at Miss New Jersey in the past, this year she took home the Miss New Jersey crown.

  Sierra Sandison, Miss Idaho 2014, was not born with type 1 diabetes, but was actually diagnosed when she was 18. Generally speaking, this form of diabetes directly caused by diet or weight, is diagnose during youth. Thankfully, Sierra was diagnosed before it became life threatening. AFter monitoring her insulin levels with shots for a short time, she decided to use an insulin pump. Pumps help to regulate glucose levels quicker than checking blood sugar with a finger stick, and injecting insulin manually. Although she had the option to remove her pump during competition, she was not ashamed of her pump and chose to wear it during the evening. It may have gone unnoticed during most phases of competition, but certainly stood out during the Lifestyle and Fitness competition. Photos with her pump went viral, and encouraged a national campaign #ShowMeYourPump to promote pride for insulin pumps, hearing aids, and the like.

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  Right here in New York, we have beautiful titleholders who have overcome physical disabilities to achieve their dreams. Caitlin Nolan, Miss Erie Canal 2014 wears her insulin pump during each local pageant, and at Miss New York, unashamed of her platform Juvenile Diabetes Support and Awareness. Julia Rae Schlucter, Miss Metropolitan 2014 advocates Singing on the Top of My Lungs to raise awareness for Cycstic Fibrosis, which she was diagnosed with before birth. Lauren Crandall, Miss Mohawk Valley and Nina Zesky, Miss Salt City both suffer from severe eye sight limitation, and without strong prescription glasses are near blind; worse than standard near sightedness.

I, although I did not win a title, have Charcot-Marie-Tooth, a neuromuscular disease similar to muscular dystrophy. It personally presented itself in my back, shoulders, and hips, and I often looked very awkward as my body slanted on stage. I struggled to maintain proper posture and balance. I tripped over my own feet, and had times when I could not sign my words properly because my fingers were numb. But my optimist was always a strength. It is still a goal today to inspire girls across the country with CMT  to compete in confidence boosting pageants.

Back in 2012, Miss Massachusetts’ Outstanding Teen Amy de Silva represented my home state at Miss America’s Outstanding Teen, while promoting the platform of CMT Awareness. She, too, suffered from yet refused to be defeated by Charcot-Marie-Tooth. Read more about Amy here.

There is no reason that a disability should hold you back from your dreams- especially if your dream is to use the Miss America Organization to inspire others and make a difference in the community.

We're excited to share that former Miss Montana 2012 and autism advocate Alexis Wineman will be in attendance at our Great Falls autism conference on June 28! Learn more.

New Post has been published on http://specialedpost.com/2013/01/18/normal-is-just-a-dryer-setting-miss-america-contestant-says/

"Normal is just a dryer setting," Miss America Contestant Says

Miss Wineman wants to change her label to “Miss America.”

This is the speech that Miss Montana Alexis Wineman gave before she became one of 15 finalists for the Miss America crown. Miss Wineman is the first contest in the pageant’s history who has had an autism diagnosis.

by Alexis Wineman -