I know I haven’t written in a while…things have been so crazy since I got home from Los Angeles! First off, L.A. was amazing! All the contestants are so nice, and it was so much fun getting to know everyone. My roommate was Miss Montana, and we got along really well. I can’t tell you a lot about what we did there because we were filming for a top-secret TV show that will air in January (right before the Miss America pageant). They really kept us busy day and night with all the filming. Just trust me when I say the show will be full of surprises! I had a great time, and things really got rolling again when I got home!

I recently spoke to a group of inmates at a prison in Florence as part of a program called Impact of Crime on Victims. It was the third prison I spoke at, and all three have been incredible. It’s a great program that really helps the inmates understand how crimes affect the lives of the victims and survivors. The questions and feedback from the inmates is so incredible, and the prison classes are some of my favorite appearances.

Some exciting news…Inside Edition read an article about me speaking to the prisons and flew out last week to do a story on my platform! I interviewed with Lisa Guerrero and she was phenomenal at asking some sensitive questions in a respectful way. The interview went great, and it was kind of surreal to be filming for a national show. Jo Roughan from M.A.C. Cosmetics came over to do my makeup (and she did a great job), so I felt a little like a TV star! The show is airing tomorrow (September 27th) at 4 p.m. on 3TV. I’m just so grateful for the chance to share my platform on a national level.

Aside from that, I’ve had a few other appearances. I spoke at Desert Ridge Junior High, and on Saturday I co-hosted and performed at the Miss Chandler and Miss Pecos Ranch pageant. Congrats to the winners, Nicole Turner and Kelly Hover!

Well, that’s all for today. Like I said, things have been nuts for the past few weeks, and today is no exception…it’s my 21st birthday! I had a meeting with the Arizona Department of Corrections this morning, but I think I’m going to take the rest of the day off!

Take care!