when I was 10 years old I had a dream I wanted to be the owner of a Halloween
wanted to be the owner of a Halloween
wanted to be the owner of a Halloween costume shop and then sign every single
costume shop and then sign every single
costume shop and then sign every single one of the costumes that we sold now I
one of the costumes that we sold now I
one of the costumes that we sold now I didn’t want to accomplish this dream
didn’t want to accomplish this dream
didn’t want to accomplish this dream years down the road I wanted to make it
years down the road I wanted to make it
years down the road I wanted to make it happen right there and then so I told
happen right there and then so I told
happen right there and then so I told myself that I would start planning and
myself that I would start planning and
myself that I would start planning and when I was ready and maybe seventh grade
when I was ready and maybe seventh grade
when I was ready and maybe seventh grade or so I would put my academics on hold
or so I would put my academics on hold
or so I would put my academics on hold and begin my shopkeeping career now not
and begin my shopkeeping career now not
and begin my shopkeeping career now not knowing about the trials and
knowing about the trials and
knowing about the trials and tribulations that must come with being
tribulations that must come with being
tribulations that must come with being the owner of a Halloween costume shop I
the owner of a Halloween costume shop I
the owner of a Halloween costume shop I mean the seasonality of the business to
mean the seasonality of the business to
mean the seasonality of the business to begin with my creativity was absolutely
begin with my creativity was absolutely
begin with my creativity was absolutely limitless I was constantly sketching
limitless I was constantly sketching
limitless I was constantly sketching ideas for costumes and thinking of names
ideas for costumes and thinking of names
ideas for costumes and thinking of names for the store and even researching
for the store and even researching
for the store and even researching properties that were available for rent
properties that were available for rent
properties that were available for rent in the area and meanwhile I was telling
in the area and meanwhile I was telling
in the area and meanwhile I was telling my parents about this dream as it was
my parents about this dream as it was
my parents about this dream as it was happening and not once do I remember
happening and not once do I remember
happening and not once do I remember them saying Jordan you’re just much too
them saying Jordan you’re just much too
them saying Jordan you’re just much too young for this or really this isn’t the
young for this or really this isn’t the
young for this or really this isn’t the best kind of business to get into
best kind of business to get into
best kind of business to get into and said they encouraged me to continue
and said they encouraged me to continue
and said they encouraged me to continue pursuing the idea now I’m sorry to
pursuing the idea now I’m sorry to
pursuing the idea now I’m sorry to disappoint anyone I cannot provide
disappoint anyone I cannot provide
disappoint anyone I cannot provide anyone here with Halloween costumes
anyone here with Halloween costumes
anyone here with Halloween costumes although I will provide my input during
although I will provide my input during
although I will provide my input during the social no I’m not the owner of a
the social no I’m not the owner of a
the social no I’m not the owner of a Halloween costume shop but it’s not
Halloween costume shop but it’s not
Halloween costume shop but it’s not because I was only 10 years old and it’s
because I was only 10 years old and it’s
because I was only 10 years old and it’s not because I soon became afraid of the
not because I soon became afraid of the
not because I soon became afraid of the responsibilities that the job would
responsibilities that the job would
responsibilities that the job would entail it’s because at the end of the
entail it’s because at the end of the
entail it’s because at the end of the day my passion didn’t lie there and I
day my passion didn’t lie there and I
day my passion didn’t lie there and I would discover that passion just a few
would discover that passion just a few
would discover that passion just a few years later when I was 12 years old I
years later when I was 12 years old I
years later when I was 12 years old I volunteered with the Special Olympics
volunteered with the Special Olympics
volunteered with the Special Olympics and that first day that I volunteered
and that first day that I volunteered
and that first day that I volunteered one athlete really caught my attention
one athlete really caught my attention
one athlete really caught my attention she didn’t win the gold silver or bronze
she didn’t win the gold silver or bronze
she didn’t win the gold silver or bronze but when she stepped up to the platform
but when she stepped up to the platform
but when she stepped up to the platform to receive her award she threw her arms
to receive her award she threw her arms
to receive her award she threw her arms in the air and yelled to this crowd of
in the air and yelled to this crowd of
in the air and yelled to this crowd of screaming supporters I did it I did it
screaming supporters I did it I did it
screaming supporters I did it I did it and I immediately fell in love with this
and I immediately fell in love with this
and I immediately fell in love with this environment one that celebrated effort
environment one that celebrated effort
environment one that celebrated effort and grit as all of you know by now I had
and grit as all of you know by now I had
and grit as all of you know by now I had a bit of an entrepreneurial urge so I
a bit of an entrepreneurial urge so I
a bit of an entrepreneurial urge so I wanted to create something new for the
wanted to create something new for the
wanted to create something new for the athletes
athletes
athletes at the Special Olympics and I was
at the Special Olympics and I was
at the Special Olympics and I was thinking of that one thing too that I
thinking of that one thing too that I
thinking of that one thing too that I could print and bring to the table my
could print and bring to the table my
could print and bring to the table my mind immediately went to pageants I know
mind immediately went to pageants I know
mind immediately went to pageants I know many of you might be thinking what in
many of you might be thinking what in
many of you might be thinking what in the world of all things pageants
the world of all things pageants
the world of all things pageants seriously you see throughout my
seriously you see throughout my
seriously you see throughout my childhood I would participate in a
childhood I would participate in a
childhood I would participate in a pageant once every summer and it was
pageant once every summer and it was
pageant once every summer and it was always an incredibly positive experience
always an incredibly positive experience
always an incredibly positive experience for me it was less about beauty and
for me it was less about beauty and
for me it was less about beauty and makeup as it was about communication
makeup as it was about communication
makeup as it was about communication skills philanthropy and meeting friends
skills philanthropy and meeting friends
skills philanthropy and meeting friends outside of my small elementary school so
outside of my small elementary school so
outside of my small elementary school so I combined these two interests and held
I combined these two interests and held
I combined these two interests and held the first Miss amazing pageant for girls
the first Miss amazing pageant for girls
the first Miss amazing pageant for girls and women with disabilities when I was
and women with disabilities when I was
and women with disabilities when I was 13 years old the rest of the story’s a
13 years old the rest of the story’s a
13 years old the rest of the story’s a little bit of a long one so I’ll try to
little bit of a long one so I’ll try to
little bit of a long one so I’ll try to give you the abridged version by the
give you the abridged version by the
give you the abridged version by the time I was a senior in high school I had
time I was a senior in high school I had
time I was a senior in high school I had coordinated Miss amazing events for four
coordinated Miss amazing events for four
coordinated Miss amazing events for four years and teen Nickelodeon took notice
years and teen Nickelodeon took notice
years and teen Nickelodeon took notice the network highlighted my work and
the network highlighted my work and
the network highlighted my work and provided me with the 25,000 dollar grant
provided me with the 25,000 dollar grant
provided me with the 25,000 dollar grant to expand the program and throughout my
to expand the program and throughout my
to expand the program and throughout my college career I just became more and
college career I just became more and
college career I just became more and more passionate about disability
more passionate about disability
more passionate about disability advocacy and spent every bit of spare
advocacy and spent every bit of spare
advocacy and spent every bit of spare time I had evolving the program into the
time I had evolving the program into the
time I had evolving the program into the nationwide nonprofit that it is today at
nationwide nonprofit that it is today at
nationwide nonprofit that it is today at this point miss amazing events are held
this point miss amazing events are held
this point miss amazing events are held in 32 states across the country and we
in 32 states across the country and we
in 32 states across the country and we just wrapped up our fifth annual
just wrapped up our fifth annual
just wrapped up our fifth annual national events at the beginning of this
national events at the beginning of this
national events at the beginning of this month we are a community that amplifies
month we are a community that amplifies
month we are a community that amplifies the voices of girls women with
the voices of girls women with
the voices of girls women with disabilities and provides them with a
disabilities and provides them with a
disabilities and provides them with a platform to develop life skills like
platform to develop life skills like
platform to develop life skills like interviewing and public speaking now
interviewing and public speaking now
interviewing and public speaking now throughout this entire process I could
throughout this entire process I could
throughout this entire process I could have backed away I could have never
have backed away I could have never
have backed away I could have never pursued the idea to begin with
pursued the idea to begin with
pursued the idea to begin with I could have become afraid once the idea
I could have become afraid once the idea
I could have become afraid once the idea spread worldwide
spread worldwide
spread worldwide I could have declined the opportunity
I could have declined the opportunity
I could have declined the opportunity once I learned what would have been
once I learned what would have been
once I learned what would have been expected of me as an executive director
expected of me as an executive director
expected of me as an executive director but all of this was happening when I was
but all of this was happening when I was
but all of this was happening when I was a young teenager
a young teenager
a young teenager and I had this sort of fearlessness that
and I had this sort of fearlessness that
and I had this sort of fearlessness that kids so often have I didn’t know what I
kids so often have I didn’t know what I
kids so often have I didn’t know what I didn’t know about running a non-profit
didn’t know about running a non-profit
didn’t know about running a non-profit but that was my greatest strength I had
but that was my greatest strength I had
but that was my greatest strength I had absolutely no fear fearlessness has
absolutely no fear fearlessness has
absolutely no fear fearlessness has allowed me to pursue Miss amazing and
allowed me to pursue Miss amazing and
allowed me to pursue Miss amazing and fearless fearlessness has formed the
fearless fearlessness has formed the
fearless fearlessness has formed the organization’s central thesis which is
organization’s central thesis which is
organization’s central thesis which is that girls and women with disabilities
that girls and women with disabilities
that girls and women with disabilities can accomplish greatness if given the
can accomplish greatness if given the
can accomplish greatness if given the opportunity to challenge themselves and
opportunity to challenge themselves and
opportunity to challenge themselves and risks I recently attended our
risks I recently attended our
risks I recently attended our Massachusetts Miss amazing program and
Massachusetts Miss amazing program and
Massachusetts Miss amazing program and the mom of one of our participants came
the mom of one of our participants came
the mom of one of our participants came up to me and with tears in her eyes she
up to me and with tears in her eyes she
up to me and with tears in her eyes she said I had no idea that my daughter
said I had no idea that my daughter
said I had no idea that my daughter could do that I had no idea that she
could do that I had no idea that she
could do that I had no idea that she could speak to a crowd of people on
could speak to a crowd of people on
could speak to a crowd of people on stage I hear this all the time through
stage I hear this all the time through
stage I hear this all the time through Miss amazing women with disabilities are
Miss amazing women with disabilities are
Miss amazing women with disabilities are proving more and more every day that
proving more and more every day that
proving more and more every day that they can accomplish great things because
they can accomplish great things because
they can accomplish great things because I’m sort of tearing down their dreams
I’m sort of tearing down their dreams
I’m sort of tearing down their dreams for fear of seeing them fail we’re
for fear of seeing them fail we’re
for fear of seeing them fail we’re encouraging them to dream big and to
encouraging them to dream big and to
encouraging them to dream big and to take the leap we are encouraging them to
take the leap we are encouraging them to
take the leap we are encouraging them to set wild expectations for themselves I
set wild expectations for themselves I
set wild expectations for themselves I mean truly the only reason that an
mean truly the only reason that an
mean truly the only reason that an expectation may seem wild is because it
expectation may seem wild is because it
expectation may seem wild is because it lies outside of the status quo and
lies outside of the status quo and
lies outside of the status quo and unfortunately today the status quo is
unfortunately today the status quo is
unfortunately today the status quo is that girls and women with disabilities
that girls and women with disabilities
that girls and women with disabilities are often marginalized because of two
are often marginalized because of two
are often marginalized because of two aspects of their identity being female
aspects of their identity being female
aspects of their identity being female and having a disability because of these
and having a disability because of these
and having a disability because of these widely held myths about their value
widely held myths about their value
widely held myths about their value women with disabilities often go unseen
women with disabilities often go unseen
women with disabilities often go unseen and unheard they’re often excluded from
and unheard they’re often excluded from
and unheard they’re often excluded from conversations about their own lives
conversations about their own lives
conversations about their own lives deprived of the opportunities to make
deprived of the opportunities to make
deprived of the opportunities to make friends and decline the chance to
friends and decline the chance to
friends and decline the chance to challenge themselves and to fine-tune
challenge themselves and to fine-tune
challenge themselves and to fine-tune their skills I could tell you really too
their skills I could tell you really too
their skills I could tell you really too many stories of incredible women with
many stories of incredible women with
many stories of incredible women with huge potential that say that their
huge potential that say that their
huge potential that say that their experience at Miss amazing stands out to
experience at Miss amazing stands out to
experience at Miss amazing stands out to them because it’s one of the only times
them because it’s one of the only times
them because it’s one of the only times that they’ve felt a sense of self-worth
that they’ve felt a sense of self-worth
that they’ve felt a sense of self-worth or it’s one of the only times that
or it’s one of the only times that
or it’s one of the only times that they’ve ever felt accepted now I am so
they’ve ever felt accepted now I am so
they’ve ever felt accepted now I am so glad I’m able to provide this kind of
glad I’m able to provide this kind of
glad I’m able to provide this kind of environment but at the same time so
environment but at the same time so
environment but at the same time so enraged that these girls and women don’t
enraged that these girls and women don’t
enraged that these girls and women don’t feel this way the majority of the time
feel this way the majority of the time
feel this way the majority of the time we want to say that you shouldn’t only
we want to say that you shouldn’t only
we want to say that you shouldn’t only feel accepted you should feel completely
feel accepted you should feel completely
feel accepted you should feel completely embraced you should thrive you should be
embraced you should thrive you should be
embraced you should thrive you should be at the forefront my hope is that this
at the forefront my hope is that this
at the forefront my hope is that this expectation doesn’t seem so wild in the
expectation doesn’t seem so wild in the
expectation doesn’t seem so wild in the future once I graduated from college I
future once I graduated from college I
future once I graduated from college I was finally free to direct the Miss
was finally free to direct the Miss
was finally free to direct the Miss amazing work in his organization
amazing work in his organization
amazing work in his organization full-time and I was incredibly excited
full-time and I was incredibly excited
full-time and I was incredibly excited about this I mean this had been my dream
about this I mean this had been my dream
about this I mean this had been my dream for the last eight years but I was also
for the last eight years but I was also
for the last eight years but I was also incredibly overwhelmed I had this
incredibly overwhelmed I had this
incredibly overwhelmed I had this initial moment of
initial moment of
initial moment of alysus that was directly related to the
alysus that was directly related to the
alysus that was directly related to the fact that I had lost a little bit of The
fact that I had lost a little bit of The
fact that I had lost a little bit of The Fearless girl that had always been
Fearless girl that had always been
Fearless girl that had always been inside of me once I started learning
inside of me once I started learning
inside of me once I started learning more about the responsibilities that I
more about the responsibilities that I
more about the responsibilities that I would have maintaining the fearlessness
would have maintaining the fearlessness
would have maintaining the fearlessness that was strongest when I was a child
that was strongest when I was a child
that was strongest when I was a child has been much more difficult while
has been much more difficult while
has been much more difficult while growing up and maturing after all it’s
growing up and maturing after all it’s
growing up and maturing after all it’s much easier to be fearless and naive
much easier to be fearless and naive
much easier to be fearless and naive than fearless and informed luckily I
than fearless and informed luckily I
than fearless and informed luckily I find myself constantly surrounded by
find myself constantly surrounded by
find myself constantly surrounded by people who encouraged me to be fearless
people who encouraged me to be fearless
people who encouraged me to be fearless for example sue a Minnesota Miss amazing
for example sue a Minnesota Miss amazing
for example sue a Minnesota Miss amazing participant has battled bullying her
participant has battled bullying her
participant has battled bullying her entire life and continues to battle it
entire life and continues to battle it
entire life and continues to battle it to this day and instead of lashing out
to this day and instead of lashing out
to this day and instead of lashing out with anger or cowering away she just
with anger or cowering away she just
with anger or cowering away she just seems to speak louder and louder about
seems to speak louder and louder about
seems to speak louder and louder about the beauty of diversity and the
the beauty of diversity and the
the beauty of diversity and the importance of being kind it can be
importance of being kind it can be
importance of being kind it can be difficult to take a leap of faith when
difficult to take a leap of faith when
difficult to take a leap of faith when you know that you might fall or you know
you know that you might fall or you know
you know that you might fall or you know that the journey might be a long one but
that the journey might be a long one but
that the journey might be a long one but through my experience as a young
through my experience as a young
through my experience as a young entrepreneur and through my
entrepreneur and through my
entrepreneur and through my relationships with women with
relationships with women with
relationships with women with disabilities I have learned time and
disabilities I have learned time and
disabilities I have learned time and time and again that we can only uncover
time and again that we can only uncover
time and again that we can only uncover our true potential if we actively keep
our true potential if we actively keep
our true potential if we actively keep our inner kid alive that means putting
our inner kid alive that means putting
our inner kid alive that means putting our fears aside following our passions
our fears aside following our passions
our fears aside following our passions and diving into the unknown
and diving into the unknown
and diving into the unknown [Music]
”
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