I
hope this letter finds everyone well, and that we are swiftly putting plans
together for the state competition in April.
October
was a very busy month for me, as we had the national Miss Gay America
competition coupled with a city preliminary in Saint Louis, Missouri. I must
say I extremely enjoyed myself this year at nationals! This was my second
go-around at the national level, and the team that I assembled with executing
the week long events was second to none. As we surpassed each category, I was
happy and content with what I placed on the stage and in front of the judges.
Although the outcome was not in my favor, I was very pleased to see the talents
of Asia O’Hara realize her dream as the next Miss Gay America. She provided a
wonderful presence onstage all week long, and I cannot wait to see her
entertain us throughout this coming year!
As
well as competing at the national pageant, I also got to take part in the Miss
Gay Saint Louis pageant that is promoted by Jade Sinclair. Witnessing the
history of this pageant in action throughout the evening’s events was a very
eye-opening experience! It was so great to see so many formers come together
and offer their talents and active participation this year in what is a
preliminary with a very rich history. Upon the registration hour, we had 3
lovely contestants check-in to throw their hats in the ring to become the
successor to Melissa Marnier. While only one was able to capture that victory,
it was a great contest to watch with lots of variety. At the end of the
evening, Nadia M. Louis was crowned as the 2016 Miss Gay Saint Louis and Bella
Rose claimed her ticket as the first alternate. Both of these individuals are
now on their way to compete at the state level in early April. Congratulations!
I
want to take a timeout during this newsletter to focus on a word that is
predominant in the world of pageantry, and that word is “critique”. When entering
a pageant, we must keep in mind that we are employing the opinion of a panel of
qualified analysts to observe what we do and offer their opinion on what it is
that we have presented. When we ask the judges for their thoughts, it is their
duty to evaluate our resume in a detailed and analytical manner. At the end of
the evening win, lose, or draw it is their collective opinion that results in
the victory for one lucky individual. While it is not required that we
implement everything that is provided during our critique sessions, it is
highly recommended that when meeting with these individuals that we come in
with an open mind. They are there to make us stronger in our craft, and even
thought we may not agree with everything that is discussed what matters is that
we listen, learn, and try to improve based upon the feedback that we have been
provided.
Listed
below are the 2 preliminaries that we have coming in the next month:
Saturday,
November 7th – Miss Gay Springfield, Missouri
Theme
– 50 Shades of Pink; honoring the reigning Diva Coppafeel
Location
– Springfield, MO, at the Ramada Oasis Hotel and Convention Center
Promoted
by Vince Edwards and Autumn Holiday
Saturday,
November 21st – Miss Gay Northwest, Missouri
Theme
–Grace and Glamour; honoring the reigning L’oreal
Location
– Saint Joseph, MO, at Headquarters Nightclub
Promoted
by Dustin Mathews and Bianca Bliss (Patrick Hall)
Keep in mind I am
only a phone call away! I hope everyone has a great November and takes some
time out of their day to day routine to enjoy time with their loved ones. Have
a great Thanksgiving, and I will be back in another month corseted up and 7 pounds heavier!
Sounding Off For November,
Kyla Breeze,
MGMA 2015
I would like to introduce myself- Steve Hurley, the
newest Board Member of the Miss Gay Missouri America System. I come to you from
Lees Summit, Missouri, a suburb of the greater Kansas City metropolis. No stranger to the Miss Gay Missouri
Pageantry system, I have nearly 25 years experience working in and around Miss
Gay Missouri; from judging, backstage, props, contestant backup, and even
co-owned a few pageants back in the day.
I feel very well rounded by having this experience under my belt.
As a new member, I have already witnessed many life
changing events that have impacted friends, contestants, and how the America
system works behind the scenes. I feel
honored and humbled to be a part of this Missouri family. The wonderful people that make up this board,
validate the name ‘Team’. Oh yes, we all
have differences and our own little quirks, but doesn’t every family? But we have one goal in mind. And that is to do our very best to uphold our
responsibilities for the betterment of the Miss Gay Missouri America
system. This is why I am proud to be a
part of this family.
I would like to congratulate Miss Asia T. O’Hara,
from Dallas, Texas, as our new Miss Gay America. Wishing her a wonderful and
rewarding experience during her reign.
We had a wonderful pageant this past weekend in St
Louis. Promoted by Jade Sinclair and hosted by The Grey Fox, Nadia M. Louis won
the title of Miss Gay St Louis 2016.
Bella Rose came in as First Alternate to Nadia. We look forward to seeing these two ladies
next April, competing again, for the Miss Gay Missouri America title.
Upcoming pageants are:
Saturday, November 7th - Miss
Gay Springfield, Missouri
Promoted by Vince
Edwards and Autum Holiday, and hosted at the Ramada Oasis Hotel
Saturday,
November 21st– Miss Gay Northwest, Missouri
Promoted by Dustin Mathews and Bianca Bliss
(Patrick Hall). Location
to be announced
As fall quickly approaches, and the holidays are
upon us, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow board members,
promoters, and the many acquaintances, for their acceptance and friendships
they have shown me. Looking forward to many
more pageants and working together to achieve a thriving Miss Gay Missouri
America.
MGMA Board and Alumni