The road to Miss America continues with our next feature from the state of Maine!

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Please share with our readers your title & platform.
I’m Emily Richmond, I’m competing for Miss Maine and my platform is BElieve THEre is HOPE. My platform is about the danger of drugs and especially teaching adolescents how powerful and life changing drugs truly are.

How long have you competed in pageants? How do you think you’ve personally grown with all your prior pageant experience?
I’ve only competed in pageants for about 3 years. I was Miss Jr. Teen Maine 2014. Before competing for Miss Jr Teen United States I was more shy and awkward than I am now. Making the choice to compete that year was one of the best decisions of my life. I became a much more confident and outgoing person through that pageant system and I can’t wait to see where Miss Maine 2017 will take me.

In regards to your platform, why did you choose to go with this particular one?
A couple of years ago my uncle passed away due to a heroin overdose. Living in central Maine I’ve seen many of my peers slip into the trap that is drug use. It’s so easy to say that “it’s just one time” or that you “can’t get addicted”, but the truth is you never know what could happen until it does. Some people are strong enough to overcome addiction but some people will give their lives for it.

How has working alongside your platform made you into a stronger person?
I almost feel wrong saying that working alongside my platform has made me a stronger person.
The point is to make other people feel strong. However, knowing that you’re actively making a difference in the lives of others always makes you feel a little bit stronger. Being able to stand up for something that
you believe in is always empowering.

What have you learned from your current Miss Maine, which you hope to carry with you if you were to win the title of Miss Maine?
I, unfortunately, don’t know Marybeth very well. However, I know that she is kind, outgoing, and passionate about that she does. If I were to win the title of Miss Maine I hope to be as outgoing as her.

As a title-holder, what is one of the single-most important messages, which you think you convey to your followers?
I think the single most important thing is to just be yourself. Too often it is easy for all of us to succumb to trends- whether they be good or bad. Too often we do stuff because it’s what we think we need to do, not
because we want to. If my followers took one piece of advice from me, I’d want it to be for them all to just be who they are and do what they love.

If you were to win the title of Miss Maine, what is the one thing which you would strive the hardest to accomplish?
If I were to win Miss Maine I would love to put a lot of effort into the national platform (Children’s Miracle Network) as well as creating awareness for my own platform. I hope to work with local drug rehabilitation centers and raise money for them.

Imagine you’re competing for Miss America, and your roommate has never visited Maine; how would you describe your state to your roommate?
If my roommate had never visited Maine I’d tell her that Maine is a little bit of everything. We have a little bit of spring, a little bit of fall, a little bit of summer and a little bit of winter. We have a little bit of city, lots of small towns and a lot of whoppie pies.

If you could place three items in a time capsule, which represent the women of today, what would they be and why?
Women of today are stronger than ever, braver than ever, and more independent than ever. Women of today are intelligent and not afraid to be. I’d put weights to represent strength, a pencil to represent intelligence and a doorknob to represent the doors us women of today have opened for ourselves.

Because of media, many people tend to look at pageant with a very scrutinizing option; For you. personally, what have been some of the biggest benefits of being a part of the Miss America Organization. And how would you share the positive nature of pageants with others who may not be familiar?
This is my first time being involved in the Miss America Organization so I don’t know a lot about the differences or benefits. However, the Miss America Organization is special because of its commitment to bettering women throughout our country and allowing the women of our country to pursue further education without financial burden. Miss America’s base lies in inner beauty rather than outer beauty. The Miss America Organization is strongly rooted in community involvement and that is something I love about this organization.

“Bravura” is an artistic word for exceptional; in your opinion, what makes you “bravura”
I think something that makes me “bravura” is my commitment and passion for what I love.

Where can fans follow you on social media? (Please provide links so they can be embedded)
Fans can follow my Instagram! @emilyrichmond_

What advice do you have for those who want to take part in pageants?
My advice would be to compete for the right reasons. If you want to compete in a pageant for the beauty aspect alone you won’t have as much fun nor will you feel as accomplished as if you were to compete in order to inspire others. Only one girl gets to feel the crown touch her head at the end of the competition so it’s worth making friends and making it more than a competition.

What words of thanks do you have for those who have helped to bring you to where you are today in the Miss Maine Class of 2017?
I wish I could find the words to thank everyone who has helped me. But the truth is that no combination of words can express how thankful I am for the wonderful support system that got me here. All I can say is thank you for helping me and thank you for believing in the small-town girl from Pittsfield Maine.

What final words do you have for the readers of Bravura Magazine?
First I’d like to thank Bravura Magazine for this opportunity. And I’d like to encourage all of the readers to do their research about adolescent drug use. Thank you!