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Michigan's Jen Leedy Uses Pageants to Raise Awareness about Foster Care
Jen Hope Leedy, a participant in the Michigan Youth Opportunity Initiative site in Macomb County, Mich., came home from the 2008 Miss Michigan USA pageant in September with the "Miss Photogenic" award.
"I was so shocked," said Jen, 20, a sophomore at Macomb Community College. "It was my first pageant, and never in a million years did I think I would get an award like that. It's one of only two awards besides the actual title, so I was really happy."
Jen liked the pageant experience so much that she has decided to enter one or more of the pre-qualifying pageants for the Miss Michigan title, an entirely different competition. Winning the Miss Michigan title would enable her to compete in the Miss America pageant.
"The Miss Michigan and Miss America pageants are not as much beauty pageants as the Miss Michigan USA one," she says. "There's a talent component, and I can have my own platform. I'm probably going to sing 'On My Own' from Les Miserables. And my platform is 'to be a support and take a stand for youth transitioning out of the foster care system.'"
Jen views her participation in pageants as a way to increase awareness of the needs of youth in foster care. In an essay for the Miss Michigan USA pageant, she wrote: "I have overcome abuse, neglect, and the struggles of the foster care system first hand. I have experienced 12 years of abuse and neglect at the hands of the people I most trusted, my parents. I then endured eight years of the foster care system, and now I am facing the challenge of making it completely on my own. I have overcome the barriers of my past, my family and even myself. I can truly say I am a survivor! I developed resiliency, perseverance, and determination to make changes for other youth like myself."
The first pre-qualifying pageant for Miss Michigan 2009 will be held next fall. Between now and then, Jen will spend her spare time raising money to support the cost of participating. With the help of friends, she raised almost $2,000 for her first pageant's expenses by holding BBQ and bowling fundraisers and collecting bottles for recycling.
Jen plans to transfer to Oakland University and major in communications, with the goal of becoming an author and international motivational speaker. She was an officer of Macomb County's Youth Board, called Spirit, for two years.
