Miss Mississippi encourages children who are victims of bullies
Posted by Maggie Wade, News Anchor
VICKSBURG, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
At her Miss America Send Off Saturday, Miss Mississippi 2016 Laura Lee Lewis talked with us backstage about preparing for the national competition. She also shared the pain of being bullied daily as a child.
Due to a condition she was born with, Lewis says she has had to deal with bullies most of her life, even after wining the Miss Mississippi crown.
Lewis says it took years of positive encouragement from her family and a teacher she fondly calls Miss Fern to get through it.
Lewis spoke on how she won her battle and wants other kids to know they can too.
"I try to share my story and encourage people that you can just change lives if you just tell them they're special," Lewis said.
That experience helped Lewis decide on her platform. She focuses on the importance of mentorship.
"I have the opportunity to spread a powerful message at a time when our country needs it most," Lewis added. "To where our youth need to feel valued, they need to feel comfortable, they need to respect one another."
Miss Mississippi says she has watched what Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas has gone through on social media and wants kids to understand anyone can be a victim of bullies even when you're on top of the world.
"Personally after being crowned Miss Mississippi, I had some, you know, cyber bullying on my social media account. I'm not going to be defeated by this. I didn't let myself get defeated by that when I was fifth grade," Lewis said. "I'm going to be an inspirer as Miss Mississippi and change lives."
Lewis' hope is she can spread the message nationwide as the next Miss America. She leaves in a week headed to Atlantic City. The New Miss America will be crowned on the 15th Anniversary of 9/11.
Gabby Douglas, the Olympic Gold Medalist will join the panel of judges at this year's Miss America Pageant. Other judges include, musician and actress Laura Marano, entrepreneur Mark Cuban, actress Sara Foster, singer-songwriter Cole Swindell and former Miss America Sharlene Wells Hawkes.
http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/32816839/miss-mississippi-encourages-children-who-are-victims-of-bullies
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