Helena Howe, a sophomore biology student, is also a frequent participant in beauty pageants.
For Howe, the performance empowers her, as it takes away her insecurities and focuses on her strengths.
Howe has participated in pageants all over the country, and that much traveling can be challenging for a college student. She even studies and writes papers while on the road.
Howe has been performing in pageants since she was six years old. It took until she was sixteen, however, to really appreciate the community service aspects of the beauty pageant community.
Along with being a student and pageant performer, Howe also serves in an African Culture group, and Live Out Loud, an organization dedicated to suicide prevention.
Howe’s favorite pageant was for the Liberian chapter of Columbus, as it allowed her to connect with her culture and focus on the Liberian community.
In the future, Howe hopes to gain the title of Miss Live Out Loud United Nations, which would allow her to travel the world.
In terms of her career, she hopes to be a biology teacher while modeling.
“I want to promote to younger girls, and girls of our age group, so they can see with all your insecurities, you can still be something,” Howe said.
Although people may view Howe differently because she participates in beauty pageants, she is just like any other college student wanting to make a difference in society.
“While being who you are, knowing where you come from, and finding the strength beneath the world … be true to yourself.”
