HAMPTON, Va. — Next month, young ladies from across Hampton Roads will take the stage for a beauty pageant in Hampton.
And the event's director is working to redefine what it means to be beautiful.
The second Miss R.E.A.-D. Pageant is Saturday, March 30 at 5:00 p.m. at Y.H. Thomas Community Center in Hampton. The event, and the activities leading up to it, aim to teach girls ages 6-15 to prioritize ambition, resilience, and community engagement.
"Every girl, to be ready, needs to be responsible, educated, have an amazing attitude, and [be] determined," said Diamond Gorman, a Hampton entrepreneur and the director of the pageant, when asked for what 'R.E.A.-D.' stands.
Gorman launched the pageant last year through her nonprofit, R.E.A.-D. Foundation. The nonprofit works to address the needs of displaced workers, women, children, veterans, and people in re-entry programs.
Miss R.E.A.-D. includes three phases of competition for all contestants- appearance, personality, and talent. The top five contestants will participate in an on-stage question portion.
As a former pageant participant, Gorman said she works with contestants for weeks prior to the event to ensure each girl is confident on stage.
"If you stay ready, you don't have to get ready," Gorman said, referencing the Miss R.E.A.-D. motto.
From performing to public speaking, girls spend several sessions over a few weeks practicing and improving their presentation through what is known as R.E.A.-D. Academy.
"We're walking and we're standing up in front of the stage... running exactly how the pageant will run," Gorman said. "But every week, it's going to get better and better and better."
Gorman believes preparation is necessary for girls to replace fear and doubt with empowerment.
"When you pour into young ladies and give them the tools and the resources that they need," Gorman said, "when they're on a stage, they're already ready because they've been preparing for this moment."
But the pageant experience goes beyond preparation for the event itself.
Girls are also guided and mentored by inspiring women throughout Hampton Roads. From pageant titleholders to entrepreneurs, contestants learn from role models to believe in themselves and pursue their dreams.
"I want it to be more of a mentorship program than a pageant," said Gorman, who tries to work one-on-one with each contestant at some point during the academy sessions. "I love to be able to bond with them on that personal level."
Gorman said the changes she witnessed in the girls in the pageant's first year proves that the journey is more important than the jewels. She is excited to work with a new group of contestants and aid in their development and growth.
"We just have so much in store to help them out, and... it's going to be great," Gorman said.
Orientation for R.E.A.-D. Academy is on March 4—the deadline to register as a contestant for the Miss R.E.A.-D. Pageant is March 6. The winner will receive a $1,000 prize and appear at events throughout the year with the runners-up.
Click here to sign up for the pageant. You can also donate to or sponsor the event.