00:00So, Carol, as a former Miss USA, you know what it takes to wear that crown.
00:07What are you looking to see in the next Miss USA to be crowned tonight?
00:12Someone who is relatable, warm and embracing and welcoming, but, you know, still can be
00:20that woman who embraces her dreams while encouraging others to pursue theirs, be genuine, authentic,
00:29represent the U.S. with class and poise and elegance and grace, and women, women power,
00:36you know, women empowerment, because we need more of that, women uplifting other women
00:41and encouraging all the young girls to come after, to be anything they want to be, whatever
00:50it is.
00:51You don't have to be pigeonholed into any one thing, but if you can believe it and you
00:56can achieve it, even if you haven't seen it, I didn't want a black woman to be Miss
01:01USA, but I went for it knowing that it was a chance.
01:05I may not win, but you still got to go for it.
01:08You have blazed that trail.
01:10So Miss USA, the winner, it's going to open up so many doors for her.
01:15What doors did it open up for you?
01:16Give us some of your career highlights.
01:17Well, it gave me the opportunity to mentor youth, which is a big passion of mine in helping
01:23young people live outside their traumas and their life challenges, however it came to
01:28be, whether foster youth, at-risk teens, just knowing that whatever debt or whatever hand
01:34life dealt you, you can learn how to play that hand well and still succeed.
01:41Your mistakes or how you came to be in this world do not define who you are.
01:46You have the power to determine who you are in life, not who your mother or your father
01:51was, how you came into this world, if you've been a victim of assault or harm or any type
01:56of trauma.
01:57You can be what you purpose and embody that which is in you to do.
02:04You can be it.
02:05So don't let past mistakes and trauma stop you from being what you were born to be, because
02:11we need you.
02:12We need you to live your life.
02:14And that opening for me allowed me to speak at Boys and Girls Clubs and different group
02:20homes and things like that so that I could help just, even if I thought it would only
02:25impact one person, I could still do what I could to try and encourage and motivate young
02:30people.
02:31Live out your dreams and not worry about the lemons life may have given you.
02:35Learn how to make a lemonade.
02:37The best darn lemonade you can mix.
02:39Wow, that is so inspiring.
02:42We can see why the crown went on her head.
02:45Thank you so much for your time and enjoy tonight.
02:49I hope you enjoy as well.
02:50Thank you so much.
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