Mackenzie Harding

“I competed in a beauty pageant for the first time this summer. I’m not an impulsive person by any means, but one day I saw an ad on Instagram for Miss New York USA, and I just decided to click on it. Soon after, I had an interview over the phone, and I remember the interviewer asked me if there was anything I wanted to share about myself. I told them that I wasn’t a traditional beauty pageant shape, like a size two. They said I should do it anyway, and I’m so glad I did because it turned out to be a really motivating experience for me as a woman. Contrary to popular stereotypes, I actually got to know some of the most intellectual and down to earth people I’ve ever met. You spend the whole weekend talking about yourself, so it pushes you to really think about what you want to do. It’s interesting because in high school, you spend all this time thinking about college, and then when you get to college, it's like you’re in this waiting pool for four years with endless options. I had to focus on where I wanted to be in five years, or ten. The thinking I did there helped me conclude that my long term goal is to have my own PR firm that serves women-owned businesses. They had coaches at the pageant, too, who gave me some valuable advice. They told us that everyone has three to five very unique things about themselves, so we should focus on what we bring to the table instead of comparing ourselves. Even though I tend to project confidence, I used to compare myself a lot when I was a kid. I didn’t really have many friends who looked like me growing up, so I kind of felt like there was something wrong with me. Knowing that I contribute something different from everyone else is really comforting.” - Mackenzie Harding, FIT student and NRHS alum